Governor Maggie Hassan’s veto of the Republican-backed state budget bill has dominated State House news in recent weeks. But Hassan’s veto pen has seen plenty of non-budget action this session, as well.
Hassan has vetoed 12 bills so far this session, four in the past week alone. (Because of a quirk in the way New Hampshire budget bills are drafted, the state budget actually counts as two bills: House Bill 1, which contains dollar amounts to be spent, and House Bill 2, which details the policy changes needed to authorize that spending).
The vetoes cover a wide range of legislation: from a bill covering sexual content in public school curriculum to one redefining the guidelines for calling a constitutional convention.
Hassan’s dozen vetoes are a big jump from her first two years as governor, when she rejected just 3 bills one year, and 4 in the other. But it’s not the highest number in recent State House history. Former governor John Lynch vetoed 13 bills in 2011, and he issued 15 vetoes the following year. As in this session, those two years saw divided partisan control in Concord, with a Democratic governor and Republican majorities in both legislative chambers.
Here's a summary of the bills Hassan has vetoed this year. Only one so far has been overridden by the Legislature.