Governor Ayotte’s veto stack grows taller than Sununu’s ever was with Republican-majority N.H. Legislature
Governor Kelly Ayotte has now vetoed more legislation than her predecessor ever did in a single two-year term while their fellow Republicans controlled the New Hampshire Legislature.
Read more Belgian federation to challenge FIFA’s decision to let Folarin Balogun play in World Cup match
Ayotte announced late last week she has rejected nine more bills, which brings her tally to 36 vetoes for the 2025-2026 term. The only time her predecessor, Chris Sununu, issued more than 24 vetoes was when Democrats held majorities in the House and Senate in the 2019-2020 term, according to legislative records.
While some of the bills Ayotte vetoed were potentially duplicative, many represented standalone policies backed by a majority of GOP lawmakers. Her willingness to thwart such proposals has sometimes drawn praise from liberals and criticism from conservatives.
One of the three education-related proposals Ayotte vetoed last week (Senate Bill 434) would have established certain requirements for how schools handle complaints when someone alleges library books or other materials are obscene and “harmful to minors.” The measure, which critics contend would facilitate censorship, is similar to one she vetoed last year.
Ayotte — who is running for a second two-year term and expected to face Democratic challenger Cinde Warmington in November — said in a statement she understands parental concerns about potentially age-inappropriate school materials, but state law already offers a mechanism for parents to ensure their kids are not exposed to such materials.
While teachers unions and LGBTQ advocates commended Ayotte for vetoing the bill about objectionable school materials, they expressed disappointment in her signing a separate measure (Senate Bill 430) that will generally require educators to answer “completely and honestly” when a parent or legal guardian submits written questions about their child.
Megan Tuttle, president of National Education Association in New Hampshire, said the new law, which will take effect on Jan. 1, is “vaguely written and risks putting educators in a position of outing a student.”
Read more ‘Come back and try it again.’ That could be Time Out Market’s new motto.
The two other education-related proposals Ayotte vetoed last week had sought to change how school districts handle unassigned general funds (House Bill 1610) and establish a commission to study the idea of transitioning all public schools to a charter school model (House Bill 1358). Ayotte said the first bill would have disrupted the will of voters in 95 school districts who already decided how to use their end-of-year unassigned funds, and the second was unnecessary.
“While I fully support education freedom allowing every child to be in the learning environment best for them, including innovative public charter schools, I cannot envision a future that does not include public schools,” she said.
The bill’s prime sponsor, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, retorted on social media: “FYI, charter schools are public schools.”
Ayotte also vetoed:
- An abortion-related proposal that sought to protect the conscientious objections of medical professionals. Ayotte called the measure (House Bill 232) unnecessary in light of longstanding federal protections. Her move elicited gratitude from Planned Parenthood and condemnation from New Hampshire Right to Life.
- A housing-related proposal that would have let landlords accept bigger deposits from renters in certain situations, such as when an applicant’s credit score is below 650 or the prospective landlord is unable to verify prior landlord references. Ayotte said the proposal (House Bill 1336) would “impede access to housing” and allow landlords to withhold deposits unfairly. Nick Taylor, director of Housing Action NH, thanked Ayotte and said the bill “would have moved our state in the wrong direction.”
- A justice-related proposal to give some criminal defendants more time to request a new trial. Ayotte, a former murder prosecutor and attorney general, said defendants already have options to seek post-conviction relief, and “a novel approach” (House Bill 1422) is unnecessary. Cynthia Mousseau, an attorney with the New England Innocence Project, said the veto was “callous” and failed to account for situations in which new evidence may be discovered after the current three-year deadline passes.
- A turnpike toll hike that would have primarily impacted motorists visiting from other states. Ayotte, who had publicly expressed her opposition before lawmakers voted on this proposal (Senate Bill 627), said in her veto message that she will keep focusing on making the state “more affordable for all and a destination for tourists in the region.” Unlike the other vetoed measures, the prime sponsor for this bill is a Democrat.
To override a veto, the Legislature needs to muster a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. That happened with just six of the 125 vetoes Sununu issued during his eight-year tenure. It didn’t happen with any of Ayotte’s 2025 vetoes. Lawmakers will weigh potentially overriding her 2026 vetoes later this year.
This story appears in Globe NH | Morning Report, a free email newsletter focused on New Hampshire, including great coverage from the Boston Globe and links to interesting articles elsewhere. Sign up here.
Post Comment