HB 1658 · 2026 · House · Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee
Parental consent for app downloads
AI-generatedrelative to parental consent and age verification for digital application platforms.
Enacts requirements governing app store operations, including age verification and parental consent for digital application platforms.AI-generated
Status
Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 11, 2026- ✓Introduced
- ✕House
- Senate
- Governor
- Law
Analysis
This bill enacts provisions governing app store operations and creates requirements for age verification and parental consent.
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
“"Younger teenager" which means an individual who is at least 13 years old and under 16 years old;”
“When implementing any developer-created safety-related features or defaults, a developer shall use the lowest age category indicated by:”
“In accordance with RSA 541-A, the division shall make rules establishing processes and means by which an app store provider may verify whether an account holder is a minor in accordance with this chapter.”
“A violation of this chapter shall constitute a false, misleading, or deceptive act or practice.”
Official record
gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source
Sponsors
- Rep. Lisa FreemanRAssistant Majority Whip
- Rep. Jennifer RhodesRVice Chair· Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
- Rep. Marie Louise BjelobrkRClerk· Municipal and County Government
- Rep. Sherri ReinfurtRClerk· Housing
- Sen. Ruth WardRDeputy Majority Leader
Also: Rep. Melissa LitchfieldR, Rep. James ThibaultR, Rep. Cindy BennettR, Rep. Lori KorzenR
Public testimony
28 signed in online · 14 wrote testimony
54% support46% oppose0% neutral
In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted
“New Hampshire needs HB1658. I am a concerned and involved leader and parent. I want to protect our children in digital spaces. Even with the best security measures and diligent monitoring, technology evolves, and curious minors can find their way into apps designed for adults.…”
“Our full time retired elderly residents are at risk of loosing their homes with little option for alternate housing, after years of hard work and fulfilling their property tax obligations.…”
“I've lived in NH my entire adult life and raised 6 children here and spent my career in technology. (BAE, Defense department, Siege Technologies, venture capital/10X Venture partners, now running an AI company!)…”
“This is a parent-child, or family, issue, and not a state government issue to legislate. A bill such as this should never even be proposed.”
“I oppose this bill because it does not expand transparency, protections, or meaningful benefits for New Hampshire residents.”
“I dont agree with the portions of the bill that reference an undefined "age verification process" that any user of the app must undergo and further states the app may "share personal age verification data as required by law."…”
Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.
Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026
Votes
yeanay- Mar 3, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate13–0Overall100% yea
- Mar 11, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted
Hearings and debates
- Jan 29, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer Affairs1:31:04–1:47:2416m 20slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
- Feb 18, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamFull Committee Work Session
- Mar 3, 2026Public hearingHouse Commerce and Consumer AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
- Mar 11, 2026Floor 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
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Commerce and Consumer Affairs HJ 1 P. 30
- Jan 29, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/29/2026 11:00 am GP 229
- Feb 18, 2026HouseFull Committee Work Session: 02/18/2026 02:00 pm GP 229
- Mar 3, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 03/03/2026 01:00 pm GP 229
- Mar 3, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/03/2026 (Vote 13-0; CC) HC 10 P. 9
- Mar 11, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 14
Coverage
No reporting linked yet.
Background reading
Evergreen reading on the policy area — spanning perspectives — not coverage of this specific bill.
EdLaw4Students — An education-law overview of when school staff and outside officials may question students and the limits that apply.AI-generated
- U.S. Department of Education Directs Schools to Comply with Parental Rights LawsSupporters — official
U.S. Department of Education — Federal guidance emphasizing parents' rights to be informed and involved in decisions affecting their children at school.AI-generated
- Interviewing Children at School to Investigate a Child Abuse ReferralChild-welfare concern
Los Angeles County DCFS — A child-protective-services policy describing why abuse investigators interview children at school without first notifying parents.AI-generated
- Police Interrogation of Youth on CampusLegal background
Youth Law Center — Legal analysis of students' rights and the roles of school staff and law enforcement when youth are questioned at school.AI-generated
New Hampshire Bulletin — Explains the New Hampshire parental-rights legislation that frames debates over consent before questioning students.AI-generated
Documents (PDF)
Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.