CONCORD, N.H. — Nearly two years into her tenure, Gov. Kelly Ayotte has become comfortable with a veto pen.
The Republican governor vetoed nine bills Thursday, many of them lightning-rod political issues and priorities of lawmakers in her party.
The rejections, which came just before the July 4 holiday weekend, bring Ayotte’s 2026 veto tally to 24 so far. That’s double the number of bills she vetoed in 2025 and is likely not the final count.
Toll increases struck down
Ayotte vetoed a bill that would have doubled the tolls for out-of-state visitors to New Hampshire — a bid by lawmakers to help pay for infrastructure upgrades.
“I have clearly said that I do not support raising the tolls,” she wrote in her veto message.
Senate Bill 627 would increase the tolls for people who drive without a New Hampshire E-ZPass. That would apply to anyone paying in cash, anyone driving with a different state’s E-ZPass transponder, and anyone driving through a toll without any transponder.
The toll increases in the bill vary depending on the toll location. The non-New Hampshire rate at the Hooksett tolls on Interstate 93 would increase from $1 to $2, for example.
Ayotte said she voted for the bill “to focus on making New Hampshire more affordable for all and a destination for tourists in the region.”
Abortion-related measure
House Bill 232 would enshrine into law an employee’s rights not to participate in abortion due to “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.” Healthcare facilities would be required under the bill to annually provide employees with written notice of their right to request reasonable accommodations, and give them the right to file complaints with the state over denied accommodations.
Ayotte vetoed the bill, arguing that the federal government already has strong enough protections.
“Federal law has long protected the religious beliefs or moral convictions of medical professionals and the right to decline to perform or assist an abortion,” she said in her veto message Thursday.
“This federal right of conscience protects those in New Hampshire who work for abortion providers. Therefore, this bill is unnecessary and does not create any greater protections for New Hampshire medical professionals.”
Study into universal charter schools
A proposal to look into converting all New Hampshire public schools to charter schools was also vetoed Thursday. Ayotte said that while she supports school choice, it was a step too far.
“While I fully support education freedom allowing every child to be in the learning environment best for them, including innovative public charter schools, I cannot envision a future that does not include public schools,” Ayotte wrote in her veto message.
Currently, individuals or organizations may apply to the State Board of Education to create a charter school. If approved, those schools can receive funding directly from the state, at a minimum of about $9,000 per student per year, and may also seek federal grants and private donations.
‘Book ban’ bill vetoed again
Ayotte also vetoed a Republican-led bill to make it easier to remove books and other materials in public schools, the second time she has vetoed such legislation.
House Bill 434 would require school districts to establish formal policies for removing content from schools that is “obscene and harmful to minors.”
Ayotte had vetoed the 2025 version of the bill.
“As a parent, I understand and appreciate the concerns parents have about their children being exposed to age-inappropriate or objectionable materials in schools,” Ayotte wrote. “At the same time, existing New Hampshire law already requires school districts to adopt a policy allowing an exception to specific course material based on a parent’s determination that the material is objectionable.”
Lawmakers can override any of these vetoes with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber. The Legislature will meet sometime later this year to hold those votes.
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