The New Hampshire House and Senate passed two separate bills to remove income caps from the state’s education freedom accounts program Thursday, heralding a shift among Republicans since the program began. 

But the two chambers’ bills differed in their implementation, and each included some guardrails. 

In a 198-180 vote, the House passed House Bill 115, which would phase-in universal eligibility over two years.

Under the bill, in the 2025-2026 school year, the income limit would be increased from the current 350 percent of the federal poverty level to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or from $112,525 in total income for a household of four to $128,600 for that same household. Then, in the 2026-2027 school year, the program would be open to all students in the state regardless of income level.

No House Democrats voted to support HB 115; 10 House Republicans joined Democrats to oppose the bill.

And in a 16-8, party-line vote, the Senate passed Senate Bill 295, which would remove income limits immediately, but would include a 12,250-student cap on the program.

That would allow the program to more than double — there were 5,321 students in the program at the start of the 2024-2025 school year — but it would also mean that applications could be limited in future years after more students signed up.

Both bills would expand the program further than what Gov. Kelly Ayotte has proposed. In her budget trailer bill, Ayotte called for removing income caps on students receiving EFAs only for students who had attended public school for at least a year.

Under Ayotte’s plan, families of students who had been home schooled or were already enrolled in private school would still face the 350 percent income cap.

Republicans hailed the universal eligibility bills as a logical endpoint for the education freedom account program, which began in 2021.

The program currently allows income-eligible families to use the per-pupil state adequacy aid that historically had been given to public schools and apply it to private school and home-schooling expenses. 

“This bill ensures children will no longer be turned away from education that best meets their needs, prioritizing students over systems,” said Rep. Valerie McDonnell, a Salem Republican.