The New Hampshire General Court commenced its 2025 Legislative Session on January 8, marking the occasion with the inauguration of Governor Kelly Ayotte and the introduction of approximately 450 bills. In her inaugural address, Governor Ayotte announced the establishment of a Committee on Government Efficiency (COGE), modeled after a federal initiative led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. The committee will be led by former Governor Craig Benson and former AutoFair CEO Andy Crews, aiming to streamline government operations and reduce spending.
Several key pieces of legislation are under consideration in the House of Representatives. One such bill is Right to Work (HB 238), sponsored by Rep. Daniel Popovici-Muller, which seeks to prohibit agreements requiring workers to join unions or pay dues as a condition of employment. This bill is scheduled for a public hearing on January 22.
Another proposed measure is E-Verify (HB 69), introduced by Rep. Aidan Ankarberg, mandating employers use the federal E-Verify system for new hires. This bill’s public hearing is set for January 21.
Additional legislative proposals include BET Cut (HB 155) by Rep. Joe Sweeney, aiming to reduce the BET rate from 0.55% to 0.50%, potentially saving businesses $46.3 million over two years; Renewable Portfolio Standard Rollback (HB 219) and Property Tax Relief (HB 234), both sponsored by Rep. Michael Harrington.
Concerns have been raised about several other bills, including NH OSHA (HB 303) proposed by Rep. Brian Sullivan, which would establish a state-level OSHA program; Business Political Contribution Regulations (HB 311) by Rep. Ellen Read; Mandatory Unused PTO Payout (HB 378); and Youth Worker Restrictions (HB 379), both introduced by Rep. Michael Cahill.
NFIB NH has pledged to monitor these developments closely and engage with lawmakers to advocate for small business interests in Concord.
For further information or feedback regarding these bills, contact state director John Reynolds at John.Reynolds@NFIB.org or call at 603-932-7757.
