The Bills That Almost Passed

Last verified: April 2026

The Pattern

The legalization bills follow a recognizable pattern. A House Democrat (often Rep. Renny Cushing through 2022, then Rep. Jared Sullivan; on the Republican side, Rep. Erica Layon and Rep. Kevin Verville) introduces a vehicle in January. The House Criminal Justice Committee holds a hearing. The bill clears the floor with bipartisan support — House passage of legalization has never been the bottleneck. The Senate Judiciary Committee schedules a hearing in March or April. Police chiefs, the State Police union, New Futures, and the NH Medical Society testify in opposition. The committee votes “inexpedient to legislate.” The Senate tables on the floor. The bill dies.

That pattern has held for seven consecutive sessions. The names of the bills change. The vote totals change. The pattern doesn’t.

Year-by-Year Timeline

Across seven consecutive sessions (2019–2026), every adult-use legalization bill that passed the New Hampshire House was killed by the Senate or by a House-Senate conference vote. HB 1633 in 2024 came closest, with both chambers passing different versions before a Committee of Conference compromise was tabled by the House 178-173.

NH General Court bill records, 2019-2026

HB 1633 (2024) — The Closest Call

HB 1633 was the most ambitious effort. Sponsored by Rep. Erica Layon (R-Derry), it cleared the House 239-136. The Senate amended it heavily, replacing the regulated-private-retailer model with a state-franchise model resembling the NH Liquor Commission — a structure no other adult-use state has adopted. Senate passage was 14-10 with five Senate Republicans crossing over: Sens. Daryl Abbas, Dan Innis, Tim Lang, Keith Murphy, and Howard Pearl.

The House refused to concur and demanded a Committee of Conference. The conference reported a compromise on June 13, 2024. The Senate adopted it 14-10. The House then voted to table the conference report 178-173 — killing the bill the same day. The fatal split: pro-legalization House members opposed the state-franchise model as “intrusive big government,” while Senate moderates considered the franchise model a hard ceiling. Republican gubernatorial candidates Kelly Ayotte and Chuck Morse had both publicly opposed legalization — meaning even passage would likely have faced a 2025 veto.

HB 53 (2025) — Home-Grow Only

With Ayotte sworn in, advocates split the field. HB 75 (Rep. Verville, R) proposed non-commercial legalization with no retail market. HB 198 (Rep. Sullivan, D) was the full legalize-and-regulate vehicle. HB 53 (Rep. Wendy Thomas, D) was the narrowest of the three: medical home cultivation only, for registered TCP patients. HB 198 passed the House 208-125. HB 53 passed the House. Senate Judiciary tabled all three; Sen. Daryl Abbas (R) led the procedural kill on HB 53 in May 2025.

HB 186 (2026) — The Marquee Vehicle

The 2026 cycle’s lead bill, HB 186 (Rep. Sullivan, D), would have legalized possession of up to 2 oz flower, 10 g concentrate, and 6-plant home cultivation; created a Cannabis Commission and 15-member Advisory Board to license retailers; vacated past possession convictions; imposed an 8.5% excise tax; and added non-discrimination protections in medical care, child custody, public benefits, and government employment. The House passed it 208-135 in January 2026. Senate Judiciary voted 2-1 “inexpedient to legislate” in March 2026. The full Senate tabled 15-9 in April 2026. Sullivan’s parallel constitutional amendment (CACR 19) failed to receive a House floor vote at all.

Why the House-Senate Gap Persists

Three structural factors explain the perpetual near-miss:

• No citizens’ initiative. Massachusetts (2016) and Maine (2016) legalized via voter referendum. NH has no ballot-initiative process. Public polling at 65-75% pro-rec (UNH Survey Center) cannot be converted directly into law.
• Senate GOP discipline. The Senate’s 24 seats give organized minorities outsized influence. Sen. Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry), elected Senate President after the 2024 elections, controls committee assignments and floor scheduling.
• Lobbying coalition. The NH Association of Chiefs of Police, the NH State Police union, New Futures, and the NH Medical Society have provided sustained, organized opposition at every committee hearing — testimony that cuts deeply with skeptical Senate moderates.

Sponsors and Floor Names

Key figures across the seven sessions:

• Rep. Renny Cushing (D-Hampton) — original decriminalization sponsor (HB 640, 2017); died of cancer March 7, 2022.
• Rep. Jared Sullivan (D-Bethlehem) — lead sponsor of HB 639 (2023), HB 198 (2025), HB 186 (2026). The face of the modern Democratic legalization push.
• Rep. Erica Layon (R-Derry) — lead House sponsor of HB 1633 (2024).
• Rep. Kevin Verville (R-Deerfield) — Free State-aligned sponsor of HB 75 (2025).
• Rep. Anita Burroughs (D-Carroll County) — long-time co-sponsor.
• Sen. Daryl Abbas (R-Salem) — Senate procedural swing vote; tabled HB 53 in 2025.
• Sen. Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) — Senate President since 2024; controls floor scheduling.
• Sen. Keith Murphy (R-Manchester) — one of the few pro-legalization Senate Republicans.

Explore the Last Holdout