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HB 283 · 2025 · House · Education Policy and Administration Committee

Cutting subjects from adequate education

AI-generated

relative to the list of subjects that comprise an adequate education.

Removes arts education, world languages, engineering and technology, personal finance literacy, and computer science from the list of subjects required for an adequate public education, while keeping core subjects like English, math, science, and social studies.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 20, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill reduces the list of subjects which comprise an adequate education.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced.

“Social studies[, including civics, government, economics, geography, history, and Holocaust and genocide education].”
RSA 193-E:2-a, I(a)(4)

Bracketed matter is what the bill strikes: civics, government, economics, geography, history, and Holocaust and genocide education come out of the definition of social studies.AI-generated

“[Arts education, including music and visual arts. (6) World languages. ]”
RSA 193-E:2-a, I(a)(5)-(6)

Arts and world languages removed outright from the subjects that make up an adequate education.AI-generated

“Engineering and technologies including technology applications. (10) Personal finance literacy. (11) Computer science. ]”
RSA 193-E:2-a, I(a)(9)-(11)

Engineering and technology, personal finance literacy, and computer science struck as well — the three most recently added.AI-generated

“A school shall demonstrate that it provides the opportunity for an adequate education for the school approval standards set forth in rules adopted by the department of education in the following areas:”
RSA 193-E:3-b, I(a)

The same list governs what a school must demonstrate to be approved, so the cut is not symbolic: it changes what schools are accountable for.AI-generated

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Dan McGuireRPrimeVice Chair· Finance

Public testimony

30,212 signed in online · 13,888 wrote testimony

0% support100% oppose0% neutral

ForSchools should focus on core basics like reading, writing, and math

AgainstBill guts a well-rounded, comprehensive education

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“New Hampshire House Republicans have outdone themselves with this one. A stupid and harmful bill that would gut public education and do great harm to NH kids.”
— David Meuse, Portsmouth · Rockingham 37supports
“Arts actually enhance learning. Please do much more research”
— Liza Witonis, Straffordsupports
“Students need to learn about civics to be participating adults. We need to stop gutting public education to teach only what the GOP determines to be necessary. We need educated adults in the future and they need a well rounded education.”
— Anne Barlow, Exetersupports
“I oppose this bill because the subjects that are proposed to be taken away from the growing minds of the youth of New Hampshire are all very important subjects to help with the growth of their minds.…”
— Emma Kohr, Ellsworth · The children of New Hampshireopposes
“The current bill better represents what is an adequate education compared to the proposal.”
— Charles Bouvette, Bedfordopposes
“The arts are essential for 21st century students and humans.”
— Jennifer Ramsay, Kingstonopposes
“What an absolutely disgrace you are, Rep. McGuire! You have a Ph.D from MIT and you want to eliminate a well-rounded education from our New Hampshire students. How dare you ascend to higher education and pull the ladder up behind you. You should be ashamed.…”
— Sarah Keegan, Rochesterneutral
“I do like the idea of eliminating the mandatory criteria to some of the topics, but I still think it’s important to provide these as electives for students to self-select. These topics are important and should still be budgeted for.”
— Gabrielle Mourousas, Manchesterneutral
“The most important part of public education is to develop well rounded citizens. We cannot do this if we remove classes that help to teach critical thinking. The parts Bill 283 is looking to remove includes classes that are incredibly important to students' success as adults.…”
— Katherine Strout, Berlinneutral

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Feb 12, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate18–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 20, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 10, 2025Public hearingHouse Education Policy and Administration5:42:35–5:58:1215m 37slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing; Executive Session
  • Feb 20, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 2 P. 13
  2. Feb 10, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/10/2025 01:30 pm SH Reps Hall
  3. Feb 10, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/10/2025 01:30 pm SH Reps Hall
  4. Feb 12, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/12/2025 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 12 P. 5
  5. Feb 20, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 5

Coverage

Background reading

Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.