The proposed bill, known as the "New Hampshire Released Time Education Act," mandates that public schools provide excused absences for students attending religious instruction through "released time courses." The bill defines "released time courses" as religious instruction taught by independent entities, and it requires schools to adopt policies that allow students to be excused from school for at least one hour per week, up to a maximum of five hours. Key provisions include the necessity of written consent from a student's parent or guardian, the responsibility of the sponsoring entity for transportation and liability, and the stipulation that no school district funds, aside from minimal administrative costs, can be used for these courses. Additionally, the bill ensures that time spent in released time courses counts towards school attendance for funding purposes.

Furthermore, the bill requires school districts to establish policies that award academic credit for completed released time courses, using secular criteria for evaluation that do not consider religious content or affiliation. The criteria for credit evaluation may include classroom instruction hours, course syllabus review, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications. The bill also provides a legal remedy for individuals or organizations that believe their rights under this subdivision have been violated, allowing them to seek relief through legal action. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.