Thomas "Tom" Buco

Democrat
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Serving as: NH House Carroll County District 01

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
53% Present
Average 93%
Party unity score/partisanship
96% With Party
Average 95%
Participated in official roll call votes
31% Roll Call Votes
Average 91%
Bills sponsored (as prime sponsor)
1 Prime Sponsored Bills
Average 2
Prime sponsored bills that became law
0 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.

Declined to complete our 2024 State Candidate Survey

Position on Issues

Voting Record, 2024

Rep. Thomas voted to consider repealing the Education Freedom Account program (HB 1683) In 2024 Rep. Buco voted against several bills to expand eligibility for Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs), including HB 1561, HB 1634, HB 1665, and HB 1677. Buco also voted for HB 1512, which would limit the EFA program to a budget.

Voting Record, 2023

Voted against HB 591, a bill that would prohibit a doctor from performing an abortion after detecting a fetal heartbeat.

Voting Record, 2016

Buco voted against various abortion restrictions in 2016, including a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation (HB 1636).

Conway Daily Sun: Meet the Candidates, 2012

"I absolutely oppose a sales tax because the economy of the Mount Washington Valley depends on retail sales. I also oppose an income tax because the lack of an income tax is a unique New Hampshire advantage."

Conway Daily Sun: Meet the Candidates, 2012

"I absolutely oppose a sales tax because the economy of the Mount Washington Valley depends on retail sales. I also oppose an income tax because the lack of an income tax is a unique New Hampshire advantage."

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?

Voting Record, 2019

Voted against HB 686, a bill that would extend the interest and dividends tax to capital gains and increase the exemptions and filing thresholds for the interest and dividends tax. HB 686 would have used the new capital gains tax revenue to increase per-pupil school funding and lower the state property tax rate.

Voting Record, 2023

Voted for HB 208, a bill to establish greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for the state, to net zero by 2050. The bill also required the Department of Environmental Services to develop a climate action plan.

Voting Record, 2022

Voted against creating a conditional "affidavit ballot" for voters registering on Election Day without ID (SB 418)

Voting Record, 2025

In 2024 Rep. Buco voted for a few bills that would ease zoning requirements. For example, Buco voted for HB 1291 (to increase rights of property owners to build accessory dwelling units), HB 1399 (to make it easier to convert single family residence into two units), and HB 1400 (to limit parking requirements, plus add tax credits for office conversions). In 2025 Rep. Buco voted to limit parking requirements in zoning laws (SB 284).

Voting Record, 2025

Voted to increase the maximum electric generating capacity to participate in net energy metering, from one to five megawatts (HB 523) and voted to consider other expansions to net metering eligibility (SB 228).

Voting Record, 2024

Voted for a constitutional right to abortion before 24 weeks (CACR 23).

Voting Record, 2024

Voted to consider starting a Child Care Workforce Fund to recruit and retain New Hampshire child care employees (HB 1611)

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Do you support New Hampshire’s current system of public school funding, with about two-thirds of total funding coming from local property taxes?

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by allowing home-growing and private use without sales?

Voting Record, 2024

In 2023 Rep. Buco voted against legalizing private marijuana sales with a 12.5% excise tax (HB 639). In 2024 Buco voted against legalizing marijuana with licensed outlets and a 10% tax on monthly total gross revenue (HB 1633).

Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2022

Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?

Voting Record, 2024

Voted against HB 186 (to gradually raise the minimum wage to $12/hour), HB 731 (to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15/hour), and SB 10 (to gradually raise the minimum wage to $12/hour). However, in 2024 Buco voted to gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 per hour, with future inflation adjustments (HB 1322).

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?

Voting Record, 2023

Voted to repeal the "fetal life protection act", which restricts access to abortion after 24 weeks (HB 271).

Voting Record, 2025

Voted against ban on "sanctuary policies" and against requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement (SB 62).

Voting Record, 2025

In 2019 Buco voted for HB 564 (banning firearms on school grounds), HB 109 (expanding firearm background checks), and HB 514 (establishing a waiting period for firearm purchases).

In 2023 Buco voted to establish a 3-day waiting period for firearm purchases (HB 76).

In 2025 Buco voted to consider expanding background checks and adding 3-day waiting period for firearm transfers (HB 56).

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