Z′ bosons, the NuTeV anomaly, and the Higgs boson mass

Fits to the precision electroweak data that include the NuTeV measurement are considered in family universal, anomaly free U(1) extensions of the Standard Model. In data sets from which the hadronic asymmetries are excluded, some of the Z′ models can double the predicted value of the Higgs boson mass, from ～60 to ～120 GeV, removing the tension with the LEP II lower bound, while also modestly improving the χ ² confidence level. The effect of the Z′ models on both m _H and the χ ² confidence level is increased when the NuTeV measurement is included in the fit. Both the original NuTeV data and a revised estimate by the PDG are considered.