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Sponsor pitches 'blockchain basics' bill to protect private keys, recognize blockchain trusts and create a dispute docket
Summary
Representative Keith Ammon told the Commerce Committee House Bill 639 would codify definitions, protect consumers' ability to hold private digital currency and establish a specialized judicial docket for blockchain disputes; lawmakers raised energy, environmental and regulatory concerns during extended questioning.
Representative Keith Ammon described House Bill 639 as a package of clarifications and protections aimed at encouraging blockchain‑related commerce in New Hampshire. The proposal would: recognize rights to hold private digital currency and self‑custody of private keys; prohibit discriminatory local rules aimed specifically at blockchain infrastructure; recognize blockchain‑based trusts under state trust law; and create a blockchain dispute docket in the superior court system, with that docket slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Ammon said the bill incorporates recommendations from the governor’s blockchain commission and model language used in other states. “This protects individuals rights to use digital assets for payments and self custody,” Ammon told the committee, describing provisions meant to give businesses and consumers regulatory certainty.
Why it matters: The bill aims to provide legal clarity…
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