New Hampshire House debates dozens of bills; committee reports adopted on wide range of education, health and municipal measures

The New Hampshire House of Representatives convened extensive floor debate and recorded a sequence of committee reports and roll-call votes on March 26, 2025, addressing a broad set of education, public-health, election, and municipal finance measures.

Why it matters: The measures debated affect school policy and local control (masking and open enrollment), how student and family data are handled (nonacademic surveys), voter roll maintenance and election administration, health care rules for minors and immunization policy, and municipal budgeting processes. Several votes were taken on committee recommendations, often after division or roll-call requests.

House action and outcomes

- HB 361 — Prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools: The House debated testimony both for and against the majority committee report. Representative Damon urged protection for immunocompromised students; Representative Noble and others argued for parental/local control. The transcript records the House as stating the vote and then: “The committee report is adopted.” (Transcript: “House will attend to state the vote. 203 voting nay. A 64 voting nay. The committee report is adopted.”)

- HB 431 — Establishing a commission to review draft rules related to minimum standards for public school approval and state academic standards: The House considered amendment 0724h and adopted it after a division vote. The committee report on the amended bill was adopted. (Transcript includes: “202 voting aye. 63 voting aye. The amendment is adopted.” and later “The ayes have it. The committee report is adopted.”)

- HB 446 — Parental notification for nonacademic surveys (including the Youth Risk Behavior Survey): Extended debate addressed participation rates and data reliability. The House adopted the committee report as amended after a division vote.…