HB 1630-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2022 SESSION
22-2396
10/04
HOUSE BILL 1630-FN
AN ACT requiring high school students to complete a half year required course in the
introduction to philosophy.
SPONSORS: Rep. Soti, Rock. 7
COMMITTEE: Education
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a requirement for high school students to have a course in the introduction
to philosophy.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
 HB 1630-FN - AS INTRODUCED
22-2396
10/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT requiring high school students to complete a half year required course in the
introduction to philosophy.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 New Section; Schools. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 11-d the following new
2 section:
3 189:11-e Introduction to Philosophy. All public and private schools in the state, as part of the
4 school board-approved high school education program, shall offer a half-year course of instruction in
5 the introduction to philosophy required for high school graduation. The instruction shall focus on
6 epistemology (theory of knowledge), logic, ethics, and the philosophy of science.
7 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
 LBA
22-2396
12/23/21
HB 1630-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT requiring high school students to complete a half year required course in the
introduction to philosophy.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE: FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025
Appropriation $0 $0 $0 $0
Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Expenditures $0 $27,250 $27,250 $28,250
Funding Source: [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other
LOCAL:
Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Indeterminable Indeterminable Indeterminable
Expenditures $0
Increase Increase Increase
METHODOLOGY:
This bill, assumed effective for the 2022-23 school year, requires all public and nonpublic
schools in the state, as part of the school board approved high school education program, to offer
a half-year course of instruction in the interdiction to philosophy, which shall be required for
graduation. It is unknown at this time if, or by how much, this may increase local school
district expenditures in FY 2023 and each year thereafter. The Department states it may be
responsible for ensuring the compliance of New Hampshire private and public schools with this
requirement and estimates executing these new responsibilities would require 25% of the time
of an education consultant position (labor grade 27), with a total estimated salary, benefit, and
other costs of $27,250 in FY 2023, $27,250 in FY 2024, and $28,250 in FY 2025, assuming a
start date of July 1, 2022. Additionally, local school districts may need to purchase curriculum
and materials, and hire additional administrative and instructional staff to train educators and
teach required material, which would likely increase expenditures in FY 2023 and each year
thereafter by an indeterminable amount.
This bill does not contain an appropriation or authorization for positions.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education