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House rejects committee report on universal open enrollment after extended debate over access, funding and local control
Summary
Senate Bill 101, which would authorize universal open enrollment across New Hampshire public schools, drew lengthy floor debate on transportation, special-education costs and local-warrant-article opt-outs before the House rejected the committee report in a roll-call vote.
Representative Balboni (speaking against the majority amendment) and other supporters framed SB 101 as expanding parental choice and removing geography as a barrier to education, describing the measure as creating pathways for students who need different programs or safer environments.
Opponents, including Representative Hall and Representative Damon, warned the proposal would shift funding and services away from sending districts, impose transportation burdens on families, and override local warrant-article decisions that many towns have enacted to limit open enrollment. Representative Hall said the change “is not a choice for families without flexible schedules and reliable transportation,” and argued the plan risked destabilizing smaller, property-poor districts.
Floor amendments (including 1451h and others) were debated and some were adopted; the committee report as amended ultimately failed on a roll-call (168 yea, 184 nay), and a motion was later made to lay the bill on the table as the House moved through its calendar.
What happens next: With the committee report defeated on the floor, proponents and opponents signaled that further work would be needed to reconcile access, funding formulas, transportation logistics and special-education responsibilities before a durable consensus could be reached.
