# New Hampshire HB211: relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game. New Hampshire HB211, relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by James A Spillane (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-21 (Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/14/2025; Chapter 21; eff.07/13/2025) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB211-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: New Hampshire HB211 - State: New Hampshire - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-05-21, Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/14/2025; Chapter 21; eff.07/13/2025 - Sponsor: James A Spillane (Republican) - Cosponsors: 8 - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Hunters can use qualifying air rifles: benefit, low. New Hampshire allows air-rifle hunting for small game with rifles at least .22 caliber delivering 12 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. For moose, bear, or deer, rifles must deliver at least 200 foot-pounds; turkey is not included in this authorization. Hunting hours remain 30 minutes before sunrise thr… - Hunting officials gain electronic licensing authority: benefit, low. The Fish and Game executive director can set rules for issuing licenses, permits, and tags electronically. These rules can cover residency checks, hunter-education or equivalent certification, and license-use requirements. The director can also set rules to create, issue, and sell a special air-rif… - Air-rifle hunters face nighttime light restrictions: cost, low. New Hampshire extends its nighttime wildlife-lighting ban to people carrying an air rifle and ammunition that fits it. The ban also covers possession in a vehicle. It prohibits knowingly using artificial light to illuminate, find, or try to find wild birds or animals. The restricted period runs fro… - Air-rifle users face town firing limits: cost, low. Firing an air rifle in the compact part of a New Hampshire town or city is now a violation. Written permission from the police chief or governing body allows it. Exceptions cover specified military events, funerals, military reenactments, and public safety commemorations. Those event exceptions req… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: James A Spillane (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brian D Cole (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Popovici-Muller (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Donald S McFarlane (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jim A Kofalt (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Howard Pearl (r), Senate - Cosponsor: Terry W Roy (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David H. Watters (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Will Darby (Democratic), House ## Actions (13) - 2025-05-21: Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/14/2025; Chapter 21; eff.07/13/2025 (House) - 2025-05-06: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 05/01/2025); SJ 12 (Senate) - 2025-05-06: Enrolled (in recess of) 05/01/2025 HJ 13 P. 31 (House) - 2025-04-17: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/17/2025; SJ 10 (Senate) - 2025-03-25: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 04/17/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17 (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Hearing: 03/25/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:20 am; SC 14 (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Introduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 7 (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0073h: MA VV 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 7 (House) - 2025-02-20: Amendment # 2025-0073h: AA VV 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 7 (House) - 2025-02-10: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0073h 02/05/2025 (Vote 15-0; CC) HC 12 P. 7 (House) - 2025-02-10: Executive Session: 02/05/2025 11:00 am LOB 307 (House) - 2025-01-22: Public Hearing: 02/05/2025 11:00 am LOB 307 (House) - 2025-01-07: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Fish and Game and Marine Resources HJ 2 P. 10 (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-05-06: [HTML](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=87&inflession=2025) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=5102) - CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=14749) - Version adopted by both bodies: [PDF](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=12896) ## Related bills - HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; relative to toll rate adjustments and periodic toll reviews for the New Hampshire tu… (became law) - HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption. (failed) - SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state. (failed) - CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present compensation per elected term for legislators is hereby abolished. (failed) - HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap. (failed) - HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to fund statewide housing development programs and address housing shortages and m… (failed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=87&inflession=2025) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=5102) - [CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=14749) - [Version adopted by both bodies (PDF)](https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/pdf.aspx?q=billVersion&id=12896) ## Related - [HB2026: (New Title) relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan; rela…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB2026-2025-2026) - [HB1002: repealing the solar energy systems tax exemption.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1002-2025-2026) - [SB101: (Second New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-SB101-2025-2026) - [CACR22: relating to the compensation of the legislature. Providing that the present com…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-CACR22-2025-2026) - [HB1834: relative to the education freedom account enrollment cap.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1834-2025-2026) - [HB1786: relative to creating a state assessment on non-homestead luxury second homes to…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB1786-2025-2026) - [New Hampshire bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire/bills) - [New Hampshire state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/new-hampshire) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/NH-HB211-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-17).