A recent vote by the Senate Commerce Committee in New Hampshire regarding a bill that seeks to deregulate crypto mining ended in a tie. The committee has decided to hold off on the bill’s progress due to rising public concerns reported since its last discussion.
After two deadlocks—one on proceeding with the bill and another on its rejection—the committee ultimately voted 4 to 2 in favor of further study of the measure following feedback from constituents.
The proposed legislation, known as House Bill 639, aims to prevent local governments from imposing restrictions on crypto mining practices, including electricity and noise regulations, as well as limiting taxes specifically on digital assets. If passed, the bill would also secure the right for individuals and businesses to mine cryptocurrencies and establish a specialized blockchain docket within the state court system.
During initial debates in May, senators returned the proposal to committee for further revisions and to build support. The bill is sponsored by Republican Representative Keith Ammon and is anticipated to be presented to the Senate in 2026.
Senator Tara Reardon from Concord remarked that the initiative has prompted the most correspondence she’s ever received regarding any bill.
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Crypto Mining in the US
Crypto mining involves using computing power for transaction verification on proof-of-work blockchains such as Bitcoin, rewarding miners with newly minted coins.
Despite criticisms over its high energy consumption and environmental concerns, the sector has evolved significantly since its inception.
A recent report by the MiCA Crypto Alliance and data analytics firm Nodiens indicated that the reliance on coal for Bitcoin mining has decreased from 63% in 2011 to 20% in 2024, while the adoption of renewable energy sources has increased at an average rate of 5.8% per year.
Nevertheless, states like New York are attempting to mitigate energy consumption impacts through taxation. On October 2, State Senator Liz Krueger introduced a bill for a tiered excise tax on the energy consumed by crypto mining operations, exempting those using up to 2.25 million kilowatt-hours annually and imposing a 2-cent tax on the next tier of usage.
