NHFPI Releases In-Depth Analysis Of New State Budget

By NHFPI Staff, InDepth NH

The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute has released a comprehensive report analyzing the State Budget for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. The report breaks down the $15.89 billion two-year budget, highlighting key funding shifts, revenue changes, and policy decisions that will shape the future of the Granite State.

The report provides a detailed look at how the budget responds to revenue shortfalls, federal policy changes, and new fiscal pressures, offering context for major investments, service reductions, and policy shifts across health care, education, public safety, housing, and more.

Key findings include:

• Boosts to special education, certain police and firefighter pensions, and nursing facilities.
• Reductions to public higher education, the Office of the Child Advocate, and public health programs including family planning and prescription drug affordability efforts.
• New barriers to health coverage, including Medicaid work requirements and increased premiums and co-pays for certain enrollees, pending federal approval.
• Expansions of legalized gambling and 131 fee and fine increases to raise revenue amid flatlining business tax growth and the repeal of the Interest and Dividends Tax.
• New policy mandates, including a prohibition on student cell phone use during school hours.

The full report is available at https://nhfpi.org/resource/the-state-budget-for-fiscal-years-2026-and-2027.

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.