IT’S A WRAP

The House and Senate met last week to vote on Committee of Conference (CoC) reports for bills that the House and Senate had passed in different versions and then negotiated a compromise. For bills where the chambers voted to accept the CoC report, the final bill is sent to the Governor for signature.

You can read all about the compromises considered in THIS from NHPR.

For better or worse, the session is over. The Governor has already acted on some bills, but many others now await her signature.

Some good news and not-so-good news on bills we opposed:

First, the good news:

• HB360: (Second New Title) prohibiting public schools from performing surgical procedures or prescribing pharmaceutical drugs, relative to licensing requirements for health care facilities established within a 15 mile radius of a critical access hospital, and relative to the administration of prescription medication to minors by youth camp staff.

  • The compromise version failed in the House.

• HB609: relative to the general court's authority over the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, and other matter pertaining to firearms, stun guns, Tasers, pepper spray devices, knives and other self-defense tools.

  • HB609 AKA Open Carry - The House tabled the compromise version.

• HB751: (Second New Title) establishing a committee to study licensure of outpatient substance use disorder treatment facilities, authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, and creating a limited exemption from parental consent required for certain recordings under the parental bill of rights.

  • HB751 AKA Open Enrollment - The Senate tabled the compromise version.

• HB317: (New Title) allowing a supervisor of the checklist to verify a person's identity, with identification, if they personally know that person.

  • Although the compromise version was accepted, the intent changed.

  • From NHPR: While originally that bill would have removed the ability for polling officials to verify a voter’s identity by confirming that they knew them — thus tightening the voter ID law — the final compromise version instead creates a new mechanism allowing nursing home administrators to verify their residents’ identities if they do not have ID.

Now the not-so-good news:

The compromise version was passed for each of the following:

• HB155: (New Title) relative to business enterprise tax returns and appropriating funds to the department of health and human services for licensed nursing facilities.

  • From NHPR: “Rather than reduce the rate that all businesses paid, the final version of HB 155 would raise the threshold for which businesses would pay by exempting those businesses whose total gross business receipts or enterprise value tax base were at least $400,000 in the last year, up from $298,000 today.”

• HB281: requiring electronic voter checklists to be supplied in a sortable format.

• HB1062: authorizing the secretary of state to conduct random audits of the citizenship qualification of registered voters.

  • From NHPR: “the Secretary of State’s Office would be required to conduct a “statistically sound” random audit of voters to verify those voters’ citizenship status using available databases.”

• HB1306: relative to the counting of absentee ballots.

• HB1300: (Second New Title) establishing a school district local tax cap question for the state general election of 2026 and related limitations on central office administrative expenses in school districts.

  • From NHPR: “would require a measure on the November general election ballot asking voters whether they would like to impose an ongoing, annual tax cap on school board budgets, is moving forward. If three fifths of voters opted to do so, the cap would move ahead, under the bill.”

  • From Kent Street Coalition - HB1300 (Tax Cap), requiring every town and city ward to include a tax cap question on their ballots during the 2026 and 2028 general elections - separating this decision from the regular school budget and town meeting process and making it more likely that voters will adopt tax caps without understanding the actual consequences. More info can be found HERE.

This week’s ask is simple. Call Governor Ayotte and ask her to veto the worst of the lot.

603-271-2121 or TDD Access: Relay NH 1-800-735-2964

You can also email her at: GovernorAyotte@governor.nh.gov

Here is a script/template you can use - feel free to make it your own:

Hello, my name is [NAME] and I live in Mont Vernon. I'm calling to ask Governor Ayotte to VETO HB1300 and HB155.

I urge Governor Ayotte to VETO HB1300, the tax cap bill. It does not provide real property tax relief, weakens local control, and takes important school funding decisions away from local processes, where communities can already consider tax caps during their school and town meetings.

I also urge Governor Ayotte to VETO HB155, which provides broad tax cuts for businesses and could increase pressure on local property taxpayers at a time when residents and municipalities are already struggling.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Want to do more? Call again, (one per bill simplifies tracking for her staff) on these additional bills Kent Street has been tracking:

• HB 232 (Abortion Restrictions), targeting health centers and hospitals that offer abortion care. This bill opens up privacy concerns, as abortion providers could be reported to the Attorney General's office, which is then shared with politicians. (Easy-fill form here, but a personal phone call is most effective.)

• SB 552 & HB 1442 (Bathroom Bills), These kinds of identity politics are being prioritized over solving real issues facing Granite Staters. Our trans community is being unfairly targeted and singled out by a vocal political minority who wants to sow fear in our state. Trans people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and should be allowed to participate fully in public life.

• HB 1062 (Random Audits of Citizenship Qualifications of Registered Voters), would authorize the Secretary of State to conduct random audits of voters who registered using the qualified voter affidavit to prove citizenship. At its core, HB 1062 casts suspicion on voters who have already proven they are qualified to vote. New Hampshire's elections are safe, secure, and accurate, and there is no evidence of widespread noncitizen voting that would justify creating a permanent voter audit program. 

• SB 434 (Book Ban Bill), If signed into law, this classroom censorship bill would allow the banning of books, art, films and videos, visual media like drawings and photographs, live performances, dances, guest speakers, and other material in New Hampshire public schools. Thank you ACLU NH for this summary. ACLU UPDATE