{{Short description|New Hampshire politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = | image = | term_start = December 7, 2022 | term_end = July 31, 2024 | predecessor = Sparky Von Plinsky | successor = Terri O'Rorke | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1981}} | death_date = | death_place = | party = Independent (since 2023) | alma_mater = Boston University<br>University of South Australia<br>University of New Hampshire School of Law | office = Member of New Hampshire House of Representatives for Cheshire 7 | birth_place = | website = | other_party = Democratic (until 2023) }}
'''Shaun Filiault''' is an American politician who served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from the Cheshire 7 District. He assumed office on December 7, 2022. He was also chairman of the Keene, New Hampshire, Democratic Committee prior to changing his party affiliation to Independent in June 2023.
On June 6, 2024, Filiault announced he would not seek re-election as he and his fiance planned to move out-of-state after Filiault’s term.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Green |first=Rick |date=June 6, 2024 |title=Shaun Filiault, I-Keene, won't seek reelection in NH House |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/statehouse/shaun-filiault-i-keene-wont-seek-reelection-in-nh-house/article_edb79846-b0d4-5806-b675-559854f36ab4.html |access-date=June 7, 2024 |work=Keene Sentinel}}</ref> He resigned from the House on July 31, 2024, as that anticipated out-of-state move ultimately occurred prior to the end of the term.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/aboutthehouse/RDSE.pdf|title=Resignations, Deaths, Special Elections|work=The General Court of New Hampshire|access-date=July 31, 2024}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Filiault was born in 1981 and raised in New Hampshire and educated in the Keene public school system. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University before earning his PhD at the University of South Australia. He later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=CLARK |first=Anika |title=Questionnaire: Shaun Filiault, candidate for NH House, Cheshire County District 7 |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/vote/nh_house_cheshire_7/questionnaire-shaun-filiault-candidate-for-nh-house-cheshire-county-district-7/article_8b5e96fb-e1d2-5829-aaf2-bc359c847004.html |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=SentinelSource.com |date=19 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet Shaun {{!}} Shaun Filiault |url=https://112060.campaignpartner.net/meet_shaun |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=112060.campaignpartner.net |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == After earning his PhD, Filiault was a lecturer in health promotion at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. He specialized in men's health issues and published numerous articles in men's health promotion and men's body image.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Filiault |first1=Shaun M. |last2=Drummond |first2=Murray J. N. |date=2013-04-01 |title=Gay Athletes' Perceptions of Body Hair |url=http://men.sagepub.com/lookup/doi/10.3149/jms.2102.206 |journal=The Journal of Men's Studies |volume=21 |issue=2 |pages=206–213 |doi=10.3149/jms.2102.206 |s2cid=143068243 |issn=1060-8265|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He subsequently changed careers and graduated from law school, passing the New York and New Hampshire bar exams.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Law graduate aces marathon New York exam |url=https://www.cdu.edu.au/enews/stories/new-york-bar |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=www.cdu.edu.au}}</ref> He clerked for Judge William G. Young in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.<ref name=":0" />
== Electoral History and Legislative Career == In 2020, Filiault won a seat on the Keene School Board. He later resigned that seat because an attorney at the law firm for which he worked was appointed the school district’s counsel and Filiault wished to avoid the possibility of a conflict of interests.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Jack Rooney Sentinel |title=Keene school board accepts Shaun Filiault's resignation |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/keene-school-board-accepts-shaun-filiaults-resignation/article_e8822a41-ffbb-539c-94a2-f839bcbda574.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=SentinelSource.com |date=13 May 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
In 2022, Filiault defeated incumbent Rep. John Bordenet in the Democratic primary to represent the newly redistricted Cheshire 7 District, which covers Ward 2 in Keene. Filiault won that race with 74.9% of the vote to Bordenet’s 25.1% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Hampshire State House - Cheshire District 7 Democratic Primary Results {{!}} USA TODAY |url=https://www.usatoday.com/elections/results/race/2022-09-13-state_house-D-NH-31514/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=www.usatoday.com |language=en}}</ref> Filiault cited Bordenet’s positions on the “gay panic defense,” gun violence prevention, and marijuana legalization as major reasons for challenging the incumbent Bordenet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Rick Green Sentinel |title=Rep defends record against challenger in runup to Cheshire House 7 primary |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/statehouse/rep-defends-record-against-challenger-in-runup-to-cheshire-house-7-primary/article_7acec2ae-2d23-50fa-9cba-c109082fda60.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=SentinelSource.com |date=17 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Filiault then defeated Republican nominee David Kamm in the general election, with 73.9% of the vote to Kamm's 26.1%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Hampshire State House - Cheshire District 7 Election Results {{!}} Montgomery Advertiser |url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/elections/results/race/2022-11-08-state_house-NH-31513/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=www.montgomeryadvertiser.com |language=en}}</ref>
Filiault was a member of House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee.
In June 2023 Filiault left the House Democratic caucus and registered as an Independent over disagreements about his legislative deal-making with Republicans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=N.H. lawmaker leaves Democratic caucus over first in the nation primary and LGBTQ rights |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/07/metro/nh-lawmaker-leaves-democratic-caucus-over-first-nation-primary-lgbtq-rights/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=www.bostonglobe.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, Filiault was the prime sponsor of HB 315, which sought to abolish the "gay panic defense" in New Hampshire.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Hampshire HB315 {{!}} 2023 {{!}} Regular Session |url=https://legiscan.com/NH/text/HB315/id/2825496 |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=LegiScan |language=en}}</ref> The bill passed both the House and Senate in June 2023 after first going to a "committee of conference" between the two chambers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Rick Green Sentinel |date=2023-06-22 |title=Committee of Conference moves 'gay-panic defense' bill forward |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/committee-of-conference-moves-gay-panic-defense-bill-forward/article_7a32957b-0c83-5833-9d89-c5e2e331bb76.html |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=SentinelSource.com |language=en}}</ref> The bill was signed by Governor Chris Sununu in August 2023, and went into effect on midnight January 1, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Rick Green Sentinel |date=2023-08-09 |title=After long journey, governor signs Filiault's bill banning gay-panic defense |url=https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/statehouse/after-long-journey-governor-signs-filiaults-bill-banning-gay-panic-defense/article_b7368fc6-3fed-517a-9657-6f560e801886.html |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=SentinelSource.com |language=en}}</ref> The bill marks the first time a state with a Republican-controlled legislature and executive abolished the gay panic defense.<ref>{{Cite web |last=mnemec |date=2023-08-18 |title=History Made in New Hampshire - LGBTQ+ "Panic" Defense Banned |url=https://lgbtqbar.org/bar-news/history-made-in-new-hampshire-lgbtq-panic-defense-banned/ |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Post-Electoral Career == After resigning from the legislature, Filiault ultimately returned to New Hampshire and continued serving the State. He was the Administrative Rules Coordinator for the New Hampshire Department of Safety.<ref>{{Cite web |last=State of New Hampshire |first=Office of Legislative Services |date=October 9, 2025 |title=IP Notice Saf-C 1806.06 |url=https://gc.nh.gov/rules/register/2025/1009/2025-221%20IP%20Notice%20Saf-C%201806.06.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> He is now an attorney for New Hampshire's Office of the Consumer Advocate.<ref>{{Cite web |last=State of New Hampshire |first=Public Utilities Commission |date=November 18, 2025 |title=Notice of Appearance (Docket No. 45) |url=https://www.puc.nh.gov/VirtualFileRoom/Docket.aspx?DocketNumber=DE%2025-025 |url-status=live |website=Public Utilities Commission Virtual File Room}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Filiault, Shaun}} Category:Politicians from Keene, New Hampshire Category:Boston University alumni Category:University of South Australia alumni Category:University of New Hampshire School of Law alumni Category:Academic staff of Flinders University Category:Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Category:New Hampshire Democrats Category:New Hampshire independents Category:Living people Category:21st-century members of the New Hampshire General Court Category:1981 births