Senate requests conference committee on bill tied to bullying after open‑enrollment amendment

The New Hampshire Senate voted to request a committee of conference on Senate Bill 210 on June 19, 2025, after the House amended the bill to include an open‑enrollment provision in addition to anti‑bullying measures.

Senator Ward, who moved that the Senate non‑concur with the House amendment and requested a conference, said the measure "began as a study on school bullying" and that the House had "amended it significantly," adding both anti‑bullying policies and an open‑enrollment provision. Ward said the House chair of the education policy committee offered to remove the open‑enrollment portion so the chambers could "go into conference on the bullying policy." The motion to request a committee of conference carried on a voice vote.

The Senate President appointed Senators Ward, Sullivan and Fenton as Senate conferees. Later in the day the Clerk reported that the House had appointed Representatives Cordelli, Noble, Drei and Freeman as the House conferees for the conference on SB 210.

Why it matters: SB 210 originated as legislation focused on bullying and cyberbullying prevention. The House amendment added broader school‑choice language (open enrollment), a change that prompted the Senate to insist on conference to negotiate whether and how the two policies will be linked.

What happened next: With conferees named on both sides, the committee of conference will meet to reconcile the Senate and House versions of SB 210; the Senate also noted the procedural deadline to sign committee of conference reports is Thursday, June 19, 2025 at 4 p.m., as announced earlier in the session.

The Clerk's messages and the motions occurred on the Senate floor with no further debate recorded in the transcript.