---
type: "Bill"
title: "relative to the protection of religious liberty."
description: "relative to the protection of religious liberty."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nh"
legislature: "New Hampshire General Court"
session: "2021"
identifier: "HB 542"
citation: "New Hampshire HB 542 (2021)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Keith M. Ammon"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 23
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2021-01-12"
last_action: "2021-08-16"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/1791aa41-85b7-4df2-a953-97328d4f8302"
source_url: "http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0726&sy=2021&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2021"
source_hash: "8e90cd565cc501ec738e2c07fe1b2792e5ee09b2f5e366a852be0450e71bccea"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nh"]
---

# New Hampshire HB 542 (2021) — relative to the protection of religious liberty.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment #2021-1712s** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2021&id=2021-1712s&txtFormat=amend)

## Votes

- Adopt CofC Report — **205–158** (pass) · lower
- Committee Amendment — **14–10** (pass) · upper
- Conference Committee Report — **14–10** (pass) · upper
- OTPA — **199–173** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Keith M. Ammon — primary (person)
- Jim Kofalt — cosponsor (person)
- Travis J. O'Hara — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2021-01-12** Introduced (in recess of) 01/06/2021 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 53 `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2021-03-05** Public Hearing: 03/05/2021 10:00 am Members of the public may attend using the following link: To join the webinar: https://www.zoom.us/j/97676008758 / Executive session on pending legislation may be held throughout the day (time permitting) from the time the committee is initially convened.
- **2021-03-10** Executive Session: 03/10/2021 09:00 am Members of the public may attend using the following link:To join the webinar: https://www.zoom.us/j/95164452682
- **2021-03-22** Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2021-0623h (Vote 11-10; RC) HC 18 P. 53 `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-22** Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
- **2021-04-09** Amendment # 2021-0623h: AA VV 04/09/2021 HJ 7 P. 8
- **2021-04-09** Ought to Pass with Amendment 2021-0623h: MA RC 199-173 04/09/2021 HJ 7 P. 8 `passage`
- **2021-04-13** Introduced 04/08/2021 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 12 `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2021-05-06** Remote Hearing: 05/11/2021, 02:15 pm; Links to join the hearing can be found in the Senate Calendar; SC 23
- **2021-05-25** Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2021-1712s, 05/27/2021; SC 25A `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-27** Committee Amendment # 2021-1712s, RC 14Y-10N, AA; 05/27/2021; SJ 17
- **2021-05-27** Ought to Pass with Amendment 2021-1712s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/27/2021; SJ 17 `passage`
- **2021-06-07** House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2021-1712s and Requests CofC (Reps. McLean, Wuelper, Sylvia, Alexander Jr.): MA VV 06/04/2021 HJ 9 P. 51
- **2021-06-10** Sen. Carson Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; 06/10/2021; SJ 19
- **2021-06-10** President Appoints: Senators Carson, Birdsell, Whitley; 06/10/2021; SJ 19
- **2021-06-14** Conference Committee Meeting: 06/14/2021 02:30 pm LOB 206-208
- **2021-06-15** Conferee Change; Senator Giuda Replaces Senator Whitley; SJ 20
- **2021-06-16** Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2021-1964c; 06/24/2021
- **2021-06-24** Conference Committee Report # 2021-1964c; RC 14Y-10N, Adopted; 06/24/2021; SJ 20
- **2021-06-24** Conference Committee Report 2021-1964c: Adopted, RC 205-158 06/24/2021
- **2021-07-21** Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/24/2021); SJ 20
- **2021-07-23** Enrolled (in recess of) 06/24/2021
- **2021-08-16** Signed by Governor Sununu 08/10/2021; Chapter 191; Eff: 10/09/2021 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/1791aa41-85b7-4df2-a953-97328d4f8302`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Hampshire legislature records).