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HB 666 · 2025 · House · Judiciary Committee

Library record privacy penalties

AI-generated

relative to adding restitution payment for violations of the confidentiality of the library use records and adding library cards and membership status to the list of confidential matters.

Adds restitution payments and penalties for violations of the confidentiality of library use records and expands the confidentiality protections to include library cards and membership status.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 8, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill adds restitution payment and penalties for violating the confidentiality of the library use records and expands it to include library cards and membership status.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“Library records which contain the names or other personal identifying information regarding the users of public or other than public libraries shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except as provided in paragraph II.”
Section 1
“Records described in paragraph I may be disclosed to the extent necessary for the proper operation of such libraries and shall be disclosed upon request by, or consent of, the user or pursuant to subpoena, court order, or where otherwise required by statute.”
Section 1
“Nothing in this section shall exclude a school from notifying parents about educational materials being borrowed by or taught to their children.”
Section 1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Lisa MazurRPrimeVice Chair· Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
  • Rep. Joe AlexanderRChair· Housing
  • Rep. Ross BerryRChair· Election Law
  • Rep. Sherri ReinfurtRClerk· Housing
  • Sen. Keith MurphyRDeputy President Pro Tempore

Also: Rep. Henry GiassonR, Rep. Sheila SeidelR

Public testimony

15 signed in online · 5 wrote testimony

27% support73% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This is a waste of time. No. Please find something else to work on. Never in the history of librarians have they been interested enough to leak who's checking out books. It's a library.”
— Jennifer Suitter, Merrimackopposes
“What public trust does this bill serve? Someone pointing out that a library card is nonexistent, or invalid, and then being punished to pay $500 restitution, along with a notarized letter of apology does not seem like a fair restitution.…”
— Michael Berry, Eppingopposes
“This is no public good associated with this bill. It's an unwarranted and unnecessary attack on public libraries.”
— Mary Jenkins, Goffstownopposes

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 12, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0332h10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 27, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-0332hadopted
  • Mar 27, 2025HouseVoice voteFloor amendment 2025-1307h (Rep. Alexander Jr.)adopted
  • Mar 27, 2025HouseRoll callOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0332h 2025-1307hAdopted189–172How they voted
    Overall
    52% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    187–1394% yea
    Democrats
    2–1591% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 8, 2025SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • May 8, 2025SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 3, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary55:07–56:211m 14slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 12, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary2:34:35–2:38:113m 36slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0332h — roll call; Executive Session
  • Mar 27, 2025Floor debateHouse floor6:22:45–6:33:2710m 42slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0332h 2025-1307h — adopted, roll call 189-172; Amendment # 2025-0332h — adopted, voice vote; FLAM # 2025-1307h (Rep. Alexander Jr.) — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 24, 2025Public hearingSenate Judiciaryfrom 3:06:41located in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 8, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; Inexpedient 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 Judiciary HJ 3 P. 22
  2. Feb 3, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/03/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  3. Mar 12, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/12/2025 11:00 am LOB 206-208
  4. Mar 12, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0332h 03/12/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 17 P. 61
  5. Mar 21, 2025HouseMinority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate HC 17
  6. Mar 27, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-0332h: AA VV 03/27/2025 HJ 11 P. 72
  7. Mar 27, 2025HouseFLAM # 2025-1307h (Rep. Alexander Jr.): AA VV 03/27/2025 HJ 11 P. 73
  8. Mar 27, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0332h 2025-1307h: MA RC 189-172 03/27/2025 HJ 11 P. 73
  9. Mar 27, 2025SenIntroduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 10
  10. Apr 24, 2025SenHearing: 04/24/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:45 pm; SC 19
  11. May 8, 2025SenCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; 05/08/2025; SC 20
  12. May 8, 2025SenInexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 05/08/2025; SJ 12

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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