“The answer to injustice is not to silence the critic, but to end the injustice.” ― Paul Robeson
April 13, 2024
Greetings, State House Watchers!
Many of us are still savoring the awe we experienced during the eclipse on Monday. May that particular joy nourish our sense of connection to each other and to our universe.
We want to take a moment to celebrate the important life of Paul Robeson – son of a formerly enslaved man, who offered to the world his great gifts of singing, acting, athletics, and scholarship, as well as his courage and commitment to freedom and justice. He was born 126 years ago, on April 9, 1898. Take two minutes to watch this brief history of his precious life.
Are you ready for Tax Day? Take a break from your number crunching and let our Members of Congress know that we want no tax dollars for war crimes.
Last Thursday was Crossover Day at the State House, with busy sessions in the House and Senate, as lawmakers finalized action on all bills that had originated in their chamber. Bills that were approved have now crossed over to the other body, where the final deadline to act is Thursday, May 23. After that, we’ll see some committees of conference (CoC) formed for bills that have passed both bodies but in different forms, and then there will be final votes on those CoC reports on June 13. Take heart, friends; the end of this exhausting session is just two months from today.
Here are some highlights/lowlights from Crossover Day:
On the ‘plus’ side, a bipartisan bail reform package passed the House (HB 318, relative to magistrates, bail commissioners, the standards applicable to and the administration of bail, and making appropriations); and a marijuana legalization bill passed the House (HB 1633, relative to the legalization and regulation of cannabis and making appropriations therefor.) Read more here and here.
It was terrible to see, however, that the House narrowly voted (192-191) to table (effectively defeating) HB 1212, a bill championed by the late Representative Art Ellison to increase the household eligibility for free school meals. Speaker Packard cast the tie-breaking vote. The House majority also defeated, by indefinitely postponing, HB 1199, relative to services of the office of the child advocate for youth experiencing homelessness and making an appropriation therefor. Read a good summary of both debates here and here. We believe the House majority should be ashamed of these outcomes.
For an update on where various housing-related bills are at Crossover, we recommend this report from Housing Action NH.
In other news, New Hampshire will have to prepare to comply with new federal guidelines related to PFAS chemicals, following an announcement last week from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While the governor and others complained about the higher standards, advocates celebrated the news and urged the state to comply as promptly as possible. Read more here.
ACTION ALERTS
Protect Public Education
OPPOSE SB 442-FN, relative to student eligibility for education freedom accounts and the scholarship organization’s costs of administering the program, extending phase-out grants for education freedom accounts, and revising the definitions of average daily membership in attendance and average daily membership in residence. This bill increases student eligibility for vouchers to households earning 400% of the federal poverty line and extends the voucher renewal period from 2026 to 2029. It is scheduled for a public hearing in House Education on Tuesday, April 16 at 11 AM, in Room 205-207, LOB. Please contact the committee, and sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE HB 1665-FN, relative to student eligibility for the education freedom accounts program. This bill expands income eligibility to 500% of the federal poverty line. It is scheduled for a public hearing in Senate Education on Tuesday, April 16 at 9:20 AM, Room 101, LOB. Please contact the committee, and sign in to oppose and share testimony.
We recommend this recent op-ed from the Concord Monitor: The devastating impact vouchers have had on Arizona, Florida local public schools - “Voucher lobbyists are solely interested in forcing through publicly funded vouchers to eventually dismantle the public school system and privatize all schools. They like to start small, with targeted programs for low-income students, but once the voucher door has opened, it’s almost impossible to close, and millions will be spent to inch it ever wider each year. That’s what’s happening in New Hampshire now, with several bills to expand vouchers.”
Support Immigrant Communities
OPPOSE SB 563, relative to federal immigration enforcement. This year’s ‘anti-sanctuary cities’ bill that would require NH law enforcement to engage in federal immigration enforcement is scheduled for a public hearing in House Criminal Justice on Wednesday, April 17 at 12 PM, in Room 202-204, LOB. We need your support to defeat this bill! Please contact the committee, and sign in to oppose and share testimony. We are also asking municipal officials to express opposition to this bill, which undermines the ability of municipalities to be welcoming communities. Please reach out to your local leaders today and invite them to read our municipal officials letter and contact Gilles Bissonnette at the ACLU-NH (gilles@aclu-nh.org) to sign on.
SUPPORT HB 1054-A, which would remove the phrase "non-lapsing" from the funding for the Northern Border Alliance program and SUPPORT HB 1528, which would require additional data collection for the Northern Border Alliance Program. Both bills had a hearing in Senate Finance but have not been exec’d yet so there is still time to contact the committee and urge them to pass both bills.
Ceasefire Now
On Wednesday, April 10, the Dover City Council approved a ceasefire resolution by a vote of 7-1. We thank the City Councilors for their willingness to add Dover to the list of 100+ communities nationwide who have raised their voices for an end to the violence and a restoration of humanitarian aid. As a Dover resident, Maggie spoke in favor of the resolution, mentioning AFSC’s staff members in Gaza: “[Firas and Serena] beg us to find every possible way to raise our voices to our own government, to our own Members of Congress who control the purse strings, to act not only as individual constituents but also with collective actions in all of the spaces where we have power. Everything matters, they say. Every public statement, every resolution, every outreach, every plea.”
Also last week, 67 Jews in New Hampshire delivered a letter to our Members of Congress, urging their action for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, a suspension of military weapons to Israel, and an immediate restoration of US funding to UNWRA for humanitarian assistance. You can read the full letter here. And read more at InDepthNH.
Read the latest update from AFSC’s staff in Gaza, including their work to provide recreational activities for Gazan children. And read about Quakers’ vision for a just peace in Israel and Palestine: A Different Future is Possible.
Immigration News
We’re grateful that Arnie Alpert has been tracking resistance from organizers in Texas and NH to Operation Lonestar and the sending of NH National Guard troops to perform immigration enforcement at the US-Mexico border. Read his latest here. Experts on the ground at the border in Texas express frustration that the fentanyl crisis is being used as a justification for these costly deployments, but Amerika Garcia Grewal of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition says Sununu “has his eyes on the wrong spot. Fentanyl is crossing the border, she said, at the ports of entry, mostly in vehicles driven by U.S. citizens, not unauthorized migrants in remote rural areas…. Karen Gonzales from Del Rio says the funds would be ‘better spent in their own state on addiction prevention and treatment programs.’” We agree.
Sign AFSC’s petition to President Biden to mobilize international support for Sudan. And add your own name to this action letter calling on our Congressional delegation to end US support for the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Groups and organizations can add their name to this letter calling on the Biden administration to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and protective student relief for Congolese people who cannot return home because of the violence.
Recommended Reading
We thank our friends at the NH Fiscal Policy Institute for their latest report: State Revenues Slip Behind Expectations in March Ahead of Key April Tax Returns. We hope that lawmakers considering further cuts to business taxes in New Hampshire will take heed.
Last Week at the State House
Key:
LOB – Legislative Office Building (33 N. State St. Concord)
SH – State House (107 N. Main St. Concord)
OTP – “Ought to Pass,” the recommendation for approving a bill or an amendment
OTP/A – Ought to Pass with Amendment
ITL – “Inexpedient to Legislate,” the recommendation for defeating a bill or an amendment.
ITL” can also be used as a verb.
“Without Recommendation” - This indicates that the committee vote was a tie for both ITL and OTP. During the House session, these bills will be considered first as Ought to Pass.
Re-refer – When a Senate committee wishes to hold onto a bill for further consideration. The recommendation to re-refer must be approved in the full Senate. The committee will have until the end of the calendar year to meet about the bill and make a recommendation for further action.
VV – Voice vote. Votes are not counted.
RC – Roll call vote. Each legislator’s vote is recorded and attributed to them.
DV – Division vote. Votes are counted but not attributed to individual legislators.
Last week in the House
The full House met in full session on April 11. Here are the outcomes of the bills we’re tracking.
On the Consent Calendar
CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW
SB 359, raising the age of marriage to 18 years of age. This bill changes the minimum age for marriage from 16 to 18 years of age. OTP-A by VV.
SB 498-FN, relative to the department of health and human services, division for children, youth and families. This bill provides that under RSA 169-B, relative to delinquent children, and RSA 169-D, relative to children in need of services, a child may be placed with fictive kin or a childcare institution, psychiatric residential treatment program, or other program certified by the department of health and human services. OTP by VV.
ELECTION LAW
SB 535, relative to absentee ballot forms. This bill updates the absentee ballot request form to match state statute that enables a person who would otherwise vote in person but has concerns about traveling during a winter storm warning to receive an absentee ballot. ITL by VV.
FINANCE
HB 1465-FN, relative to studies of nuclear energy technologies and renaming the office of offshore wind industry development. This bill requires the department of energy to coordinate the continuing studies by various state agencies on the uses and development of nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. OTP by VV.
On the Regular Calendar
FINANCE
HB 318-FN-A, relative to bail commissioners and making appropriations to the judicial branch. This bill eliminates bail commissioners; provides that judges shall set bail; amends the procedure for the release of a defendant pending trial; and requires the judicial branch to include in its budget funding for 3 new full-time circuit court judges. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1005-FN, relative to judicial training. This bill inserts a new chapter to establish a judicial training coordinator and provides responsibilities thereto. This bill further establishes initial and continuing training and educational requirements for judges. Tabled by DV, 348-33.
HB 1178-FN, relative to an employee’s unused earned time. This bill requires an employer to pay an employee for unused earned time. OTP-A by RC, 198-183.
HB 1199-FN-A, relative to services of the office of the child advocate for youth experiencing homelessness and making an appropriation therefor. This bill directs the office of the child advocate to identify and develop programs to support youth experiencing homelessness and makes an appropriation to the office for this purpose. Tabled by DV, 189-193.
HB 1202-FN, relative to the issuance of permits for the alteration of driveways exiting onto public ways. This bill establishes certain deadlines for issuance of permits for the alteration of driveways exiting onto public ways. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1212-FN-LOCAL, relative to eligibility for free school meals. This bill increases the eligibility for free school meals to household incomes up to 350 percent of federal poverty guidelines and provides funding from the education trust fund for the additional costs. Tabled by RC, 192-191.
HB 1288-FN, relative to establishing certain due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty members facing disciplinary actions by state institutions of higher learning. This bill establishes certain due process rights for students, student organizations, and faculty members facing disciplinary actions by state institutions of higher learning. OTP by RC, 196-184.
HB 1307-FN, providing a supplemental appropriation for members of the retirement system receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance. This bill makes a one-time supplemental allowance to members of the retirement system who are receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance and provides for future supplemental allowances and cost of living adjustments for accidental disability beneficiaries to be granted without regard to years of creditable service. OTP by DV, 363-17.
HB 1339-FN, relative to background checks during motions to return firearms and ammunition. This bill requires the department of safety to be responsible for conducting the required firearm background checks for federal firearm licensees through NICS for all firearm transfers. OTP by VV.
HB 1355-FN, relative to the New Hampshire National Guard recruitment and reenlistment incentive program. This bill allows the New Hampshire National Guard to offer a reenlistment bonus of up to $6,000 to members of the New Hampshire National Guard who reenlist and are not eligible for a federal reenlistment bonus. OTP by VV.
HB 1363-FN, relative to allowing members of the general court to participate in the department of health and human services employee assistance program. This bill allows members of the general court to participate in the New Hampshire employee assistance program operated by the department of health and human services with the cost paid by the legislative branch. Tabled by DV, 195-186.
HB 1466-FN, relative to providing disaster relief funding to municipalities after a natural disaster. This bill authorizes disaster relief aid for municipalities that suffer certain damage in natural disasters. OTP by VV.
HB 1570-FN-A-LOCAL, (New Title) requiring the department of education to conduct a facility assessment of public schools and public chartered schools. This bill transfers moneys from the education trust fund to a new building aid fund. It also directs the department of education to contract with a vendor to conduct a facility assessment of public schools and public chartered schools. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1573-FN, relative to oversight of and criteria for residential placement of children. This bill revises criteria for the out-of-home placement of children and increases oversight and certification criteria for out-of-state residential treatment programs. The bill also expands the definition of abuse or neglect under RSA 169-C to include a child in certain residential placements. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1577-FN, relative to digital images of ballots. This bill enables the viewing of digital images of ballots under certain circumstances. Tabled by RC, 193-188.
HB 1583-FN-A, relative to the per pupil cost of an opportunity for an adequate education. This bill increases the base annual cost of providing an opportunity for an adequate education. OTP by DV, 205-177.
HB 1588-FN, relative to court jurisdiction over persons receiving special education. This bill updates statutes relating to court jurisdiction of children in need of services to reflect that special education is offered to students up to the age of 22 years if the student has not yet exited special education based on receipt of a high school diploma. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1589-FN, establishing a veterans treatment court. This bill establishes a veterans treatment court. This bill establishes a veterans treatment court. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1633-FN-A, relative to the legalization and regulation of cannabis and making appropriations therefor. This bill establishes procedures for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of cannabis; the licensing and regulation of cannabis establishments; and makes appropriations therefore. OTP-A by RC, 239-136.
HB 1649-FN, relative to prohibiting certain products with intentionally added PFAS. This bill restricts the use of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances in certain consumer products sold in New Hampshire. OTP-A by RC, 233-140.
HB 1656-FN-LOCAL, (New Title) relative to adequate education grant amounts for pupils receiving special education services. This bill increases the annual cost of an adequate education for each pupil in ADMR receiving special education services. OTP-A by RC, 349-26.
HB 1666-FN, relative to income reporting requirements for lobbyists. This bill requires lobbyists to identify clients and income received from lobbying activity. The bill also authorizes the secretary of state to enforce lobbyist statement requirements. OTP by VV.
HB 1669-FN, relative to restricting data sharing through the state immunization registry. This bill prohibits the department of health and human services from sharing data from the state immunization registry with other organizations unless the department can assure withdrawals from the registry will be honored by the organization. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1678-FN, establishing a New Hampshire farm to school local food incentive pilot program. This bill establishes a New Hampshire farm to school local food incentive pilot program. OTP by DV, 191-182.
SB 252-FN, relative to the release of a defendant pending trial, directing the establishment of an electronic monitoring program for criminal defendants released on bail, and making an appropriation therefor. Tabled by VV.
Last Week in the Senate
The Senate met in full session on April 11. Here are the outcomes of the bills we’re tracking.
On the Consent Calendar
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 322, relative to establishing a committee to study the New Hampshire board of medicine. This bill establishes a committee to study the New Hampshire board of medicine. The Committee adopted a non-germane amendment to the bill, which will appropriate $750,000 to the Department of Health and Human Services for the purposes of supporting a long-term care facility which has recently come under new ownership after several years of neglect by corporate ownership. OTP-A by VV.
On the Regular Calendar
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
SB 481, relative to establishing Juneteenth, June 19, as an annual holiday. This bill establishes Juneteenth as an annual holiday. OTP by VV.
FINANCE
SB 392-FN-A, relative to lead paint hazard remediation. This bill makes an appropriation to the lead paint hazard remediation fund. Tabled by VV.
SB 394-FN-A, relative to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund. This bill makes an appropriation to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund. Tabled by VV.
SB 407-FN, relative to direct pay for ambulance services. This bill requires insurers to directly reimburse ambulance service providers at the usual and customary rate for such services or at the rate negotiated by the insurer and ambulance service provider. OTP-A by VV.
SB 417-FN, relative to out-of-home placements for children. This bill revises criteria for out-of-home placement of children under the child protection act and other juvenile statutes and establishes an order of preference based on placement with the child's siblings, when possible, and proximity to the child's community of origin. OTP-A by VV.
SB 495-FN, relative to certification of alcohol and other drug use treatment facilities. This bill provides for certification of substance use treatment programs by the department of health and human services and establishes an office of the behavioral health ombudsman in the department. OTP-A by VV.
SB 551-FN-A, relative to making an appropriation for rail trail project matching funds. This bill makes an appropriation to the department of transportation to be granted to the town of Warner as matching funds for a section of the rail trail in Warner. Tabled by VV.
Next Week in the House
The full House will not meet in session on Thursday, April 18. They will meet next on Thursday, April 25, May 2, and May 23, which is the last day to act on Senate bills.
Next Week in House Committees
You can watch the House hearings here. You can sign in for House bills here. And you can contact House committees here.
Monday, April 15
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY, Room 302-304, LOB
10:00 AM SB 386, relative to establishing a committee to study power generation, transmission, distribution, and storage.
Tuesday, April 16
EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
11:00 AM SB 442-FN, relative to student eligibility for education freedom accounts and the scholarship organization’s costs of administering the program, extending phase-out grants for education freedom accounts, and revising the definitions of average daily membership in attendance and average daily membership in residence.
Wednesday, April 17
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204, LOB
9:30 AM SB 315-FN-L, relative to law enforcement agency reporting on information concerning bias crimes.
10:00 AM SB 321-FN, relative to the release of a defendant pending trial.
10:30 AM SB 424, relative to reductions of maximum sentences while on parole
11:00 AM SB 426-FN, relative to the transportation of marijuana in a motor vehicle or OHRV.
11:30 AM SB 563-FN, relative to federal immigration enforcement.
12:00 PM Public hearing on proposed non-germane Amendment #2024-1484h to SB 563-FN, relative to federal immigration enforcement. The amendment prohibits state and local government entities from adopting sanctuary policies to prohibit or impede the enforcement of federal immigration law and prohibits a tenancy at sufferance to be created by those without a written agreement permitting them to occupy a property. Copies of the amendment are available on the General Court website.
12:00 PM SB 578-FN, relative to criminal pre-trial services and monitoring.
12:30 PM SB 591-FN-A, modifying definitions, claims procedures, and funding relating to the youth development center settlement fund and claims administration.
FINANCE, Room 210-211, LOB
1:00 PM SB 453-FN-A, making an appropriation to the statewide voter registration system.
2:00 PM SB 553-FN, requiring that funds held by the public deposit investment pool be invested in New Hampshire.
2:30 PM SB 499-FN, relative to reduction of hunger for children, older adults, and people with disabilities.
HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS, Room 206-208, LOB
11:00 AM SB 357, relative to expanding the definition of providers who can certify patients of the therapeutic cannabis program.
1:00 PM SB 419-FN, relative to the annual data report on the therapeutic use of cannabis program.
2:00 PM SB 455-FN, relative to Medicaid reimbursement rates for prosthetic and orthotic devices.
LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATION, Room 203, LOB
10:00 AM SB 605, relative to ethical standards for members of the general court.
10:20 AM SB 331-A, relative to certain historic commemorations.
MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, Room 301-303, LOB
10:00 PM SB 63, relative to the adoption of public health ordinances by municipalities.
1:30 PM SB 383-FN, relative to local tax caps.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHILDCARE, Room 104, LOB
10:00 AM SB 404-FN, directing the department of health and human services to submit a report regarding the establishment of a child care workforce child care assistance pilot program.
Friday, April 19
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204, LOB
9:30 AM SB 578-FN, relative to criminal pre-trial services and monitoring.
10:00 AM SB 591-FN-A, modifying definitions, claims procedures, and funding relating to the youth development center settlement fund and claims administration.
10:30 AM SB 362-FN, relative to body-worn cameras.
11:00 AM SB 508-FN, relative to the duties of the superintendent of the county department of corrections concerning mental health and substance use disorder screening of inmates and coordination for services upon reentry into the community.
Next Week in the Senate
The full Senate will meet in session on April 18 at 10 AM. Watch it here. Here are the bills we’re tracking.
On the Regular Calendar
EDUCATION
HB 1015-FN, relative to requirements for literacy skill development in elementary grades. This bill makes changes to the elementary grade literacy skill development requirements that school districts must meet. Committee recommends OTP.
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
HB 609-FN, relative to energy facility siting. This bill establishes the regulation of energy facility siting within the public utilities commission and establishes new procedures to replace the site evaluation committee. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 1088, enabling schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors. This bill allows school districts to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors for use in the event of an allergic emergency. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 1171, extending the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness. This bill extends the final reporting date and the prospective repeal date of the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness for an additional 5-year period. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 1296-FN, relative to insurance coverage for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations. This bill provides that certain insurers that provide diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations shall not impose co-payments, deductibles, or other cost-sharing requirements. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 1609-FN, relative to the commission on the primary care workforce and the state office of rural health. This bill extends the commission on the primary care workforce. The bill also directs the office of professional licensure and certification to provide certain licensure information regarding the primary care workforce to the department of health and human services, state office of rural health. Committee recommends OTP-A.
Next Week in Senate Committees
You can watch the Senate hearings here. You can sign in for Senate bills here. And you can contact Senate committees.
Tuesday, April 16
EDUCATION, Room 101, LOB
9:00 AM HB 546-FN-L, relative to the school building aid program.
9:20 AM HB 1665-FN, relative to student eligibility for the education freedom accounts program.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, Room 103, LOB
9:45 AM HB 1098, relative to ballots delivered to elder care facilities.
9:55 AM HB 1126, relative to candidate requests for absentee ballot information.
10:05 AM HB 1146, relative to the removal of a voter from the checklist.
10:15 AM HB 1313-FN-L, relative to access to the voter checklist by candidates.
10:20 AM HB 1369, relative to the verification of voter rolls every 4 years
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, Room 103, SH
9:10 AM HB 1600-FN, relative to participation in net energy metering.
9:20 AM HB 1623-FN, relative to the state energy policy.
9:30 AM HB 1431, relative to utility requirements for integrated distribution planning.
9:40 AM HB 1036, relative to assessment of cost effectiveness of the systems benefit charge.
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1:30 PM HB 1214, relative to establishing a committee to study best practices for the development of a restorative justice model for misdemeanor-level behavior and hate crimes committed by juveniles under the age of eighteen.
1:45 PM HB 1336, relative to employees’ firearms in locked vehicles.
2:00 PM HB 1711-FN, authorizing the state to report mental health data for firearms background check purposes and providing for processes for confiscation of firearms following certain mental health-related court proceedings and for relief from mental health-related firearms disabilities.
TRANSPORTATION, Room 101, LOB
1:40 PM HB 2024, relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan.
Wednesday, April 17
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 100, SH
9:45 AM HB 1093, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools.
10:00 AM HB 1660-FN, relative to coverage of certain procedures for minor children under the state’s Medicaid program.
Thursday, April 18
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, Room 103, SH
1:30 PM HB 1632-FN, relative to out-of-state solid waste.
1:40 PM HB 1145-FN, prohibiting the private ownership of landfills.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 101, LOB
1:00 PM HB 1168, establishing a committee to study the impact of the housing crisis on people with disabilities.
1:15 PM HB 1278-FN, relative to qualifying medical conditions for purposes of therapeutic cannabis.
1:30 PM HB 1231, permitting qualifying patients and designated caregivers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic use.
1:45 PM HB 1349-FN, relative to generalized anxiety disorder as a qualifying condition for the therapeutic cannabis program.
2:00 PM HB 1581, relative to cultivation locations for alternative treatment centers.
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1:00 PM Hearing on proposed non-germane Amendment #2024-1486s, abolishing the collection of racial and educational data for use in a marital application worksheet and relative to the expectation of privacy, to HB 1220-FN, abolishing the collection of racial and educational data for use in a marital application worksheet.
1:45 PM HB 378, expanding the information provided to survivors of sexual assault regarding their existing rights.
Upcoming Events & Actions
Every Wednesday
Solemn Vigils for Ceasefire now! Humanitarian access to Gaza! No tax dollars for war crimes! – Join us from 2 PM to 3 PM. Hosted by NH Peace Action, AFSC, & interfaith partners.
April 17: Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Dover District Office, 340 Central Avenue, Dover
April 24: Congressman Chris Pappas, Dover District Office, 660 Central Avenue, Dover
Every Thursday
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Peace in Palestine & Israel - 5:30 PM. Hosted by AFSC.
Solemn Vigils for Ceasefire Now – 12 noon at City Hall Plaza, in front of the State House, Concord
Every Friday
AFSC Action Hour for a Ceasefire – 12 noon. Hosted by AFSC. Join AFSC staff every Friday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT to hear updates from Gaza. Then, take action with us as we contact our elected officials and call for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access to Gaza. Our elected officials need to keep hearing from us.
Save the Dates
Mark your calendar for these upcoming virtual events for AFSC’s “Protecting Immigrant Rights in an Election Year” webinar series to learn more about how our immigration system works and what we can do to protect and advance the rights of migrants.
May 28 – Employment & Worker Rights
June 25 – Hard Conversations
Think Twice Toolkit: Building Skills for Police Alternatives - 8 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Join us for an empowering 4-part series designed to equip you with a comprehensive toolkit of police alternatives and personal skills. Register once for all 4 sessions and attend as many as you can
April 17 & 24 and May 1 & 8
Saturday, April 13
Coal Free New Hampshire Celebration - 1 PM to 3 PM. 17 Depot St #1, Concord. Hosted by Sierra Club NH. Did you hear the news that New Hampshire and the rest of New England is scheduled to be coal-free? Come celebrate a cleaner, greener, and just energy revolution with the Sierra Club New Hampshire Chapter! Granite Shore Power, the owner of Merrimack Station in Bow, NH, and Schiller Station in Portsmouth, NH, have been enormous sources of region-wide pollution for decades, especially in the Granite State. Now, after years of YOUR advocacy with the local Sierra Club community, volunteers, advocates, and allies, an end is in sight.
Conversation Café: Who Decides What Our Kids Learn? – 2 PM to 4 PM. Hosted by MCAC. See Science Center, 200 Bedford St. Manchester, NH
“The Movement and the ‘Madman” Film Screening & Panel Discussion - 6 PM. Hosted by AFSC. “The Movement and the 'Madman” examines how two major antiwar protests in 1969 stopped President Nixon from escalating the U.S. war in Vietnam, including a threat to use nuclear weapons. The film draws from firsthand accounts from movement leaders, including AFSC alumni. Following the film, we'll host a panel discussion featuring Robert Levering, Michael Simmons, Jerry Elmer and Wendy Batson, who took the courageous stand to object to war.
Monday, April 15
Strengthening the Foundations of a Thriving Economy: Child Care - 11 AM to 12 PM. Hosted by NH Fiscal Policy Institute. Providing quality child care in New Hampshire is expensive. Even with high tuition costs, profit margins are slim and employee compensation is low. In 2022, New Hampshire child care workers made a median wage of $12.99 an hour, compared to $23.04 for all Granite State workers. Dr. Sara Vecchiotti, Executive Director of the Couch Family Foundation, will moderate a panel exploring the child care market mismatch in the Granite State.
United for Sudan - 12 PM to 4 PM. Hosted by AFSC & Partners. One year into the conflict in Sudan the international community's response remains woefully inadequate. Come to demand action and show solidarity with the people of Sudan.
Tuesday, April 16
NHLA Fair Housing Project Paid Virtual Training – 5 PM to 7 PM. Hosted by NH Legal Assistance. The Fair Housing Project (FHP) of NH Legal Assistance, a statewide non-profit law firm providing civil legal services to low-income New Hampshire residents, will be holding a virtual training for area people to become involved in this work as fair housing testers. Testers are individuals who are trained to act as prospective tenants seeking rental housing and to gather information on possible housing discrimination. Successful testers are committed to justice, detailed observers, good writers/typists, and punctual. Please contact Liliana (603-261-2851, lneumann@nhla.org) to register.
Wednesday, April 17
Remaking the Economy: How to Change Our Stories About the Economy – 2 PM to 3:30 PM. Hosted by Non-Profit Quarterly. What are the stories that we need to tell to better understand our economy, and lay the groundwork for building a more inclusive, democratic world? Storytelling—the construction of spoken or written accounts of a series of events that we tell each other to understand our world—offers critical tools to build movements, upend myths that hold us back, and construct cultures that can sustain a democratic economy. This webinar conversation, a coproduction of NPQ and the BLIS Collective, takes a deep look at how to use storytelling to advance transformative change.
Surveillance, Criminalization, and Punishment (Spring 2024 Speaker Series) - New Terrain for Surveillance in Prisons: Wearable Monitoring, Tablets, and Technological Limits on Human Contact - 4:30 PM. Hosted by Harvard Kennedy School. Will modern surveillance, AI, predictive policing, facial recognition, and more shrink the criminal legal system’s footprint or expand criminalization into new domains? On balance, will new technology improve our flawed systems or entrench existing and new harms? We’ll be joined by academics, practitioners, and impacted community members to unpack cutting-edge technological advancements in criminalization and punishment—exploring improvements to the administration of justice and the reproduction of hierarchies of control and domination.
Friday, April 19
Manchester Center City Clean Up Day – 1 PM to 3 PM. Pocket Garden, 241 Cedar Street, Manchester. Hosted by NeighborWorks NH & Granite United Way. Join us for an afternoon of cleaning up our neighborhood and organizing our public spaces. Together we can make a difference! All ages are welcome. Please RSVP: agakwaya@nwsnh.org or 603-782-4416.
Saturday, April 20
Spring Clean-Up - 1 PM to 3 PM. 293 Wilson Street, Manchester. Hosted by HOPE for NH Recovery. Whether you're passionate about community involvement or looking for a meaningful way to contribute, this event promises to bring together Manchester's Recovery Community for a day of service and connection. We sincerely appreciate your support in making this event a success. Together, we can make a positive impact on our community. RSVP to Missy via email at missy@recoverynh.org
4th Annual BLM New Hampshire Excellence Awards - 5 PM to 8 PM. Currier Museum, 150 Ash Street, Manchester. Hosted by BLM NH. Join us for our 4th Annual BLM New Hampshire Excellence Awards. We will be honoring Black, Indigenous and Person of Color community members older than 14 years old from all walks of life; artists, educators, activists, entrepreneurs, inventors, musicians, students, etc., that have made contributions to benefit New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts!
Sunday, April 21
Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks 2024: A New Deal for a Great Society – Envisioning the Future, Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St, Nashua, NH. Hosted by the Black Heritage Trail NH. This year's program will explore how two federal programs geared toward building a more just society - Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" and Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" - played out in New Hampshire. We will ask what impact these programs had on our state and what happens now when changing demographics meet programs designed during the New Deal and Great Society.
Tuesday, April 23
A Tribute to Refaat Alareer: The Power of Telling the Story of Gaza - 1 PM to 2:30 PM. Hosted by AFSC and Haymarket Books. Months after Dr. Refaat Alareer was killed in Gaza by an Israeli targeted airstrike, authors, editors, and the publisher of the anthology Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire, will come together to honor Refaat’s life, memory, and legacy.
Transportation Options in Nashua & Beyond - 2 PM. Nashua Public Library, 71 Pearson Avenue, Nashua. Hosted by United Way of Greater Nashua and Nashua Regional Planning Commission. Join us for an informative talk on free and low-cost transportation options available within the city of Nashua. Discover the diverse range of transportation services tailored to meet the needs of Nashua residents. Whether you're seeking accessible transit solutions, looking to reduce your transportation expenses, or simply interested in exploring alternative ways to get around the city, this talk will provide valuable insights and resources to enhance your mobility and quality of life in Nashua.
Thursday, April 25
Progress Through Policy: Advancing Birth Equity and Maternal Health in New England - 10 AM. Hosted by NH Perinatal Quality Collaborative. This webinar builds upon the September 2022 New England Maternal Health Summit, which showcased community triumphs on maternal health care that supports birthing people having a safe, respectful, and empowering birth and postpartum experience. This webinar will focus on maternal health policy to catalyze change.
Detention and Deportation - 7 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Join us for the fourth of our webinar series on Migration Justice. You will learn about the immigration detention and deportation systems and why AFSC believes they should be abolished. We will reflect on how detention and deportation feed a system that is based on everything but justice. In this webinar you'll hear from AFSC legal experts, organizers and community members on alternatives to detention and our vision for humane immigration policies.
Monday, April 29
Strengthening the Foundations of a Thriving Economy: Health - 11 AM to 12 PM. Hosted by NH Fiscal Policy Institute. Accessible and affordable health care is essential to the well-being and economic security of Granite Staters. Healthy residents are more easily able to find and keep employment, both helping their well-being and bolstering a workforce that can support a thriving and prosperous Granite State economy for everyone.
Wednesday, May 8
Surveillance, Criminalization, and Punishment (Spring 2024 Speaker Series) - Toward Data Justice: Countermobilization and Community Control - 4:30 PM. Hosted by Harvard Kennedy School. Will modern surveillance, AI, predictive policing, facial recognition, and more shrink the criminal legal system’s footprint or expand criminalization into new domains? On balance, will new technology improve our flawed systems or entrench existing and new harms? We’ll be joined by academics, practitioners, and impacted community members to unpack cutting-edge technological advancements in criminalization and punishment—exploring improvements to the administration of justice and the reproduction of hierarchies of control and domination.
Monday, May 13
Strengthening the Foundations of a Thriving Economy: Income and Poverty - 11 AM to 12 PM. Hosted by NH Fiscal Policy Institute. Despite New Hampshire having the lowest poverty rate among the 50 U.S. states as measured by the Official Poverty Measure, high housing costs and other living expenses indicate more hardships and financial insecurity for Granite Staters near the federal poverty threshold. NHFPI will share the latest information on income, poverty, and cost of living across New Hampshire, highlighting key challenges to household budgets and the effects of taxes on household finances.
With best wishes,
Maggie Fogarty, Grace Kindeke and Kathleen Wooten
AFSC’s New Hampshire “State House Watch" newsletter is published to bring you information about matters being discussed in Concord including housing, the death penalty, immigration, education, civil liberties, and labor rights. We also follow the state budget and tax system, voting rights, corrections policy, and more. Subscribe today to receive State House Watch news every week!
The AFSC is a Quaker organization supported by people of many faiths who care about peace, social justice, humanitarian service, and nonviolent change. Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke staff the New Hampshire Program which publishes this newsletter. Read our 2023 highlights here. Kathleen Wooten is AFSC’s State House Watch researcher and database manager.
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