New Hampshire Senate Committee Votes to Kill House-Passed Adult-Use Cannabis Bill
- New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Republicans, voted 2-1 to kill the adult-use cannabis legalization bill passed by the House last month.
- If the bill were to pass both chambers, it would likely be vetoed by Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte.
- State Representative Jared Sullivan highlighted that while the bill is unpopular among many lawmakers, 70% of New Hampshire residents, including 55% of Republicans, support cannabis legalization according to polling.
- Republican objections included concerns about dispensaries lowering property values, but studies show home values tend to increase more in states with legalized cannabis compared to those without such reforms.
New Hampshire lawmakers on Tuesday voted to kill an adult-use cannabis legalization bill passed by the House last month, InDepthNH reports. The Senate Judiciary Committee, led by its Republican majority, voted 2-1 to kill the bill if it were considered by the upper chamber.
Were the bill to pass both chambers, it will likely be vetoed by Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte.
During the hearing, state. Rep. Jared Sullivan (D) noted that the reforms are “not a popular idea among many members but it is a very popular idea with most of the people.” Sullivan pointed to polling that suggested 70% of New Hampshire residents backed cannabis legalization, including 55% of Republicans.
The committee vote was along party lines. Republican state Sen. Daryl Abbas, during the hearing, voiced concerns about impacts to property values in areas where dispensaries would be located. Several studies have suggested dispensaries do not have a negative impact on home values. An analysis by real estate platform Clever Offers published in July 2025 found that the average value of homes in states with adult-use cannabis policies increased on average by $222,958 while the average value of homes in states where cannabis has remained illegal increased by just $162,631 – a difference of $60,327. A study published in November 2023 by Real Estate Witch found the typical home in a state with legalized cannabis saw a value appreciation of $185,075 since 2014, compared to $136,092 in states that had not enacted the reforms.
The bill passed the New Hampshire House 209-135 in January.