HB 250 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
26Mar2025... 0896h
05/01/2025 1697s
26Jun2025... 2790CofC
26Jun2025... 2923EBA
2025 SESSION
25-0255
08/09
HOUSE BILL 250
AN ACT enabling local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs.
SPONSORS: Rep. Newell, Ches. 4; Rep. N. Germana, Ches. 15; Rep. Jacobs, Ches. 15; Rep. O'Rorke, Ches. 7; Rep. Jones, Ches. 3
COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill enables local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs and excludes certain working dogs from such regulations.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26Mar2025... 0896h
05/01/2025 1697s
26Jun2025... 2790CofC
26Jun2025... 2923EBA 25-0255
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT enabling local governing bodies to regulate the muzzling of dogs.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 City or Town Bylaws; Restraint of Dogs. Amend RSA 466:39 to read as follows:
466:39 City or Town Bylaws. The local governing body may make such additional bylaws and regulations concerning the licensing, muzzling of vicious dogs as defined in RSA 466:31, II(g), and restraining of dogs as it deems reasonable, and may affix penalties not exceeding $50 for a breach thereof. Such bylaws and regulations shall relate only to dogs owned or kept in such city or town, and the annual fee required for a license shall in no case be more than $1 in addition to the sum hereby required. The following dogs shall be exempt from this section: dogs being used for hunting, supervised competition, exhibition or training for such activities if accompanied by the owner or custodian, or a dog which is guarding, working, or herding livestock, as defined in RSA 21:34-a, II(a)(4) if the owner or custodian is able to see or hear the dog or have reasonable knowledge of where the dog is located, even if such dog is out of the line of the owner or custodian's sight.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| March 19, 2025 | 2025-0896h |
| April 22, 2025 | 2025-1697s |
| June 17, 2025 | 2025-2790CofC |
| July 10, 2025 | 2025-2923EBA |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| March 5, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 11, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 18, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| March 18, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| April 10, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| April 8, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| May 1, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| June 26, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| June 26, 2025 | House | Floor Vote |
| June 25, 2026 | Senate | Floor Vote |
July 18, 2025: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18
July 18, 2025: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 17
July 14, 2025: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2923e: AA VV (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18
July 11, 2025: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2025-2923e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/26/2025); SJ 17
June 26, 2025: Conference Committee Report 2025-2790c: Adopted, VV 06/26/2025 HJ 18
June 26, 2025: Conference Committee Report # 2025-2790c, Adopted, VV; 06/26/2025; SJ 17
June 18, 2025: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2025-2790c; 06/26/2025
June 17, 2025: Conference Committee Meeting: 06/17/2025 08:30 am LOB 302-304
June 12, 2025: Conferee Change; Senator Pearl Replaces Senator Avard; SJ 17
June 11, 2025: President Appoints: Senators Avard, McConkey, Watters; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
June 11, 2025: Sen. Avard Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
June 3, 2025: Speaker Appoints: Reps. J. Aron, Bixby, Barbour, Comtois 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 52
June 3, 2025: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1697s and Requests CofC (Rep. Osborne): MA VV 05/22/2025 HJ 15 P. 52
May 1, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1697s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/01/2025; SJ 11
May 1, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1697s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/01/2025; SJ 11
May 1, 2025: Committee Amendment # 2025-1697s, AA, VV; 05/01/2025; SJ 11
April 23, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1697s, 05/01/2025; Vote 2-0; CC; SC 19
April 3, 2025: Hearing: 04/08/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:00 am; SC 16
April 3, 2025: Hearing: 04/10/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:00 am; SC 16
April 3, 2025: ==CANCELLED== Hearing: 04/10/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:00 am; SC 16
March 28, 2025: Introduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 10
March 26, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0896h: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 22
March 26, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0896h: AA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 22
March 19, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0896h 03/18/2025 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 17 P. 15
March 12, 2025: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/18/2025 12:00 pm LOB 301-303
March 12, 2025: Full Committee Work Session: 03/18/2025 10:45 am LOB 301-303
March 5, 2025: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/11/2025 11:20 am LOB 301-303
March 5, 2025: Full Committee Work Session: 03/11/2025 09:30 am LOB 301-303
March 5, 2025: Subcommittee Work Session: 03/07/2025 09:30 am LOB 301-303
Feb. 20, 2025: Public Hearing: 03/05/2025 10:00 am LOB 301-303
Jan. 7, 2025: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Environment and Agriculture HJ 2 P. 12