Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto of a bill that requires local school boards in New Hampshire to adopt policies to address complains about school materials that complainants deem inappropriate or obscene.

Highlights:

• Defines “material considered harmful to minors” as those that appeal to prurient interest of minors in sex, explicitly depicts sexual conduct in a way that’s offensive to contemporary adult standards, or lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value (Sec. 2).

• Requires each local school board to adopt a policy to address complaints from parents and guardians alleging that material is obscene and harmful to minors by November 1, 2026 (Sec. 2).

• Requires each local school board to adopt a procedure to address such complaints by November 1, 2027 (Sec. 2).

• Requires the policies and procedures to be posted to district websites (Sec. 2).

• Requires complaints to be submitted in writing to the superintendent or school district designee, contain a detailed description of the material, and propose an action to be taken (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to investigate the allegations by reviewing the material and meeting in-person or communicating via telephone or email with the parent or guardian within 10 days of the complaint (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to decide whether the material is harmful to minors, age-inappropriate, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate for use in a child’s school (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to decide whether to keep, change, remove, restrict, modify, or have other action taken with respect to the material within 25 school days of the complaint (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to provide a written response to the parent or guardian within 5 calendar days of their decision (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the complainant to appeal the determination of the superintendent or designee within 30 calendar days of the decision or at the next school board meeting (Sec. 2).

• Requires the local school board to allow the complainant to be heard at a regularly scheduled board meeting (Sec. 2).

• Requires a written decision within 30 days of an appeal (Sec. 2).

• Requires all decisions and communications made by the superintendent or designee and the school board to be considered public records (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that this Act is effective upon passage (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to override a veto of a bill that requires local school boards in New Hampshire to adopt policies to address complains about school materials that complainants deem inappropriate or obscene.

Highlights:

• Defines “material considered harmful to minors” as those that appeal to prurient interest of minors in sex, explicitly depicts sexual conduct in a way that’s offensive to contemporary adult standards, or lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value (Sec. 2).

• Requires each local school board to adopt a policy to address complaints from parents and guardians alleging that material is obscene and harmful to minors by November 1, 2026 (Sec. 2).

• Requires each local school board to adopt a procedure to address such complaints by November 1, 2027 (Sec. 2).

• Requires the policies and procedures to be posted to district websites (Sec. 2).

• Requires complaints to be submitted in writing to the superintendent or school district designee, contain a detailed description of the material, and propose an action to be taken (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to investigate the allegations by reviewing the material and meeting in-person or communicating via telephone or email with the parent or guardian within 10 days of the complaint (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to decide whether the material is harmful to minors, age-inappropriate, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate for use in a child’s school (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to decide whether to keep, change, remove, restrict, modify, or have other action taken with respect to the material within 25 school days of the complaint (Sec. 2).

• Requires the superintendent or designee to provide a written response to the parent or guardian within 5 calendar days of their decision (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes the complainant to appeal the determination of the superintendent or designee within 30 calendar days of the decision or at the next school board meeting (Sec. 2).

• Requires the local school board to allow the complainant to be heard at a regularly scheduled board meeting (Sec. 2).

• Requires a written decision within 30 days of an appeal (Sec. 2).

• Requires all decisions and communications made by the superintendent or designee and the school board to be considered public records (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that this Act is effective upon passage (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vetoed by Governor Kelly Ayotte