Bitcoin Bills: New Hampshire and Florida’s Crypto Shenanigans! 🚀💰

by

In a move that would make even the most stoic of Wall Street tycoons raise an eyebrow, New Hampshire’s House and Florida’s House Insurance and Banking Committee have decided to dabble in the wild world of Bitcoin reserves. 🎭

New Hampshire’s House, in a nail-biting 192-179 vote on April 10, passed HB302, a bill that would allow the state to dip its toes into the digital asset pool. This makes New Hampshire the fourth state to pass such a bill through one chamber, joining the illustrious ranks of Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. 🏛️

If HB302 manages to charm its way through the Senate and gets the governor’s signature, the state’s treasurer will be allowed to invest up to 10% of the state’s general fund in precious metals and certain digital assets. The bill also lays out the rules for how these assets should be custodied, because, you know, you can’t just leave Bitcoin lying around. 🛡️

During the debate, Democrat Representative Terry Spahr argued that the bill was as unnecessary as a screen door on a submarine. He pointed out that the treasurer already has the authority to make such investments and warned that cryptocurrency’s ever-shifting nature could make the state’s digital assets stockpile as secure as a chocolate teapot. 🍫☕

Republican Representative Jordan Ulery, however, countered that the bill could potentially bring in a “large amount of money” for the state. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of extra cash? 💸

New Hampshire also has two other blockchain-related bills in the works: HB310, which covers stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization, and HB639, which deals with blockchain regulation and dispute resolution. Because why stop at one when you can have three? 🎰

Florida’s Bitcoin Bonanza 🏖️

Meanwhile, on the same day, Florida’s House Insurance and Banking Committee passed the state’s Bitcoin reserve bill, HB487, with a unanimous vote. The bill now has three more committees to charm before it can progress to Florida’s House. 🏛️

WATCH: Florida House Committee PASSES Bitcoin Reserve Bill

The Insurance and Banking Committee passed HB 487 unanimously today

Including moving testimony from bill sponsor Rep. Webster Barnaby

— Bitcoin Laws (@Bitcoin_Laws) April 10, 2025

Similar to New Hampshire’s bill, HB487 would allow Florida’s chief financial officer and the State Board of Administration to invest up to 10% of certain state funds into Bitcoin. Because nothing says “financial security” like putting your money into something that can lose half its value overnight. 📉

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Representative Webster Barnaby, pleaded with the Committee to “vote up on this very important bill,” claiming it would “put Florida in the leading edge of this very new technology.” Because, of course, Florida needs to be at the forefront of something. 🌴

Florida’s bill gives the state’s financial chief the ability to invest in digital assets directly, through certain qualified custodians, or through exchange-traded products. It also details security and custody requirements, because, again, you can’t just leave Bitcoin lying around. 🛡️

According to Bitcoin Laws, which tracks the progress of digital assets legislation, Arizona is currently leading the race to become the first US state to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. 🏆

On March 24, two digital assets reserve bills, SB1373 and SB1025, cleared Arizona’s House Rules Committee and are now headed to the state’s House for a full floor vote. If passed by the House, the bills would then need the signature of Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, to become law. 🖋️

Read More

2025-04-11 06:10