By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Surrounded by children and Republicans who made it happen, Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed into law the so-called “Parents Bill of Rights” and a bill that expands Education Freedom Accounts to all families regardless of income Tuesday.
House Bill 10 https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=49&inflect=2and and Senate Bill 295 https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=965&inflect=2 are now law, despite concerns from Democrats that the EFAs are going to go to the most wealthy in a tight fiscal year.
She said the measures are fiscally responsible and among the issues she ran on to become elected governor.
“We told parents we were going to make sure we got this done and we did,” she said.
Also speaking was outgoing Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, who is in holdover status until a successor is found and nominated by the Republican governor.
He called the signing of the bills an important state “milestone.”
Edelblut said this offers opportunities for children to become their best selves and to create bright futures for the next generation.
“With these efforts New Hampshire continues its long tradition of leadership in education across the country. The future looks bright,” Edelblut said.
The Parental Bill of Rights is a bill that Republicans have worked to pass the past four years.
“No one loves a child more than a parent,” said Ayotte. “Making sure that parents have rights and can understand and know what is happening in their classrooms when their children are in school is so, so important,” and that this helps them with their responsibility “to be engaged with what is happening,” to them at school, Ayotte said.
She said the EFA bill expands opportunities to all so that the children can attend the school they wish.
She said she would look at any other parent-related freedom bills that may come to her desk.
House Bill 560 is related to parental access to a minor child’s medical records from schools.
It passed on a voice vote in the House earlier this year and is likely to pass although it is being used by other non-germane bills to get them across the line to signing.
Ayotte said she has reserved in her budgeting $39.3 million for the first year of the EFA bill and $47.8 million in fiscal year 2027.
“We are spending more on education per pupil and education historically,” Ayotte said.
State Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton a member of the House Education Funding Committee, said he was disappointed in the governor’s signing of the bills and said it will cost much more than she thinks to make EFAs universal.
The vouchers give a parent, on average about $5,600 a year to pay for non-public school or home schooling.
It was sold as a way to allow poor families to move their children to a more suitable education environment but was opposed by Democrats who said it would weaken public school systems.
“I am really disappointed in the governor for signing this, in secret essentially. She put out a notice yesterday afternoon saying don’t tell anybody and she signed this program into law really in the shadows. The governor knows this is a wildly unpopular program and we have got over 20 cities and towns that passed resolutions this spring opposing the expansion of the voucher scam,” he said.
Luneau said given the revenue framework, “we can’t even support the University System, our most needy in the state but somehow the GOP feels it appropriate to be spending $100 million on an unaccountable and unaudited voucher scam,” Luneau said.
He said he thinks the past eight years of leadership under Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut has been a disaster for teachers, students and taxpayers as well.
“I am glad he is on his way out. I hope the governor will take a serious look at appointing somebody who has experience in teaching and public school district leadership such as a superintendent. We have got great people in the state who can pick up the pieces,” Luneau said.
The governor has previously held bill signing ceremonies for issues related to banning sanctuary cities and a bail reform law, which she also said were campaign promises which she has made good on.
Reaction was divided along party lines.
House Children and Family Law Chairwoman Deb Desimone, R-Atkinson, released the following statement after Ayotte signed HB 10: “The Parental Bill of Rights affirms parents and teachers are partners in education. Parents can now inquire about the education of their children without fear of being lied to or kept in the dark. HB10 ensures that parents have the ultimate say in the education of their children.”
House Democratic Leader Rep. Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, released the following statement about HB10: “Today, Governor Kelly Ayotte and State House Republicans turned our classrooms into political battlegrounds. They’ve passed a bill that forces teachers to out LGBTQ+ teens to potentially abusive parents and makes it harder for educators and DCYF to protect vulnerable kids who need help the most.
“They’ve made teachers’ jobs a nightmare and put children at risk, all in the name of a hateful culture war. Nobody asked for this. So, now that their dangerous flagship policy is law, will Republicans finally get serious about the pressing issues Granite Staters are facing—like affordable housing, childcare, and healthcare?” Simpson said.
About EFAs, Deb Howes, President of AFT-NH, said: “This is a major loss for the 165,000 Granite State public school students, their families and local property tax payers. Each and every Granite State student has the constitutional right to a robust public education and the State has the responsibility to fund it without disproportionately burdening local property taxpayers. The school voucher scheme takes away badly needed resources from achieving that goal. AFT-NH thanks the members of the legislature who listened to their constituents and voted against this runaway school voucher program. We condemn the decision by Gov. Ayotte and other lawmakers to expand school vouchers to the wealthy at the expense of other state and local priorities.”
Republican state Rep. Valerie McDonnell of Salem, said: “I was proud to join my fellow Republicans to sign universal eligibility for Education Freedom Accounts into law. The wildly successful Education Freedom Account Program has been transformative for thousands of students all around New Hampshire.
“Considering the program’s incredible success, I am thrilled to help expand this program to more students for the upcoming school year,” McDonnell said.
House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, issued the following statement Ayotte signed HB 10, establishing the Parental Bill of Rights, and SB 295, relative to education freedom accounts, into law:
“As core tenets of our Contract with New Hampshire, the passage of HB 10 and SB 295 is more than a legislative win—it’s a defining moment for families across New Hampshire.
“By advancing education freedom and the Parental Bill of Rights, we’ve reaffirmed a simple truth: parents, not bureaucracies, should make decisions about their children’s lives. This legislation gives families real choices and ensures their values are respected.
“New Hampshire is now leading the way—trusting citizens, championing freedom, and setting a national example. This is what it means to govern with purpose and principle. The momentum is with us, and Republicans will always put families first,” Packard said.