David H. Watters

HB 1 (2025)

State budget bill. The governor presented her proposal for the next state budget February 13. Click here to read a summary of the budget process.

HB 1268 (2026)

Modifies home education laws to remove the requirement for parents to notify the state unless participating in public school activities and makes annual evaluations optional. 

The House amended the bill to add other protections for parents who choose to home educate. For example, the amended bill allows families to seek damages if a person knowingly makes a report that alleges abuse or neglect predominantly on the basis that a child is home educated. However, the Senate removed some of those provisions.

HB 1442 (2026)

Defines sex based on biology for statutory purposes and requires public schools and government buildings to designate bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex, while allowing private entities to do the same.

The Senate rewrote the bill to allow, but not require, separation based on biological sex in bathrooms, locker rooms, sports, prisons, and treatment centers.

HB 148 (2025)

Adds an exception to state anti-discrimination laws for bathrooms, locker rooms, sports, prisons, hospitals, and treatment centers to classify individuals based on biological sex.

HB 1793 (2026)

Prohibits public colleges and universities from regulating the possession or carrying of firearms and non-lethal weapons (such as pepper spray) on campus. Individuals could sue under the law.

The Senate rewrote the bill. Their version of the bill prohibits public colleges and universities from regulating non-lethal weapons students; faculty would be allowed to possess and carry firearms. The amended bill also establishes a committee to study allowing guns on campus.

HB 1815 (2026)

Redefines what educational content the state must fund to satisfy an "adequate education" in state law. For example, the bill removes references to the minimum standards for public school approval. Notably, this bill states, "How the state and its local governmental entities choose to raise, allocate, and spend financial resources to implement this integrated public education system is a political policy matter reserved to legislative and executive judgment and control." This pushes back against New Hampshire Supreme Court rulings on what the state must fund for an adequate education.

HB 282 (2025)

Increases the maximum compensation for first responders' critical injury benefits from $500,000 to $1,000,000. 

HB 323 (2025)

Requires a voter to present government-issued photographic ID to vote. Student identification, for example, would no longer satisfy voter ID laws.

HB 324 (2025)

Prohibits K-12 schools from making "any material that is harmful to minors" available to students. The bill defines this material to include various content related to sex. This bill also requires school boards to adopt complaint resolution policies to address complaints regarding harmful material by parents or guardians.

HB 377 (2025)

Makes it a felony to provide hormone treatments and puberty blockers to a minor unless a minor is "born with a medically verifiable disorder of sex development."

The Senate amended the bill to allow doctors to continue hormone treatments and puberty blockers started prior to January 1, 2026.

The Senate amended the bill to also recognize Children's Environmental Health Day, similar to SB 184.

A conference committee of representatives and senators agreed to those Senate amendments.

HB 53 (2025)

Allows qualifying medical marijuana patients and caregivers to grow marijuana at home. There would be limits on the size of the growing operation.

The House added the text of this bill to SB 118.

HB 60 (2025)

After six months of renting, this bill adds the expiration of the term of the lease or tenancy as grounds for an eviction. 

The Senate amended the bill so that it will only take effect if there is a 4% vacancy rate in the state. The amended bill also increases in the minimum lease term to twelve months before eviction. 

A conference committee of representatives and senators agreed on a final version of the bill. Landlords could evict without cause after twelve months, and the law would take effect regardless of the vacancy rate.

SB 101 (2025)

Allows parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state, regardless of what town or city they live in. A public school could reject a student's transfer for limited reasons, such as a "documented history of significant disciplinary issues."

The Senate amended the bill to also allow school events open to the general public, such as concerts and sports games, to be recorded without written consent from parents.

The Senate then added the substance of this bill to another bill, HB 751.

SB 14 (2025)

Sets a mandatory minimum sentence for supplying fentanyl. The minimum starts at three years and six months and goes up for higher quantities.

The House amended the bill to also increase penalties for dealing fentanyl to a person who overdoses and dies, similar to SB 15. The amendment also decreases the penalty for possessing 3/4 of an ounce or less of psilocybin (magic mushrooms) to a misdemeanor.

SB 144 (2025)

Establishes a system to report to the firearm background check system if a person is found not guilty by reason of insanity, not competent to stand trial, or involuntarily committed to a mental health facility. This bill also allows the court to order a person to surrender their firearms in these circumstances. This bill also establishes a process for a person to have their record removed from the background check system after six months, if they are no longer a danger to themselves or others.

SB 176 (2025)

Gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

SB 295 (2025)

Removes the household income limit to participate in the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program.

The Senate amended the bill, adding a 10,000 enrollment cap for the EFA program. If there are 9,000 EFA applicants in a year, the enrollment cap would increase by 25%.

SB 555 (2026)

Establishes a legal process for issuing critical risk protection orders to temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals found to pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. Family, household members, and law enforcement could petition the court for an order. A critical risk protection order would restrict a person's access to firearms, and is also known as a "red flag law."

SB 62 (2025)

Prohibits state and local government from blocking law enforcement participation in a federal 287(g) program. That program allows local law enforcement to perform some immigration enforcement duties.

The House amended the bill to add the text of SB 71, which prohibits state and local governments from adopting "sanctuary policies," which prohibit or impede law enforcement cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.

SB 623 (2026)

Requires law enforcement officers assisting the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the federal 287(g) program to display their ID, keep body cameras on, and leave their face uncovered.

SB 84 (2025)

Sets maximum lot size requirements for single-family homes, depending on the availability of municipal or community sewer and water infrastructure. The bill would generally block zoning laws that require lot sizes larger than 66,000 square feet, which is about 1.5 acres.

The Senate amended the bill, raising the limit to 88,000 square feet, which is about 2 acres.

SB 96 (2025)

Requires teachers to respond "honestly and completely" to written requests by parents regarding information relating to their children, within 10 days of receiving the request. If the teacher believes a response would put a child at risk, the teacher must file a report.

The House amended the bill to also establish penalties for violation of parental rights by school districts and school employees, including lawsuits, disciplinary action, and potential fines.

A conference committee of representatives and senators failed to agree on a final version of this bill.