"Unproved theories" bill in New Hampshire rejected in committee

The New Hampshire State House.

New Hampshire's House Bill 1206 was rejected by the House Education Committee as "inexpedient to pass" by a 17-3 vote on February 1, 2024. If enacted, the bill would prohibit educators from presenting "unproved theories as fact" and "educators and school administrators from pushing or asserting, advocating for, or otherwise compelling belief in, any particular theory or ideology."

No criteria for ascertaining what theories are unproven, what constitutes a theory or ideology, and whether a given educator's practice counts as indoctrination rather than education are provided, and no theories or ideologies are identified in the bill. Evolution and climate change are frequently misrepresented as unproven theories, however. The bill is sponsored by Alicia Lekas (R-District 38) and Oliver Ford (R-District 3).

Glenn Branch
Short Bio

Glenn Branch is Deputy Director of NCSE.

branch@ncse.ngo