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HB 324 Failed

Remove Obscene Materials from Schools

145 Democrats voted to KEEP obscene materials in schools

What This Bill Does

HB 324 prohibits sexually explicit and obscene materials in K-12 school libraries and classrooms. It creates a process for parents to challenge materials and requires school districts to review challenged content. The bill uses existing legal definitions of "obscene" and "harmful to minors" from NH criminal law. The House passed it 183-148. The Senate passed it 15-8. Governor Ayotte vetoed the bill, and the veto override failed 183-167.

The Full Story

Only 1 Democrat voted to remove obscene materials from school libraries. The bill doesn't ban books — it applies existing criminal obscenity standards to school materials. Under current NH law, it's illegal to distribute obscene material to a minor in any context except a school.

HB 324 would close that loophole. Parents across New Hampshire have documented sexually explicit content in school libraries, including graphic depictions of sexual acts in books available to middle schoolers. The bill creates a formal review process so parents can challenge materials and have them evaluated by the school board.

Democrats opposed this, arguing it would lead to censorship and "book banning." But the standard is narrow: material must meet the legal definition of obscene or harmful to minors, not simply be controversial or uncomfortable. Governor Ayotte's veto — and the failed override — means this fight continues. A similar bill (SB 33) subsequently passed the House 181-157.

The core principle remains: 145 Democrats voted to keep materials in school libraries that would be illegal to show a child in any other setting.

Party Breakdown

Republicans

177 Yea

2 Nay · 34 Absent/NV

Democrats

1 Yea

145 Nay · 30 Absent/NV

What Voters Think

75-78% of voters say schools should notify parents about gender-related issues

Parents Defending Education poll, 2024

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