Governor Kelly Ayotte has vetoed legislation that would have created a statewide recycling and collection program for leftover paint, rejecting a proposal supporters said would help reduce waste.
House Bill 451 aimed to establish a paint stewardship program managed by manufacturers. The initiative would have allowed residents to drop off unused or leftover paint at designated collection sites, with recycling and disposal coordinated by industry groups.
The measure, introduced by Democratic Rep. Karen Ebel of New London, passed the House last year and cleared the state Senate earlier this year before reaching the governor’s desk.
Ayotte had already signaled opposition to the bill in January. Speaking on the NH Journal podcast at the time, she argued that the program’s funding structure effectively created a new tax.
In announcing her veto Monday, the governor repeated that position.
“NO sales tax. Not now. NOT EVER!” Ayotte wrote in a message explaining her decision.
Supporters of the bill dispute that characterization. The proposal would have funded the recycling program through a fee applied to paint containers, with manufacturers responsible for organizing and administering the system.
Ebel said the legislation was designed in collaboration with industry partners and emphasized that it was not intended to function as a sales tax.
“There is no way we would have introduced a bill that included a sales tax,” she said during a meeting of the state’s Solid Waste Working Group earlier this year.
Paint stewardship programs already operate in several states, where they are typically funded through small fees added to paint purchases. Supporters argue such programs help reduce hazardous waste by providing convenient disposal options for consumers.
Opponents, however, often raise concerns about additional costs appearing on retail purchases.
It is not yet clear whether lawmakers will attempt to override the veto or revise the proposal in a future legislative session.
