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HB 501 · 2025 · House · Municipal and County Government Committee

Local authority over 5G towers

AI-generated

relative to allowing towns to decline 5G towers.

Authorizes municipalities to regulate the construction, deployment, and operation of 5G wireless facilities within their jurisdictions and repeals the existing chapter governing personal wireless service facility deployment.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 26, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill: I. Establishes the authority for municipalities to regulate the construction, deployment, and operation of 5G wireless facilities within their jurisdiction and II. Repeals the chapter relative to the deployment of personal wireless service facilities.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Municipalities shall have the authority to deny the construction, deployment, or operation of 5G wireless facilities within their jurisdiction.”
RSA 12-K:1
“Any municipality electing to exercise this authority shall provide a detailed written decision outlining the reasons for the denial, including but not limited to considerations of public health, safety, and welfare, environmental impacts, and consistency with local zoning ordinances.”
RSA 12-K:1
“The municipality's decision to deny the construction, deployment, or operation of 5G wireless facilities shall be made in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.”
RSA 12-K:1
“The denial shall not conflict with or violate any existing state or federal regulations governing the deployment of wireless service facilities.”
RSA 12-K:1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Diane KelleyRPrime

Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR

Public testimony

134 signed in online · 18 wrote testimony

84% support16% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“So many obtrusive cell towers have already gone up in residential areas with no recourse offered to citizens to reject their placement. This bill should have already been in place.”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuasupports
“No one can argue this Bill. There are many issues related to aesthetics, safety, noise levels and property valuations. There is no federal law that mandates this. The FCC rule was never confirmed by Congress unless I missed this. NH should be mandating fibre optics anyways.…”
— Gordon Springate, Wiltonsupports
“Towns need to be the decider of where infrastructure goes as we are the ones that have to live with it everyday. As studies have shown, radio frequency in the range of cell towers (2.4ghz and 5.8 ghz) does in fact disrupt bees homing abilities.…”
— Jack Hayes, Merrimacksupports
“I do not support bills developed based on conspiracy theories.…”
— Heather Fritchy, DERRYopposes
“appreciate the opportunity to testify today against HB 501. While I understand that local communities may have concerns about 5G towers, I believe that allowing municipalities to unilaterally deny the construction, deployment, or operation of these facilities can have serious negative consequences.…”
— Blossom Dodge, Concordopposes
“This bill gives municipalities the authority to deny a specific type of project (5G) based on considerations including but not limited to public health, safety, and welfare, environmental impacts, and consistency with local zoning ordinances.…”
— Patricia Anastasia, Londonderryopposes

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
  • Mar 10, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate18–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 27, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government7:22:29–7:35:5513m 26slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 10, 2025Public hearingHouse Municipal and County Government4:11:50–4:14:262m 36slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 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 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Municipal and County Government HJ 3 P. 13
  2. Feb 27, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/27/2025 03:45 pm LOB 301-303
  3. Mar 10, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/10/2025 09:30 am LOB 301-303
  4. Mar 10, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/10/2025 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 17 P. 24
  5. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 43

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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