This bill, HB 1374, revises the procedures for withdrawal from cooperative school districts and the discontinuance of schools in New Hampshire. It changes the voting requirement for a district's withdrawal from a simple majority to a 3/5 supermajority of voters in the withdrawing district, allowing a majority of voters in a single district to decide on withdrawal rather than requiring a majority across the entire cooperative district. The bill also clarifies that a supermajority vote in favor of withdrawal serves as conclusive evidence of the district's withdrawal. Additionally, it mandates that all municipalities served by a school district participate in voting on school closures and establishes a process for municipalities to preserve schools that would otherwise be closed. Moreover, the bill introduces a requirement for school boards to review operating documents every three years and outlines a framework for school discontinuance. It stipulates that no school can be closed without a majority vote from voters in all municipalities served by the school or district, and if a majority votes for closure, the school will cease operations by the start of the next school year unless a preservation option is exercised. The governing bodies of municipalities must negotiate operating agreements with the district to preserve a school, and the state board of education is authorized to conduct hearings regarding school closures when no agreement is in place. The bill also repeals RSA 194:35, which pertains to the discontinuance of high schools, and includes various insertions and deletions to clarify the responsibilities of school boards and governing bodies. The act is set to take effect 90 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 195:29, 195:25
As Amended by the Senate: 195:29, 195:25, 195-A:9, 194-C:5, 194:35
Version adopted by both bodies: 195:29, 195:25, 195-A:9, 194-C:5, 194:35
HB1374 text: 195:29, 195:25