New Hampshire’s bid to add Bitcoin and precious metals to its investment toolkit advanced again this week: House Bill 302 cleared its second Senate panel on a 4–1 vote, setting up a floor decision.
The proposal, introduced in January, had already sailed through the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee (16–1) and squeezed past the full House on 10 April by 192–179. With four legislative hurdles now behind it, HB 302 needs only the Senate’s final nod to move the state one step closer to official crypto and bullion holdings.
New Hampshire’s HB 302 allows the state treasurer to invest up to 10% of the general fund into precious metals and major digital assets, specifically those with a market cap over $500 billion, effectively focusing on Bitcoin. The bill outlines custody options for these assets, including direct holding, using a qualified custodian, or investing through exchange-traded products. The proposal has sparked a divide among lawmakers; Democratic Representative Terry Spahr criticized it as unnecessary and potentially risky for long-term security, while Republican Representative Jordan Ulery argued it could generate significant revenue for the state through these investments.
With digital asset adoption increasingly becoming a legislative priority across the U.S., New Hampshire’s progress with HB302 reflects a broader trend of state-level experimentation with crypto policy. Data from advocacy group Bitcoin Laws shows that if HB 302 reaches the governor’s desk, New Hampshire will become only the third state, after Arizona and Texas, to see a Bitcoin reserve measure clear an entire legislative chamber.
Momentum is building elsewhere, too. In Florida, House Bill 487 won unanimous approval in the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee on 10 April, marking another bipartisan nod toward treating Bitcoin as a strategic reserve. Taken together, the parallel advances in New Hampshire and Florida highlight how digital assets are rapidly moving from niche interest to mainstream policy lever in U.S. statehouses.
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