Overview

• Governor Kelly Ayotte vetoed seven bills on July 15, including HB 324 targeting books deemed harmful to minors and HB 148 rolling back transgender facility protections.
• She said the proposed statutes duplicated existing law, invited civil suits from out-of-state groups, and overstepped into local school board authority.
• Republicans in New Hampshire’s legislature lack the two-thirds majority needed to override the vetoes, securing current education and anti-discrimination policies.
• Education and civil liberties groups welcomed the decision, with NEA New Hampshire praising the stand against censorship and the ACLU of New Hampshire defending LGBTQ+ rights.
• Her actions highlight a rare rift in the state’s GOP during a broader national surge in classroom content challenges and bathroom access debates.