NH House Testimony

HB584

House · 2025 sessionRepublicanKilled in Senate

Rejecting WHO and UN authority

AI

Declares that the World Health Organization, United Nations, and World Economic Forum have no jurisdiction in New Hampshire, creates a cause of action against local governments that enforce their policies, and updates medical licensing references.

relative to public health, safety, and state sovereignty.

State GovernmentMunicipalitiesCivil ActionsCourts and Procedure

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · May 8, 2025
  1. Introduced
  2. House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Division of testimony

893 submissions
Support 431Oppose 462Neutral 0

Argument digest · AI-generated

from 200 of 200 written submissions

HB584 would bar New Hampshire and its political subdivisions from enforcing any mandate of the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum, and creates a cause of action against local governments that base policy on those organizations' guidance. Supporters frame the bill as protecting state sovereignty and individual bodily autonomy from unelected global bodies they distrust, citing the COVID-19 era as proof of overreach. Opponents argue these organizations provide valuable, evidence-based public health guidance that keeps residents safe, that the bill is unnecessary since the organizations already lack binding authority over states, and that it would create legal and administrative harm for towns and schools while isolating New Hampshire from beneficial international cooperation.

Generated by claude-sonnet-5 (claude code agent) on Jul 20, 2026. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, verified against the cited submission before publication. Summaries are AI interpretation of the record, not part of it.

Donna PetersonSupportLoudon, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Dear members of the House Judiciary Committee, I am urging you to vote OTP on HB584 for the following reasons: I believe management of disasters, pandemics, and national, regional, or global crises are best handled by the sovereign states and nations that are affected. The local EMS, police, and fire know their communities and how to best mitigate disaster response and resources than a far-away entity such as the W.H.O., the U.N., or the W.E.F. The W.H.O. was set up to be an advisory organization, collecting data and advising nations in the handling of national, regional or global crises. They are functioning outside of their jurisdiction when they take advantage of a crisis situation to supersede the sovereignty of the U.S. and her sovereign states, as well as the sovereignty of any other nation. The same goes for the U.N. and the W.E.F. In the U.S. we have the best medical, technology, and research centers in the world. We do not need to sacrifice our sovereignty here in NH to an outside global entity! Please vote OTP on HB584. Sincerely, Donna Peterson

Debra PutnamOpposeHudson, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

It is totally inexcusable to penalize towns for following WHO guidelines!! The goal/focus of the WHO is important worldwide!

Joseph CapriottiSupportNashua, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

NH must be sovereign and independent for what's best for NH citizens.

Betsy HarringtonSupportDeering, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

My son had a serious adverse reaction to a vaccine at age 3. We have really struggled with saying no thank you ever since. Even with valid reasons to abstain, the pressures are huge. We need legislation to protect people who need the choice. Protect the choice and demand valid studies with real placebo trials, ones that don’t include other vaccines serving as the placebo. I don’t want other families to experience what we did. Support HB584. Betsy Harrington

Hannah Smith-CataneseOpposeConcord, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Allow professionals to provide guidance and knowledge in their fields of expertise and roles as protectors of public health and safety. Don't be this ignorant.

Brie LohnesOpposeSandown, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

I disagree with this bill.

Kathleen NeilanOpposeLebanon, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Using the guidance of the World Health Organization does not mean the state of New Hampshire loses any sovereignty. If policies put in place in towns for the safety of the public reflect information from the World Health Organization; it does not make that policy inherently bad. Using guidance from a large reaching comprehensive organization that can share information about disease treatment, process, and prevention, we should be comfortable following guidance and though the United States of America have withdrawn from the WHO; it does not mean that we as citizens have to cut ties with the resources and knowledge that the WHO provide.

Erin SandlerOpposeConcord, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

It is reprehensible that this bill would allow the state to interfere with towns' rights to use credible sources of health information to develop health policies. Please vote this bill ITL.

Michaela JanowskiOpposeEpping, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Not allowing communities to use global information to inform their health care is negligent, especially from organizations that were created specifically to synthesize the best practices and effective strategies for combatting disease.

Rosina LisSupportStoddard, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

The World Health Organization, United Nations, and the World Economic Forum. are impersonal multinational organizations that attempt to control the people of the world by intimidation and by force. We NH citizens know what is best for our individual situations and can make the health and economic decisions that are best for us. We don't need unelected global organizations telling us what to do or what is best for us. Local control over our state and our citizens is vital. Please vote accordingly, and support this bill. Thank you so much for listening, Rosina Lis, Stoddard, NH

kevin chapmanSupportmarlborough, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Because I made my health a priority in my life, over 40 yrs ago, no body knows my health better than me. It was one of the reasons I majored in biology in college. Many of my classmates were taking premed curriculums. They were not all geniuses. They struggled. I doubt any of them were in the upper percentage in med school. They graduated with a lot of debt which will influence their decisions. Never allow any organization, that can be controlled by money, to control any part of our lives. They will choose profits over people.

Shea FlanaganOpposeGoffstown, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

What a backwards, embarrassing, uninformed and unscientific proposal.

Peter CurtisSupportDover, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Please vote OTP on this bill. In the interest of liberty, it is imperative that the State of New Hampshire and its counties, cities, and towns not be required to enforce any mandates of the World Health Organization, United Nations, or the World Economic Forum. Live free or die!

Jeanie HoltOpposeCONCORD, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

As the Federal government erodes the foundations of institutions that have protected our health and wellbeing for more than a century, we must rely on other institutions which can provide us with a well-researched and factual basis on which to develop and enforce policies. WHO and the United Nations are two such institutions.

Katherine WelshOpposeClaremont, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

International cooperation is vitally important, especially in matters of public health and safety.

June HarringtonSupportMerrimack, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

I believe and support that the state of New Hampshire and its political subdivisions cannot enforce any mandate of the World Health Organization, United Nations, or the World Economic Forum. Thank you.

Patricia MartinOpposeRindge, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

I’m writing today to urge you to continue the independence and integrity of the Office of Consumer Advocate by maintaining it as a separate body from the Department of Energy or the Public Utilities Commission. The Office of Consumer Advocate has a unique structure that supports a perspective focused on serving the many and diverse needs of residential ratepayers. For many years I attended the Residential Ratepayers Advisory Board (RRAB) meetings in person (and online during Covid). Although I’m less able to attend meetings due to family obligations, I still appreciate reading through the documents the OCA’s office produces related to legislation and dockets at the Public Utilities Commission. As a clean energy advocate, retired engineer, and activist, I have always been proud of the way New Hampshire’s PUC treated us and permitted our participation in dockets for which we had standing as customers. The OCA was a kind of champion for we lowly consumers. While he never would side with us on the basis of climate considerations, he was quick to point out that we had a right to be heard and to hear (this came up when we had to leave the room when utilities were discussing “sensitive business of a competitive nature.”) and see as much unredacted information as possible. The Office of the Consumer Advocate answers to the Governor, Legislative Body and the RRAB. The RRAB consists of nine members appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President to advocate for the interests of residential ratepayers, small business owners, low income, elderly and disabled consumers and the environment. The OCA should be able to launch a challenge or hire consultants to render a second opinion on dockets and projects supported by the PUC or the DOE that will have a lasting impact on consumers. It reminds me of the stranded costs associated with the scrubber on the Bow coal plant that we continue to pay. The OCA resisted saddling ratepayers with the cost overruns of the Burgess wood plant. Who will fight for us in the future if it means going up against their bosses? The OCA is a bulwark against regulatory capture. The OCA is constantly reminding all the lawyers for the utilities and energy companies that it is the consumer who ultimately foots the bill. I respectfully request that you deny any attempt to dismantle the OCA and RRAB. It is giving the residential and small business consumers of New Hampshire a voice.

Jennifer DafeldeckerSupportSwanzey, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Please support New Hamphire's health soverneignty by voting to keep global health mandates out of our state. Our health concerns can be managed locally. Thank you.

Victoria Marie De BarbieriOpposeManchester, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Hello, we live in the big world called The World. Ergo, the WHO and the recommendations of the WHO shall be recognized including in the state of New Hampshire. Where do you think you might find the origins of every single person residing in the state of NH? People came from other parts of the world. Wolrd public health policies de facto are relevant to NH. No one is in NH as a de novo human being, generated from the soil of NH.

Brian MazurSupportGoffstown, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

New Hampshire and its political subdivisions cannot enforce mandates from the WHO, UN, or WEF due to constitutional protections, state sovereignty, the absence of legal authority, and the non-binding nature of these organizations’ directives.

Darlene CartierSupportDerry, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

This bill says that the state of New Hampshire and its political subdivisions cannot enforce any mandate of the World Health Organization, United Nations, or the World Economic Forum. To think these unelected groups can mandate the state of New Hampshire and its people to do anything is absolutely absurd. They have NO POWER over us at all. I am in full support of this bill, and I urge you to vote in support of this bill too.

Diane HashemSupportThornton, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

I am vehemently opposed to any mandate of the World Health Organization, United Nations, or the World Economic Forum. NH, as well as the rest of the United States, is perfectly capable of making its own health decisions and meeting its own health needs. There is no way we should be giving up our health, or any other, sovereignty to some unelected world bureaucracy. There is no "one policy" appropriate for all jurisdictions. NH is the "Live Free or Die" state. I expect you to keep it that way. Respectfully, Diane Hashem

Tom AllenSupportHollis, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

Please keep our great state free from any and all mandates of the World Health Organization, United Nations, and World Economic Forum. The United States is a sovereign republic -- please help us keep it that way! Thank you.

Ann FisherSupportLitchfield, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

I support HB 584 because New Hampshire is a sovereign state and should not have to submit to the decisions of the WHO, UN, and the WEF. These organizations made some very poor decisions during the Covid crisis and I am shocked that we would ever trust their authority in the future. Furthermore, their twisted agendas are becoming common knowledge in the media and their goals do not seem to correlate with human health and well-being. Please support HB584. Thank you. Ann Fisher

Megan KilarOpposeCandia, NHfor MyselfMar 12, 2025

This bill is totally unnecessary.