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HB 423 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Consent required for political ads

AI-generated

requiring the consent of property owners for the placement of political advertisements on public property abutting their land.

Requires consent of the nearest abutting property owner before political advertisements are placed on adjacent public property and allows such owners to remove noncompliant advertisements.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. Requires the consent of the closest abutting property owner to a public rights-of-way prior to the placement of political advertisements on said public property. II. Allows a private citizen whose property abuts public property to remove or take down political advertisements on said public property.

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

“No political advertising shall be placed on or affixed to any public property including highway rights-of-way or private property without the owner's consent.”
RSA 664:17
“All political advertising shall be removed by the candidate no later than the second Friday following the election unless the election is a primary and the advertising concerns a candidate who is a winner in the primary.”
RSA 664:17
“Political advertising may be placed within state-owned rights-of-way as long as the advertising does not obstruct the safe flow of traffic and the advertising is placed with the consent of the property owner who is the closest abutter [owner of the land over which the right-of-way passes].”
RSA 664:17
“No person shall remove, deface, or knowingly destroy any political advertising which is placed on or affixed to public property or any private property except for removal by the owner of the property, persons authorized by the owner of the property, the nearest abutter who did not give consent, or a law enforcement officer removing improper advertising.”
RSA 664:17

Official record

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Kenneth WeylerRPrimeChair· Finance
  • Rep. Pam BrownRClerk· Education Funding

Also: Rep. Lilli WalshR

Public testimony

16 signed in online · 3 wrote testimony

19% support81% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Yet another unnecessary and unreasonable burden on those who would place political advertising.”
— Russell Cumbee, Franconia, NHopposes
“I strongly oppose this bill. This bill allows abutters to public land where political advertising signs are allowed to prevent those signs from being placed on the public land.…”
— Patricia Anastasia, Londonderryopposes
“This bill puts parents who are careful in their vaccination decision making who reject one or more doses of vaccines at risk of being declared "neglectful". This bill also puts parents who reject gender ideology to protect their child from harmful transgender drugs and…”
— Laura Condon, BEDFORDopposes

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 18, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate17–1
    Overall
    94% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 28, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamPublic Hearing
  • Feb 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Feb 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law1:24:52–1:26:011m 9slocated in the stream transcript==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Mar 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law10:15–14:384m 23slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; ==CONTINUED== 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 Election Law HJ 3 P. 9
  2. Jan 28, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/28/2025 10:40 am LOB 306-308
  3. Feb 4, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/04/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  4. Feb 11, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/11/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  5. Feb 18, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/18/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  6. Mar 18, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  7. Mar 18, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/18/2025 (Vote 17-1; CC) HC 17 P. 13
  8. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 21

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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