As the NH Legislature prepares to return to Concord in January, the 2026 session promises to be one of the most important in recent years for the state’s economic competitiveness. While the 2025 session ended on a cautiously optimistic note with a compromise state budget reached and meaningful progress on housing reform, NH continues to face several complex challenges impacting economic growth. For the business community, the legislative session will be defined by efforts to address workforce needs through housing and childcare reform, and continued focus on lowering energy costs and enhancing the regulatory environment.
Housing
The 2025 session saw meaningful progress on housing reform with the passage of bills expanding accessory dwelling units, easing parking requirements, and allowing mixed-use development in commercial zones. These measures represented a long-overdue shift toward more flexible zoning and a recognition that housing supply and affordability is essential to the health of the state’s economy.
In 2026, expect housing to once again dominate the policy conversation. Recent polling shows that voters continue to cite housing as their top issue of concern, with more than 70% supporting more pro-housing legislation. A legislative commission established last year to study the state’s zoning enabling act will consider recommendations and potential future legislation to balance local land use control, private property rights, and state housing policies. In addition to debating additional pro-housing proposals, the Legislature will also have to address proposals to roll back some housing reforms made in 2025. These efforts will face a steep climb to passage but will require time and attention from housing advocates.
With the median home price now exceeding $560,000 statewide and employers across sectors struggling to recruit workers, housing availability has become the single greatest barrier to economic growth. The connection between housing and workforce development is undeniable, and NH cannot attract or retain young families, recent graduates, or support seniors staying in their communities without a balanced and attainable housing market for all.
Childcare
If housing is the biggest challenge facing the state’s workforce, the availability and affordability of childcare is not far behind. Across NH, families continue to face long waiting lists, high costs, and limited access to quality childcare. These obstacles are keeping many parents on the sidelines of the workforce.
The 2026 session is expected to include several bills aimed at strengthening the childcare system through a mix of public and private solutions. The BIA is sponsoring two efforts aimed at addressing this issue: A tax credit to incentivize employer investment in the childcare sector and a proposal to streamline the regulatory bottleneck that makes opening new centers so difficult, especially home-based family childcare centers. Expanding childcare access is not only a family and community health issue, but also a workforce imperative that directly affects labor force participation and economic growth.
NH’s Regulatory Climate
Beyond housing and childcare, the BIA will also be closely monitoring a range of bills that could impact the state’s regulatory climate. Some lawmakers are expected to revisit proposals around data privacy, solid waste management, and labor standards, all areas of contentious debate in recent years. The regulation of artificial intelligence is also an emerging area of technology policy that will attract legislative attention in 2026 and in the years ahead. State energy policy and lowering the cost of energy will also be on the agenda.
Aside from all the policy action, 2026 is an election year. Election years typically see more partisan-fueled legislative proposals filed by policymakers than non-election years. With more than 1,000 proposed pieces of legislation, the 2026 legislative session will be as busy and consequential for the state and business community as ever. By putting partisan politics aside and focusing on the key challenges impacting the state’s economic competitiveness, lawmakers can send a powerful message that NH remains open for business.
Michael Skelton is president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association of NH. Visit BIAofNH.com.
