HB 361 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0399
02/08
HOUSE BILL 361
AN ACT prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools.
SPONSORS: Rep. Noble, Hills. 2; Rep. Belcher, Carr. 4; Rep. DeVito, Rock. 8; Rep. Ladd, Graf. 5; Rep. Morse, Merr. 3; Rep. Potenza, Straf. 19; Rep. Thibault, Merr. 25; Rep. Ankarberg, Straf. 7; Rep. Polozov, Merr. 10; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Sullivan, Dist 18
COMMITTEE: Education Policy and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill prohibits school boards and other public education agencies from adopting, enforcing, or implementing a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0399
02/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Schools; Instruction of Pupils; Facial Coverings Policy. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 10 the following new section:
189:10-a Facial Covering Policy for Schools. The school board of a school district or the chief executive officer of a chartered public school or public academy shall not adopt, enforce, or implement a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering for any purpose while on the school’s property unless the facial covering is necessary for a specific extracurricular or instructional purpose, or is required by some other section of the law. In this section, “facial covering” means any item worn on the face which covers a student’s mouth, nose, or both. This provision shall not prohibit any public school board or governing person or body of a school from requiring participating students to wear athletic gear intended to protect against concussive or similar sports-related physical damage, or to wear protective equipment while handling chemicals, fire, or other similar hazardous elements for scientific or similar educational purposes. Further, this provision shall not prohibit policies that may require facial coverings as part of a student's individualized education program pursuant to RSA 186-C or accommodation plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq).
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 19, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| March 5, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
Feb. 20, 2025: Executive Session: 03/05/2025 09:30 am LOB 205-207
Feb. 12, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/19/2025 01:45 pm LOB 205-207
Jan. 8, 2025: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Education Policy and Administration HJ 2 P. 16