Wayne M. Burton
Historical Details
Position on Issues
Against| Read My Position
Seacoast Online Voter Guide, 2024
"I do not support school vouchers. Recipients mostly who can afford to pay for private schools themselves. Education Freedom Accounts paid to unregulated private schools are very risky. Separation of church and state should be enforced to prevent indoctrination from superceding education"
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2016
Voted against prohibiting abortions at or after 20 weeks gestation (HB 1636)
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the first trimester (e.g. after 6 weeks gestation)?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire ban abortions during the second trimester (e.g. after 15 weeks gestation)?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH add an income tax on earned income?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should NH add a broad-based sales tax?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire lower business taxes?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire add a tax on capital gains?
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2017
Voted against authorizing two casinos (SB 242)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2024
Rep. Burton voted to consider HB 106, which would have established a commission to determine the financial cost of climate damage to New Hampshire and methods of recouping such costs. Rep. Burton also voted against HCR 1, a resolution that calls for policymakers to fully consider all relevant information and factors pertaining to climate change as climate policy is developed. That resolution specifically called out "climate alarmism."
No Response
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?
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2017
Voted to decriminalize possession of 3/4 ounce or less of marijuana (HB 640)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2015
Voted in favor of 2015 House Bill 572. When residential land is taken through eminent domain for a gas pipeline, HB 572 allows the resident to require the pipeline company to purchase all of the land, not just a part.
Other| Read My Position
Seacoast Online Voter Guide, 2024
"Facilitate and encourage development affordable housing overlay districts.
"Encourage regional solutions.
"Improve public transportation"
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2015
Voted against allowing qualifying patients and caregivers to grow medicinal marijuana at home (HB 593)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2025
Voted to consider increasing net energy metering eligibility (SB 228)
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire guarantee the right to access abortion before 24 weeks?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should the state increase funding for child care providers?
No Response
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?
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2016
Voted against legalizing and taxing marijuana (HB 1694)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2025
Voted to remove legal penalties for possessing and using marijuana (HB 198)
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by licensing growers and private retail locations?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire legalize the recreational use of marijuana by establishing state-run cannabis stores?
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2018
Voted to continue expanded Medicaid eligibility, using the traditional Medicaid system of managed care instead of private insurance (SB 313)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2016
Voted to continue expanded Medicaid eligibility, with additional funding from the insurance premium tax (HB 1696)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2017
Voted to consider raising the minimum wage to $9.50 in 2018 and $12 in 2019, with annual cost of living adjustments starting in 2020 (HB 115)
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2016
Voted against various abortion restrictions in 2016, such as a bill to prohibit abortions based on genetic abnormality (HB 1623)
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2018
Voted to change the sentence for any offense eligible for the death penalty to life imprisonment without parole (SB 593)
No Response
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?
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2024
Should New Hampshire repeal the ban on abortion after 24 weeks gestation?
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2017
Voted against right-to-work (SB 11)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2015
Voted against a bill that would have prohibited state funds for any health care provider that performs abortions, regardless of whether public funds were utilized for that specific service (HB 677)
For| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2025
In 2018 Burton voted to consider a ban on firearms at any place where medical services are provided, any place holding a valid liquor license, polling places, churches, entertainment venues which seat more than 5,000 people, and any public building (HB 1566).
In 2025 Burton voted to consider expanding background checks and adding 3-day waiting period for firearm transfers (HB 56).
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2018
Voted against the "education freedom savings account program" (SB 193)
Against| Read My Position
Voting Record, 2018
Voted against requiring all voters domiciled in New Hampshire to follow residency laws, such as the requirement to register any car in New Hampshire (HB 1264)
Voting Record
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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."
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 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.
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.
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.
SB 500 (2018)
Removes the prohibition of carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun in or on a stationary motor vehicle, OHRV, snowmobile, or aircraft. This bill also changes some legal references to firearms, and allows licensed bow hunters to carry firearms. Lastly, this bill removes the ability to deny or revoke a hunting license if a person "is not a suitable person to carry firearms." The Senate amended the bill to also allow carrying a loaded firearm on a moving vehicle if the person is protecting livestock or crops. The Senate amendment also allows hunting with an air rifle.
HB 592 (2017)
Repeals the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The House amended the bill to instead end energy efficiency grants, and send all the proceeds from RGGI to commercial and residential ratepayer rebates.
HB 1264 (2018)
Redefines "resident" and "inhabitant" to remove the phrase "for the indefinite future." This bill would potentially require all voters domiciled in New Hampshire to follow residency laws, such as the requirement to register any car in New Hampshire.
HB 628 (2017)
Establishes a social insurance program that would be operated by New Hampshire Employment Security to provide for paid family and medical leave insurance. Employers would pay 0.5% of wages per employee as premium payments. The House amended the bill to increase the employee contribution to 0.67%, to allow employees to opt out, and to limit benefits to six weeks of paid leave.
SB 313 (2018)
Continues New Hampshire's expanded Medicaid program. This bill makes several significant changes to the program. First, it moves participants off private insurance and into managed care, similar to traditional Medicaid enrollees. Second, it adds a work requirement for participants. Third, it removes funding from voluntary contributions by health care providers, which the federal government said is illegal.
HB 1319 (2018)
Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.
HB 587 (2017)
Prohibits conversion therapy for anyone under age eighteen. Conversion therapy attempts to change a person's sexual orientation.
CACR 22 (2018)
Constitutional amendment establishing various rights for crime victims.
HB 656 (2017)
Legalizes and taxes marijuana for adults over age twenty-one. The bill outlines various regulations, from the ability of municipalities to control the location of marijuana establishments, to labels disclosing the THC in each serving of a marijuana product. The bill also legalizes hemp. The House amended the bill to instead legalize possession and homegrowing of marijuana without allowing sales.
SB 593 (2018)
Changes the penalty for any offense eligible for the death penalty to life imprisonment without parole.
SB 193 (2017)
Establishes the "education freedom savings account program." This allows a parent to contract with a scholarship organization so that state education funding is transferred to the student's scholarship account rather than to the municipality in which the student resides. The House amended the bill to limit the scholarships to certain students, particularly low income students, students in underperforming schools, and special education students. The amended version also requires any student receiving a scholarship to complete an annual assessment to ensure academic progress.
HB 1680 (2018)
Prohibits abortion after viability, unless the mother's life is in danger, "in cases of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, or to remove a fetus with severe anomalies incompatible with life."
HB 144 (2017)
Changes the annual county budget procedures for Rockingham County to match those used in Hillsborough County. Since the House failed to pass the 2018-2019 budget bill HB 1, the Senate amended this bill into a new budget bill.
SB 8 (2017)
Allows a school district to assign a child to a non-sectarian private school if there is no public school for the child's grade in the child's resident district. The bill was amended to also require the non-sectarian private school to administer an annual assessment.
SB 242 (2017)
Authorizes one smaller and one larger casino with video lottery and table gaming. The smaller casino would pay an initial ten-year license fee of $40 million, and the larger casino would pay an initial ten-year license fee of $80 million. The casinos would pay a tax of 35% on gross slot machine revenue and 18% on gross table game revenue. The Legislature would choose how to distribute this revenue, provided that some of the revenue goes to towns hosting or neighboring the casino, and some of the revenue goes to treat problem gambling.
SB 66 (2017)
Includes fetuses as potential victims under murder statutes. The Senate amended the bill to include only fetuses twenty weeks and older, not just "viable" fetuses.
SB 191 (2017)
Increases state funding for full-day kindergarten programs, with adjustments based on the number of English language learners and free and reduced lunch students in each district. The House amended the bill to simply provide full funding for full-day kindergarten programs, and half funding for half-day kindergarten programs. The House also added keno legalization to the bill to create the revenue for kindergarten funding.
HB 103 (2017)
Requires school districts to provide advance notice to parents and legal guardians of course material involving discussion of human sexuality or human sexual education.
SB 11 (2017)
Right-to-Work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.
SB 3 (2017)
Changes the definition of domicile for voting purposes to make it more restrictive. This bill explicitly excludes anyone who comes to the state "for temporary purposes," such as volunteering or working on political campaigns. Out-of-state college students are still allowed to claim a domicile in New Hampshire. However, if someone moves to a new New Hampshire address within 30 days of voting, he or she must present proof of intent to stay in New Hampshire. This proof could include a lease, driver's license, a child's enrollment at a public school, etc.
SB 131 (2017)
Appropriates $1,155,000 to hire five state troopers assigned to drug enforcement on the state border. This bill also appropriates $3,340,000 for state and local law enforcement and the state lab for overtime related to drug enforcement.
SB 10 (2017)
Creates a program to repay licensed milk producers from losses during the 2016 drought. The bill appropriates $2 million to the Milk Producers Emergency Relief Fund.
HB 157 (2017)
Adds chronic pain to the qualifying medical conditions for medical marijuana.
HB 115 (2017)
Raises the minimum wage to $9.50 in 2018 and $12 in 2019, with annual cost of living adjustments starting in 2020. The bill also establishes a training wage that is one dollar less than the minimum wage for the first three months of employment for someone sixteen or seventeen years-old.
HB 478 (2017)
Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.
HB 640 (2017)
Decriminalizes possession of 3/4 ounce or less of marijuana, with additional penalties for violators under age twenty-one.
SB 12 (2017)
Increases the length of time for which a license to carry a concealed firearm is valid, and repeals the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.
HB 1623 (2016)
Prohibits abortion based on genetic abnormality.
HB 1338 (2016)
Allows parents and guardians to opt their students out of the statewide assessment test, and prohibits schools and the state from penalizing students who do not take statewide assessments.
HB 593 (2015)
Permits qualifying patients and registered caregivers to grow medicinal marijuana at home.
SB 336 (2016)
Removes the phrase "suitable person" from the law governing concealed carry permits, and instead requires law enforcement to issue a permit so long as the person is not prohibited from owning a firearm by state or federal law.
SB 4 (2015)
Tightens the definition of domicile for the purpose of voting. In particular, the final version of this bill requires a voter to live in New Hampshire at least 10 days before voting.
HB 1616 (2016)
Allows a person obtaining a driver's license to choose whether the license complies with the federal Real ID Act of 2005.
SB 576 (2016)
This bill includes many regulations aimed at combating heroin and prescription drug abuse. For example, this bill increases the penalties for abusing fentanyl and provides funding for an upgrade to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
HB 1694 (2016)
Legalizes and taxes marijuana for adults over age twenty-one.
HB 1480 (2016)
Raises the minimum wage to $8.25 in 2017, $9 in 2018, and $9.50 in 2019.
HB 1696 (2016)
Continues expanded Medicaid eligibility, with some revisions. This bill adds work requirements to eligibility for expanded Medicaid. Additional funding is provided by the insurance premium tax, paid by insurance companies.
SB 498 (2016)
Reduces the penalty for possessing 1/4 ounce or less of marijuana from a class A to an unspecified misdemeanor.
HB 1374 (2016)
Requires moneys paid into the Renewable Energy Fund to be rebated to ratepayers, rather than spent on other renewable energy projects.
SB 169 (2015)
Forbids the use of EBT cards or cash from EBT cards for alcohol, tobacco, gambling, lottery tickets, tattoos, firearms, or adult entertainment.
SB 113 (2015)
Authorizes two casinos in New Hampshire. One destination casino would pay a $80 million license fee; a smaller casino would pay $40 million to the state. SB 113 also earmarks $25 million in casino profits for distribution to all New Hampshire municipalities.
SB 40 (2015)
Includes fetuses as potential victims under murder statutes. The original Senate version of the bill applied to "viable fetuses," meaning the fetus is old enough to survive outside the womb. The House revised the bill to apply to all fetuses eight weeks and older. The House and Senate did not agree on a final version of the bill.
HB 563 (2015)
Adjusts the additional grants for chartered public school pupils based on the Consumer Price Index, and increases the per pupil state funding for charter school students by $1,000.
SB 179 (2015)
Requires that a voter has lived in the state and county for at least 30 days.
HB 658 (2015)
Right-to-Work bill that prohibits collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join or contribute to a labor union.
HB 1 (2015)
2016-2017 state budget bill (part 1). The budget cuts business taxes, restores the Rainy Day Fund, and increases funding for some social services. The budget does not reauthorize Medicaid expansion or include a pay raise negotiated with state employees.
SB 30 (2015)
Extends the use of municipal economic development and revitalization districts to certain unincorporated places.
SB 106 (2015)
Prohibits the sale, use, or possession of synthetic drugs, such as "spice."
HB 136 (2015)
Prohibits tanning facilities from tanning anyone under age 18. At the time of this bill's submission, the law allowed tanning under age 18 with a parent or guardian's consent.
HB 684 (2015)
Raises the minimum wage to $9.10 in 2016, $11.40 in 2017, and $14.25 in 2018. Starting in 2019, the minimum wage is adjusted according to cost of living.
SB 101 (2015)
Prohibits the Department of Education and the state Board of Education from implementing the Common Core standards in any school or school district in this state.
HB 618 (2015)
Decriminalizes possession of 1/2 ounce or less of marijuana, with additional penalties for violators under age twenty-one.
SB 116 (2015)
Increases the length of time for which a license to carry a concealed firearm is valid, and repeals the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm.
HB 403 (2015)
Repeals the law establishing a protest-free buffer zone around reproductive health clinics.