Read Gov. Ayotte’s news release about 101 bills she signed and 7 she vetoed here: https://indepthnh.org/2025/07/15/gov-ayotte-signs-101-bills-vetoes-7/
By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD — Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoed a bill that would have school districts establish a process to ban books and other “inappropriate materials” from public schools.
If approved, House Bill 324 would have allowed one parent to determine what books and other materials other students would be able to access at public schools and their libraries.
The bill would allow anyone to file a complaint about books or materials in public schools if they believe they are obscene, harmful or inappropriate for the grade level.
The complaint would begin a process that could end with removing the material from the schools and/or taking educators and school board members to court.
Supporters of the bill said it was not book banning or burning, but a way for their constituents to become part of the process of determining what is appropriate for the education of their child.
But opponents said the bill would hurt public education, usurp local control from school boards and deny students’ rights to access comprehensive materials free from censorship.
They claimed the bill as written could prohibit the teaching of Shakespeare, the Bible or other literary classics because one parent objects.
“Current State law appears to provide a mechanism for parents through their local school district to exercise their rights to ensure their children are not exposed to inappropriate materials,” Ayotte said in her veto message. “Therefore, I do not believe the State of New Hampshire needs to, nor should it, engage in the role of addressing questions of literary value and appropriateness, particularly where the system created by House Bill 324 calls for monetary penalties based on subjective standards.”
The governor said she also has concerns the bill would generate endless civil actions over materials in schools and open the door to litigation from out-of-state groups.
Such groups are the prime mover in other states to ban materials from schools, not parents.
She said the state currently has a process in place to challenge material parents believe is inappropriate for their child.
“New Hampshire law requires school districts to adopt a policy allowing an exception to specific course material based on a parent’s determination that the material is objectionable. See RSA 186:11:IX-c. Parents must be notified at least two weeks in advance of course materials that involve human sexuality, sexual education, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression,” she wrote in her veto message. “If a parent objects in writing, New Hampshire law further requires an alternative agreed upon between the school district and the parent.”
If the Legislature determines that RSA 186:11:IX-c is not being implemented or enforced adequately, the more suitable and narrow way to address these concerns would be to modify that statute, Ayotte said.
Recent polling by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center indicates that 56 percent oppose state policies on book bans and instead believe that those decisions be made at the local level.
The state’s largest teachers union said the bill would have gone far beyond parental opt-out by potentially imposing one parent’s objections on other families.
“Every student deserves to see themselves reflected in the pages of their books. NEA-New Hampshire applauds Governor Ayotte for standing up for the freedom to read in New Hampshire,’” said Megan Tuttle, President of NEA-New Hampshire. “We hope this book ban bill veto represents a changing tide at the State House and call on lawmakers to listen to Granite Staters who overwhelmingly oppose classroom censorship efforts.”
Rep. David Paige, D-Conway, who sponsored a bill that would have established a cooperative process to review books and materials questioned by parents, said with the veto Republicans should return to the table and “help craft real, workable solutions that respect parents, educators, and students—and reflect New Hampshire values.”
He said HB 324 would have given political appointees in Concord unchecked power to ban books in schools statewide.
“But when this bill passed in the legislature, Granite State parents spoke out clearly in reply: criminally prosecuting our teachers, librarians, and school board members just for protecting our kids’ access to valuable educational materials is simply not the New Hampshire way,” Paige said. “There’s broad agreement that schools need fair, transparent processes for reviewing instructional materials. That’s why Democrats proposed a bill requiring every district to adopt such policies.”
But instead of working toward compromise, House and Senate Republicans pushed a top-down approach based on fear and disinformation, he said.
Non-Academic Surveys
Ayotte also vetoed House Bill 446 which would require public schools to mail parents a copy of non-academic surveys to be given to students and would change the current law allowing parents to opt-out, to having parents opt-in to allow their student to take the survey.
In her budget message, Ayotte said parents already have the freedom to opt out their child from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
“I have heard tremendous concerns about this bill from those on the front lines of addressing our mental health crisis and helping those with substance use disorders, including state and local public health officials, youth mental health professionals, as well as the Governor’s Commission on Addiction, Treatment, and Prevention. Making the survey ‘opt-in’ rather than continuing to give parents the choice to opt their child out could lower participation and undermine the reliability of the data collected, jeopardizing efforts to respond to the needs of vulnerable youth in our state,” she said in her veto message. “Moreover, it could reduce the State’s eligibility to receive critical federal funding that helps us protect our most vulnerable.”
The NEA supported the governor’s veto of the bill.
“We should all agree that it is critical that schools, families, communities, and the state work together to provide New Hampshire youth with the tools, resources, and supports they need to learn and thrive,” said Tuttle. “As educators, we know this anonymous, optional survey helps identify important trends in youth mental health, substance use, and more so that the state can create effective prevention programs. That’s why NEA-New Hampshire is grateful that Governor Ayotte vetoed HB 446, which would have greatly reduced participation in this survey and could have negatively impacted the ability to gather useful insights from the data that could ultimately harm New Hampshire youth.”
Biological Sex
Ayotte also vetoed House Bill 148 which would have permitted individuals to be classified by their biological sex for use of restrooms and locker rooms, in sports and in detention centers.
“I believe there are important and legitimate privacy and safety concerns raised by biological males using places such as female locker rooms and being placed in female correctional facilities. At the same time, I see that House Bill 148 is overly broad and impractical to enforce, potentially creating an exclusionary environment for some of our citizens,” Ayotte wrote in her veto message. “While I believe that the legislature should address this serious issue, it must be done in a thoughtful and narrow way that protects the privacy, safety, and rights of all New Hampshire citizens. However, with House Bill 148, I have concerns about the broadness of this bill, the unintended impacts accompanying its implementation, and that it will spur a plethora of litigation against local communities and businesses.”
Fetal Development
And she vetoed House Bill 667 which would require public school health education classes to show videos of fetus development.
“I do not believe the state should dictate to local school districts that they must show a high-quality computer generation or ultrasound video that shows the gestational development of a fetus in health classes.” Ayotte said in her veto message. ‘“That is not an appropriate role for the State to be mandating such requirements.”
On Tuesday, Ayotte also signed 101 bills.
Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahoo.com.