Latest news with #HB302
The Hill
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
New Hampshire becomes first state to adopt strategic crypto reserve
New Hampshire became the first state in the country to establish a crypto reserve on Monday, giving the digital assets a win after several other states rejected similar legislation. 'New Hampshire is once again First in the Nation!' New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte wrote on X Tuesday. 'Just signed a new law allowing our state to invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals.' The law, titled HB 302, enables the state treasurer to invest up to 5 percent of New Hampshire's state funds into precious metals and digital assets. The metals and assets must have a market cap of over $500 billion, and bitcoin will be the asset used to fill the stockpile. New Hampshire House Republicans celebrated the bill's passage, writing on X, 'The Live Free or Die state is leading the way in forging the future of commerce and digital assets.' Several other states have pursued similar legislation, though some have faced hurdles in recent weeks. In Arizona, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed a state bill that would have allowed the state to use seized crypto funds for a crypto reserve. Earlier this week, Florida pulled two crypto reserve bills from its legislative, session, while Oklahoma, South Dakota, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Wyoming also rejected similar legislation. The push for crypto reserves mirrors that on the federal level, where President Trump signed an executive order in March creating a government reserve of bitcoin and a stockpile for other digital assets. Trump's order differs slightly from New Hampshire in that it requires the U.S. government to use the bitcoin already seized by federal law enforcement while disrupting financial crimes to establish the reserve. Still, his order empowered the Treasury and Commerce Departments to 'develop budget-neutral strategies for acquiring additional bitcoin.' The Trump administration maintains these strategies will not create extra costs for taxpayers. Trump's artificial intelligence (AI) and crypto czar, David Sacks, said earlier the year the U.S. government is estimated to own about 200,000 bitcoins — worth more than $17 billion — but a full audit needs to be completed to confirm the number. Like Trump, some state leaders are increasingly warming up to crypto as the industry tries to distance itself from past scandals and cement its status as a legitimate financial pathway.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Hampshire just became the first state to establish a crypto reserve
ROMAIN COSTASECA/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images New Hampshire passed legislation establishing the country's first crypto reserve. The new law allows the state treasurer to purchase digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion. Trump's executive order on a national crypto reserve didn't authorize new purchases of digital assets. Legislators in New Hampshire voted to pass a bill that establishes the first state crypto reserve. "New Hampshire is once again First in the Nation!" state governor Kelly Ayotte wrote on X. "Just signed a new law allowing our state to invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals." The tweet is in reference to HB 302, a bill that allows the state treasure to invest as much as 5% of New Hampshire's public funds into precious metal and digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion. Among crypto tokens, that would include only bitcoin. Digital assets will be held by the state treasurer using a secure custody solution or through an exchange-traded product. Now that it's been passed, the bill will become law in 60 days. The passage of the crypto reserve bill not only makes New Hampshire the first state to establish a reserve, but the state has also gone a step further than the federal government. A national bitcoin reserve was a key priority for crypto bulls who cheered Donald Trump's presidential win, but his policy has so far fallen short. The Trump administration issued an order to create a US reserve, but it would be stocked only with bitcoin already owned by the government, with no promise to buy more. Bitcoin enthusiasts have argued that federal and state governments should stockpile the token as a hedge against inflation and instability in the traditional financial system, and legislation has been introduced in states across the country. Some of these efforts have lost steam, however. By March, bills had failed to advance in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. Last week, Florida became the latest state to withdraw reserve bills. Advocates for a US reserve have argued that its creation could accelerate similar stockpiles across jurisdictions and even the world, pushing the price of bitcoin higher. The top token was about flat on Tuesday afternoon, trading at $94,800. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Hampshire just became the first state to establish a crypto reserve
ROMAIN COSTASECA/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images New Hampshire passed legislation establishing the country's first crypto reserve. The new law allows the state treasurer to purchase digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion. Trump's executive order on a national crypto reserve didn't authorize new purchases of digital assets. Legislators in New Hampshire voted to pass a bill that establishes the first state crypto reserve. "New Hampshire is once again First in the Nation!" state governor Kelly Ayotte wrote on X. "Just signed a new law allowing our state to invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals." The tweet is in reference to HB 302, a bill that allows the state treasure to invest as much as 5% of New Hampshire's public funds into precious metal and digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion. Among crypto tokens, that would include only bitcoin. Digital assets will be held by the state treasurer using a secure custody solution or through an exchange-traded product. Now that it's been passed, the bill will become law in 60 days. The passage of the crypto reserve bill not only makes New Hampshire the first state to establish a reserve, but the state has also gone a step further than the federal government. A national bitcoin reserve was a key priority for crypto bulls who cheered Donald Trump's presidential win, but his policy has so far fallen short. The Trump administration issued an order to create a US reserve, but it would be stocked only with bitcoin already owned by the government, with no promise to buy more. Bitcoin enthusiasts have argued that federal and state governments should stockpile the token as a hedge against inflation and instability in the traditional financial system, and legislation has been introduced in states across the country. Some of these efforts have lost steam, however. By March, bills had failed to advance in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. Last week, Florida became the latest state to withdraw reserve bills. Advocates for a US reserve have argued that its creation could accelerate similar stockpiles across jurisdictions and even the world, pushing the price of bitcoin higher. The top token was about flat on Tuesday afternoon, trading at $94,800. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
New Hampshire just became the first state to establish a crypto reserve
Legislators in New Hampshire voted to pass a bill that establishes the first state crypto reserve. "New Hampshire is once again First in the Nation!" state governor Kelly Ayotte wrote on X. "Just signed a new law allowing our state to invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals." The tweet is in reference to HB 302, a bill that allows the state treasure to invest as much as 5% of New Hampshire's public funds into precious metal and digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion. Among crypto tokens, that would include only bitcoin. Digital assets will be held by the state treasurer using a secure custody solution or through an exchange-traded product. Now that it's been passed, the bill will become law in 60 days. New Hampshire is once again First in the Nation! 🎉 Just signed a new law allowing our state to invest in cryptocurrency and precious metals. — Governor Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) May 6, 2025 The passage of the crypto reserve bill not only makes New Hampshire the first state to establish a reserve, but the state has also gone a step further than the federal government. A national bitcoin reserve was a key priority for crypto bulls who cheered Donald Trump's presidential win, but his policy has so far fallen short. The Trump administration issued an order to create a US reserve, but it would be stocked only with bitcoin already owned by the government, with no promise to buy more. Bitcoin enthusiasts have argued that federal and state governments should stockpile the token as a hedge against inflation and instability in the traditional financial system, and legislation has been introduced in states across the country. Some of these efforts have lost steam, however. By March, bills had failed to advance in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. Last week, Florida became the latest state to withdraw reserve bills. Advocates for a US reserve have argued that its creation could accelerate similar stockpiles across jurisdictions and even the world, pushing the price of bitcoin higher. The top token was about flat on Tuesday afternoon, trading at $94,800.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House approves enhanced penalties for immigrants convicted of felonies against minors
Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollinger's Island, casts a vote in the Alabama House of Representatives on April 25, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Brown passed legislation on March 6, 2025, that would enhance penalties for people without legal status when the victim of the crime is a minor.(Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama House of Representatives passed two immigration-related bills Thursday. HB 3, sponsored by Rep. Chip Brown, R-Hollingers Island, enhances penalties for people without legal status when they are charged with a felony where the victim is a minor. It passed 76-3, with 24 abstentions. Brown said the legislation was inspired by the Laken Riley case in Georgia where a college student was murdered by a person without legal status. 'ICE had asked the local jurisdiction to detain the individual, and they didn't. They released him back on the street,' he said on the House floor Thursday. Studies have repeatedly found that immigrants without legal status commit significantly less crime than the U.S. population as a whole. The legislation received pushback from Democrats. Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Mobile, said people should not be convicted differently depending on who they are. 'I believe crimes are crimes,' Bracy said. 'I don't believe that based on who you are, you should be punished for a crime.' Under the legislation, if a person without legal status is charged with a Class C felony, the penalty would be enhanced to a Class B felony. If a person without legal status is charged with a Class B felony, the penalty would be enhanced to a Class A felony. The legislation also requires all crimes committed by a person without legal status where the victim is a minor to be charged with a Class C felony. The bill goes to the Senate. Labor brokers would have to turn over info on immigrants working in Alabama under proposed bill HB 302, sponsored by Rep. Ben Robbins, R-Sylacauga, requires companies that hire people without legal status to register their employees with the Department of Workforce. It passed 81-0, with 19 abstentions. Under existing law, labor brokers in Alabama can recruit citizens of other countries to work in the state through a sponsorship, which can include housing. HB 302 would require labor brokers to register with the Department of Workforce if they recruit five or more people. 'It will be an attempt to cut out human trafficking,' Robbins said. There was no discussion on the bill. It now goes to the Senate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
