New Hampshire
House Fails To Repeal New Hampshire's 'Divisive Concepts' Law
By GARRY RAYNO, InDepthNH
CONCORD, NH — The House failed to repeal the state’s divisive concepts law, but approved a bill that would establish a process to address parents’ concerns about materials in school libraries.
The House also passed a bill requiring the university and community college systems to protect the free speech and freedom to associate for all organizations on campuses and to provide funding for those organizations.
Find out what’s happening in Across New Hampshirewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Divisive Concepts
House Bill 1162 would repeal the state’s law that prohibits teaching that any group is inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, or that would indicate any group is inferior, or superior to any other.
The law was included in the biennial budget passed by the legislature in 2021 and is currently being litigated in the federal court system.
Find out what’s happening in Across New Hampshirewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Rep. Alicia Lekas, R-Hudson, said the law is working because she no longer hears from friends that their child was made to feel they are racists or sexists.
But she said a new campaign has begun that is just as divisive to make blacks feel like they need their white protectors to allow them to move forward.
After the law was passed the Department of Education placed a form on its website for parents to report possible violations of the law and the Moms for Liberty offered a bounty on the first teacher charged under the new law.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Peter Petrigno, D-Milford, called the law insulting to teachers and one of the reasons teachers are leaving the profession due to the politicalization of education.
He said teachers need to be able to teach about the Nazis of Germany and the parallels to the Nazis today, and the Klu Klux Klan and today’s white supremacists.
“Teachers are not being allowed to connect the dots,” Petrigno said. “New Hampshire is better than this. We are better than this.”The bill was indefinitely postponed on a 192-183 vote, which means the subject cannot be brought up again this session.
Freedom To Read
The House defeated an attempt to indefinitely postpone House Bill 1311, which has the state Board of Education require every school district to have a policy to determine if material parents object to in school libraries should be removed.
The bill would prohibit removal of books only because of race, sexual orientation, religion or political viewpoint, and leaves the decision up to the local school board.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. David Paige, D-Conway, said the bill attempts to balance the rights of parents, local control and due process rights.
He said the bill seeks to remove censorship in the marketplace of ideas, while opening up the world to students through literature.
“This is a bipartisan, common sense bill,” Paige said, “with a balanced approach to uphold all of these shared goals.”But opponents said the bill would cement obscene material into school libraries.
Rep. Arlene Quaratiello, R-Atkinson, argued the bill would make it impossible to remove material parents object to that is educationally unsuitable or pervasively vulgar from school libraries.
She used a book on suicide methods for a safe and peaceful death as an example of a “very misguided public school librarian’s” selection, that should be off limits for kids.
The House voted down the attempt to kill the bill for the rest of the session, on a 190-185 vote before approving the bill 194-180. The bill now goes to the Senate.
Free Speech
The House approved House Bill 1305, which is similar to a bill that was tabled last session.
Supporters of the bill said while the university and community college systems receive generally high marks for the policies they established on free speech and organizations, there are certain groups that have been targeted, particularly conservative and religious, that are not treated the same as other groups.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Daniel Popovici-Muller, R-Windham, said free speech and free association are constitutional rights no matter how harmful people believe it is.
Many of the major rights people have today were generated by very unpopular speech years ago, he said. “All we are asking is the same treatment for safe spaces and the minimal student activities fees (other organizations receive,) he said.
You are not legally required to date anybody who asks you out, he said.
Rep. Valerie McDonnell, R-Salem, said the organizations that host events lose their right to hold other events because of hecklers and that is unfair and unAmerican.
She said current policy will leave the higher education systems subject to very expensive lawsuits. “Free speech zones should not be in the back corner of a parking lot,” she said.
But Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, said the bill is not needed and unnecessarily overreaches far beyond freedom of speech and instead requires taxpayer money to recognize student organizations that discriminate based on race, gender identification, religion and political ideology.
Under the bill, the university would be required to fund hate groups and would fuel a violent environment on college campuses, Luneau said.
The bill passed on a 206-169 vote and now goes to the Senate.
Garry Rayno may be reached at garry.rayno@yahoo.com.
This story was originally published by InDepth NH.
New Hampshire
Missing Berlin Motorcyclist Found Dead After Route 2 Crash: New Hampshire State Police Roundup
06/19/2026 02:16, EAST KINGSTON, BOLDUC, NATHAN RICHARD (22); ASHFORD, CONNECTICUT, 635:1,I (BURGLARY-NIGHT / HOME / WEAPON), 635:1,V (BURGLARY TOOLS-POSSESSION), 637:7 (RECV STOLEN PROP; $1501+), 637:7 (RECV STOLEN PROP; $1501+), 634:2,II (CRIMINAL MISCHIEF).
06/15/2026 19:49, RAYMOND, KETCHEN, DANA CANNEY (63); BROOKLINE, 265-A:2,I(A) (DUI-IMPAIRMENT), 264:25 (CONDUCT AFTER ACCIDENT), 265-A:2,I(B) (DUI; ADULT>.08; MINOR>.02), 172-B:3 (PROTECTIVE CUSTODY-ALCOHOL), 265-A:44 (TRANSPORTING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR MARIJUANA).
06/15/2026 21:05, GILFORD, SEXTON, JALEN R. (26); ALTON, 263:64,VI (DRIVE AFTER REV/SUS-SUBSQT), 263:64,IV (DRIVE AFTER REVOCATION/SUSPENSION; RECKLESS DRIVING), 263:1,II (LICENSE REQD; OP W/EXPIRED LICENSE W/IN 12 MONTHS OF EXPIRATION), 265:60 (SPEEDING 25 MPH OVER LIMIT OF 55 OR LESS).
06/16/2026 02:40, PORTSMOUTH, LANE, MICHAEL CORY (29); HUBBARDSTON, MA, 631:3 (RECKLESS CONDUCT), 265-A:2,I(A) (DUI-IMPAIRMENT), 265:79,I (RECKLESS OPERATION).
06/16/2026 17:16, GILFORD, COSTARELLI, ROBERT L. (55); EAST BRIDGEWATER, MA, 631:2-B,I(A) (DV; SIMPLE ASSAULT; BODILY INJURY OR PHYSICAL CONTACT), 634:2,III (CRIMINAL MISCHIEF).
New Hampshire
Concord City Manager Receives ‘Satisfactory’ Review, 2.5% Raise, But Sabbatical Request Gets Trimmed
Schultz said she “highly respects” Aspell, too, but there was a “dissonance between reality” when eyeing what the public and city employees were earning.
Ward 6 City Council Aislinn Kalob, too, would not be voting for the increase, saying it had been “heavily on my mind since we’ve had our nonpublic sessions,” which lasted about six hours of work. She appreciated Kretovic clearly outlining the job of city manager. But people were frustrated with the city manager, and she saw that in the comments in online forums.
“I do feel, after really digging into this, and learning about his job,” she said, “and thinking toward the future when, eventually, at some point, somebody new will be sitting in that seat, we are the ones who direct policy and he is the one that implements it… there is anger out there that should be directed more toward us.”
Kalob said, too, a room full of firefighters, upset about their contract, also made voting for the wage increase something she could not consider.
Michele Horne of Ward 2 echoed similar concerns to Schultz, saying there was significant “wage disparity” between the public and staff and the city manager. She also agreed with Kalob’s point that previous councils created this contract.
Sunflowers are my absolute FAVORITE flowers. I truly feel like they have magical uplifting abilities. Hence, why I’ve always kept fresh sunflowers in my house, brightening up my kitchen table or even my TV stand.
Obviously, it was a dream of mine to have my maternity photos taken in a sunflower field. They reflect sunshine and exude happiness.
Not to mention, one of my favorite quotes is about sunflowers! “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.” Helen Keller
A beautiful reminder to keep an optimistic outlook on life and not dwell on the negative.
So, you can imagine the joy I felt when I learned that New Hampshire had its very own Sunflower Festival at Coppal House Farm in Lee!
About the Sunflower Festival:
During the summer, the farm transforms into a sea of golden blooms, giving visitors the chance to wander through thousands of sunflowers, snap photos, enjoy local food vendors, artisan crafts, listen to live music, and experience one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful summer traditions.
Other unique activities on the itinerary? Sip-n-snip! Guests can enjoy a cocktail or mocktail of their choice and cut their own fresh bouquet of flowers.
Or maybe you’re a yoga fan? You can join a 60-minute sweat session from Lee, New Hampshire yoga instructors right in the heart of the flower field.
And because the farm grows oilseed sunflowers for culinary oil (which they harvest in the fall months), the flowers only stay at their peak for a brief window, making the festival a limited-time experience, according to the festival organizers…
What makes this event even more special is the reason behind it. The festival started as a way to share the beauty of the sunflower fields, but it has grown into something much bigger. Organizers say the event has raised more than $90,000 for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire over the years and now shares a portion of its proceeds with several local nonprofit organizations serving the Seacoast community.
Anyone who knows me knows that paying it forward is something that’s incredibly important to me. It’s right up there with my love of sunflowers because both fill my cup in the best way. So, when I found out this festival celebrates my favorite flower and gives back to the community, I knew I had to share it.
Sunflower Festival Details:
This festival only runs from Saturday, July 25th until Sunday, August 2nd. You can get the full list of activities and more on the Coppal Farm website.
Daily Field Hours
10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
(last admission at 6PM because fields close at 6:30)
Weekend Tickets (prepurchased online – day before)
$12 per person ages 13 & older
$10 per person ages 5-12
$10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military
4 yrs & under are always free
Weekend Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm):
$16 per person ages 13 & older
$14 per person ages 5-12
$14 per person Seniors (65+) & Military
4 yrs & under are always free
includes: access to sunflower fields, craft fair, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, farm animals, & live music
Weekday Tickets (prepurchased online – day before)
$8 per person ages 13 & older
$6 per person ages 5-12
$6 per person Seniors (65+) & Military
4 yrs & under are always free
Weekday Tickets (purchased day of – online or at farm)
$12 per person ages 13 & older
$10 per person ages 5-12
$10 per person Seniors (65+) & Military
4 yrs & under are always free
What tickets include:
Access to sunflower fields, food vending area, tented shade area, picnic area, and farm animals
READ MORE: A Classic Fairy Tale Comes To Life At Portsmouth’s Prescott Park This Summer
This festival might just leave you smiling long after you leave the fields!
What Flowers Thrive in New England
See what flowers thrive in New England weather: Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Gallery Credit: Logan
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering Locally Grown Strawberries
14 of the Best New Hampshire Farms Offering PYO Strawberries
Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan
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