Matthew S. Hicks
Serving as: NH House Merrimack County District 24
These objective, nonpartisan measures are used to show this legislator's activities at the Statehouse in 2025. The measures are not intended to present a ranking or rating of any kind. Average is that of all state elected officials in this chamber. Gov. Ayotte is still in the process of signing and vetoing 2025 bills, so the number of prime sponsored bills that became law may increase.
Session days attended
Party unity score/partisanship
Participated in official roll call votes
Bills sponsored (as prime sponsor)
Prime sponsored bills that became law
Voting Record
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 10 (2025)
Establishes a Parental Bill of Rights. The bill requires schools to adopt a policy to promote parental involvement in the public school system. The bill also establishes a right to sue schools that violate the law.
The final version of this bill requires schools to respond to parental inquiries "regarding any and all matters related to their minor child," within ten days.
The final Senate version of this bill also does not require parents to give written consent to any medical procedure or treatment; that provision was removed after much debate.
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 198 (2025)
Removes the legal penalties for possessing and using marijuana and cannabis-infused products for those over age twenty-one. This bill does not include any mechanism for legal sales or taxation.
HB 238 (2025)
Right-to-work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.
HB 282 (2025)
Increases the maximum compensation for first responders' critical injury benefits from $500,000 to $1,000,000.
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 357 (2025)
Removes the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services to require vaccinations beyond those in state law. This bill specifically notes that the requirements for chickenpox, Hepatitis B, and Hib vaccinations will expire in 2026.
The House added the text of this bill to SB 60.
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 56 (2025)
Requires sales and transfers of firearms to take place through licensed dealers. Those dealers are required to perform background checks. This bill also establishes a 3-day waiting period for firearm transfers. The bill includes some exceptions, such as transfers between immediate family members.
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.
HB 649 (2025)
Removes the requirement for physical safety inspections and on-board diagnostic tests for passenger vehicles and eliminates funding for the Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Abatement Fund.
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 228 (2025)
Modifies the scope and capacity limits of community solar projects. Generally speaking, this bill increases the size of projects that can participate in net energy metering. The bill also allows nonprofit educational institutions and public housing authorities to operate as “municipal hosts” for net metering.
The Senate added some of this bill to HB 710.
SB 284 (2025)
Limits zoning laws to require no more than one parking spaces per residential unit, with exceptions for certain workforce housing and multi-family developments.
The House amended the bill to remove those exceptions.
SB 287 (2025)
If an absentee voter asks for a ballot to be mailed to an address other than the address shown on the voter checklist, this bill adds additional verification requirements. In particular, the voter must show a copy of their photo ID to the clerk or include a notarized signature on their absentee ballot application. If an absentee voter does not complete either step, "his or her signature on the application for an absentee ballot shall be compared to his or her signature on the absentee ballot affidavit on election day in the same manner as other voters."
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 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.
Completed our 2024 State Candidate Survey
Position on Issues
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support the “Education Freedom Account” program, which gives students access to the per-pupil share of state school funding to spend on private school or home school expenses?
"In order to have a strong state, we must have excellent public schools. As a graduate of the Concord public schools (CHS '92), I know how important public schools are for New Hampshire's future. The EFA program - vouchers - is not necessary or beneficial for New Hampshire. This program should be repealed. If people want to send their kids to private schools, they will find ways to pay the tuition. If they want to educate their children at home, they will make this work, too. These have always been options in New Hampshire without vouchers."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
"I fully support women's reproductive rights."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
"I fully support women's reproductive rights."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
"Against"
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH add a broad-based sales tax?
"Against"
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
"Generally, I believe we should keep business taxes as low as necessary to encourage business growth in New Hampshire."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add a tax on capital gains?
"Against"
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire government do more to address climate change?
"New Hampshire's biggest advantage is the natural environment. As an avid hiker and outdoors person, I have watched our environment change dramatically in the last few decades. What happened to our winters? We need to do much more to protect our environment, including supporting alternative forms of energy, lowering pollution, and protecting our waterways."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support giving voters who register without ID on Election Day a ballot that only counts if they return identifying documents to the state before a deadline?
"Voters who sign the affidavit at the polls under the penalty of perjury seems to work just fine. We have not learned about widespread fraud or other problems that would require this system to change."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state do more to encourage municipalities to remove zoning barriers to housing development?
"I have been working on this issue in my House committee, Municipal and County Government, at the planning board in Concord, through discussions at CNHRPC, and with business leaders through the Concord Chamber of Commerce. This must happen to encourage more housing, of all kinds, but especially starter homes and workforce housing. Some zoning changes, like allowing employers to build housing for their workers, will help businesses and employees and ensure New Hampshire's economy continues to thrive."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support legislation to expand the net energy metering system capacity cap from 1 MW to 5 MW for all residential and commercial customers in New Hampshire?
"If we are to encourage people to invest in alternative forms of energy, we must make it worth their while. My family just invested in solar at our house. Without net metering, it would have been a hard sell to get us to do so. Now, we are producing clean energy for our use and for others. I would love to see solar panels on every room in New Hampshire."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
"I fully support women's reproductive rights."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state increase funding for child care providers?
"Having been around childcare for more than 40 years, I keenly understand the difficult balance between what centers charge families, most of them younger families just starting out, and the need to pay child care teachers higher wages. Without state funding to help child care centers, we will continue to have high prices for families and lower than deserved pay for hard working child care teachers. Without quality and affordable child care, our employers struggle to find employees, because families cannot afford to live in New Hampshire."
Other| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?
"Generally, I believe school funding should come from the state level to ease the burden on local taxpayers. Communities with a significant amount of untaxable land, including Concord, face high local property tax rates, while other communities, especially those on the lakes and seacoast with many second homes, have lower local tax rates. Other sources of funding must be pursued. We will not have a sales or income tax, so spreading the tax burden for schools across the state versus at the local level is the most equitable option."
Undecided| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?
When asked this question on the 2024 Citizens Count survey, Rep. Hicks wrote, "I generally approve of legalizing recreational use of marijuana. I am not yet decided on how to structure this, as I support small businesses but would rather not have stores on "every corner," as we see in our neighboring states. If the state liquor store model works well for alcohol, this may be the best option." In 2025 Hicks voted to remove legal penalties for possessing and using marijuana (HB 198).
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
"I generally approve of legalizing recreational use of marijuana. I am not yet decided on how to structure this, as I support small businesses but would rather not have stores on "every corner," as we see in our neighboring states. If the state liquor store model works well for alcohol, this may be the best option."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
"I generally approve of legalizing recreational use of marijuana. I am not yet decided on how to structure this, as I support small businesses but would rather not have stores on "every corner," as we see in our neighboring states. If the state liquor store model works well for alcohol, this may be the best option."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire raise the minimum wage?
"New Hampshire's current minimum wage is disgraceful. It should be at least double that amount, and we should seriously consider setting it equal to the federal minimum wage."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add legal protections for residents of other states who travel here for health care related to abortion or gender transition?
"For"
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
"I fully support women's reproductive rights."
Against| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement?
"Local law enforcement has been clear on this. While testifying in front of my House committee, law enforcement leaders objected to requiring their officers to enforce these federal laws. I support our local police officers, who already have a difficult job, by not requiring them to act on behalf of federal agencies unless specifically asked to do so. This is already the agreement, so let's keep it as is."
For| Read My Position
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH pass stricter gun control laws?
"New Hampshire should take reasonable steps to limit weapons of war and sales to people struggling with mental illness. I support people's right to own guns, but measures, like waiting periods and banning some types of weapons is logical. This is common sense."
