State House Watch: March 23, 2024

“Movements are born of critical connections rather than critical mass.” ― Grace Lee Boggs

March 23, 2024

Greetings State House Watchers,

Welcome to springtime, friends! We’re not letting today’s snowstorm obscure the fact that we have entered the season of green shoots, robins, lilacs, peepers, more light in the evening, and new life of all kinds.

We are saddened to learn that our friend Art Ellison, a marvelous state representative and champion of public education, passed away this morning, following a period of illness. His warm spirit and passionate commitment to the well-being of children, education, and the common good will be dearly missed. May all who loved and admired Art find peace and joy in the continuation of his important work.

With a vote in the early hours of this morning, Congress approved and then the President signed a $1.2 trillion spending package, averting a government shutdown. 70% of the approved funding is for militarism, as well as some increased funding for Head Start programs and medical research. Read more here. The agreement includes billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, prohibits for one year the funding of UNWRA, the UN agency providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and requires that LBGTQ+ pride flags be removed at US embassies around the world. What a different federal budget we would have if our lawmakers prioritized real human needs….

We are cheering on our friends at Young Organizers United for winning their campaign to launch an African American history class in Manchester high schools. Read more here. “Wouldn’t you want to know your own history? Why is it important to take any history class?” [Mackenzie] Verdiner asks. “There’s a history that is completely, completely, left out of our regular curriculum. You. Me. We. We come from different places, but we have a shared history that’s important and necessary to be taught in the schools.”

What a week at the State House. Both the House and Senate met to vote on a long list of bills. See below for the outcomes of the bills that we’re tracking. Some particularly painful outcomes include the following:

The House passed HB 1205, a bill that denies transgender girls the opportunity to participate in sports that align with their gender identity. Read more here. “Today, the so-called ‘Live Free or Die’ state chose to exclude transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams, cruelly taking away opportunities to learn teamwork, improve mental health, and belong with other girls,” said Linds Jakows, founder of 603 Equality. We grieve the unrelenting assault on the humanity of transgender people, not only here in NH but throughout the country. We recognize that all people are bearers of divine Light; our laws should affirm their dignity not dehumanize them.

House members also passed HB 1115, which weakens tenant protections and, according to NH Legal Assistance, “upends 40 years of state law requiring ‘good cause’ to evict…. HB 1115 would create a constant threat that tenants can become homeless, displaced from communities where they have connections and support.” It is very important to oppose this bill in the Senate.

And the House majority also voted to defeat and “indefinitely postpone” HR 30, a bill that urges a robust climate education in schools including current environmental and economic information. The campaign for this bill was led by young organizers with 350NH.org; read more here and here. Young climate activists are right to insist that climate crisis is a fact that must be faced, understood, and responded to. Our House majority has failed them, and all of us. We recommend this recent op-ed from our friend Judy Elliott: Two states, one climate crisis – New Hampshire and Oaxaca.

We can celebrate some good news from Thursday’s House session as well, including passage of HB 1528, which strengthens reporting requirements for the Northern Border Alliance program, and the defeat of HB 1664, which would threaten access to life-saving gender-affirming healthcare.

We’re also relieved that House members referred HB 1347 for interim study, an outcome that effectively defeats this anti-refugee proposal.

There was disheartening news from the NH Senate, including that Senators voted, along party lines, against SB 308, which would restore and raise NH’s minimum wage. The Senate majority also voted (again) to approve SB 563, an anti-immigrant bill that will make our communities less safe, and they approved SB 358, which purports to invalidate out-of-state driver's licenses issued to undocumented immigrants.

In other news last week, Democratic lawmakers drew attention to efforts by Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut to block compliance with a required audit of the costly school voucher program, claiming that the department can’t provide the requested data because the program is being implemented by a contractor. Read more here. “It takes my breath away a little bit that … our taxpayers are spending millions and millions and millions of dollars on a program that’s going to a private organization, and it’s a complete black box,” said Sen. Becky Whitley, a Hopkinton Democrat. “And that you’re telling us that we have absolutely – practically – no opportunity to exercise our duties to make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately.”

We’re disappointed by last week’s court decision denying ‘standing’ to Arnie Alpert and Mary Lee Sargent in their lawsuit to overturn the State’s decision to remove the Elizabeth Gurley Flynn historical marker from its Concord location. Read more here. But it sure seems like a lot more people know about this important labor leader now than they would have if miffed state officials hadn’t rushed to take the marker down. We thank our friends for this meaningful campaign.

The NH Council of Churches is hiring! Are you, or do you know, a good candidate for interim Executive Director? Read more here.

NH Youth Movement is hiring too! Help them to find their next Field Director.

ACTION ALERTS

Abolish Slavery in NH
SUPPORT CACR 13, relating to slavery and involuntary servitude. Providing that slavery and involuntary servitude shall be prohibited in the state of New Hampshire. The public hearing is set for Wednesday, March 27 at 9:45 AM in Senate Executive Departments and Administration, Room 103, SH. Please contact the committee to urge them to support this bill and sign in to support and share testimony.

End Discrimination
SUPPORT HB 1169-FN, creating a private cause of action for discrimination based on hairstyles relative to a person’s ethnicity. The public hearing is set for Thursday, March 28 at 1:45 PM in Senate Judiciary, Room 100, SH. Please contact the committee to urge them to support this bill and sign in to support and share testimony.

Protect Workers
OPPOSE SB 516-FN, relative to prohibiting collective bargaining agreements that require employees to join a labor union. This anti-worker bill had a public hearing in Senate Commerce last week; the committee has not yet voted on the bill. Please contact the committee and urge them to oppose this bill.

Protect Voting Rights
SUPPORT HB 1014, relative to the registration of high school students to vote. This bill has come out of committee without recommendation. The full House will vote on this bill on March 28. Please urge your Representatives to pass this bill.

SUPPORT HB 463, relative to the establishment of an election information portal. The bill had a public hearing in Senate Election Law; the committee has not yet voted on it. Please contact the committee and urge them to support this bill.

Protect Reproductive Rights
OPPOSE SB 573, relative to parental consent for medical care which would prohibit teenagers from accessing a broad range of health care – including contraception – without parental consent. New Hampshire law has long allowed for broad access to health care for young people without unnecessary barriers. Sign the action alert from PPNHA here and contact your own Senator and urge them to defeat this bill when it comes to the full Senate.

Support Public Education
OPPOSE HB 1093, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools. This bill has come out of committee without recommendation. The full House will vote on this bill on March 28. Please urge your Representatives to defeat this bill.

SUPPORT HB 1084, relative to qualifications for the commissioner of education. This bill has come out of committee without recommendation. The full House will vote on this bill on March 28. Please urge your Representatives to pass this bill.

SUPPORT HB 1087, establishing a commission to study information literacy and media literacy instruction in public schools. This bill has come out of committee without recommendation. The full House will vote on this bill on March 28. Please urge your Representatives to pass this bill.

SUPPORT HB 1592-FN-LOCAL, relative to the use of education freedom account funds in religious schools. This bill prohibits the use of education freedom account funds at religious schools or for religious education or training, and repeals provisions relating to independence of and legal proceedings concerning education freedom account providers. It has come out of committee without recommendation. The full House will vote on this bill on March 28. Please urge your Representatives to pass this bill.

Recommended Reading

Thank you Bill Maddocks and the NH Center for Justice and Equity for this excellent column: Connecting the Dots: How Hate Became Mainstream. “At this time in the United States, we are at an inflection point. What were once fringe groups of white power skinheads, Nazis, Neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan (KKK), and others who professed a doctrine of hate and race war have now become the vanguard of a social media-fueled ecosystem of hatred, normalized by people in positions of power.”

Ceasefire Now

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues to worsen, fueled by US-supplied weapons and Israel’s bombardment as well as blockages of life-saving food and other forms of assistance. According to the United Nations, the people of Gaza are at the brink of famine. And in the midst of this, Congress has just extended the immoral defunding of UNWRA, the essential provider of humanitarian aid in the region, prompting Senator Bernie Sanders to describe the supporters of this proposal as the “starvation caucus.” Read more here about the blockade of assistance: “For months, the Israeli government has deliberately obstructed ground-based aid deliveries to Gaza, subjecting shipments to arbitrary and complicated inspection processes and rejecting entire vehicles over items such as scissors in child medical kits. Israel's blockade has resulted in the rapid spread of malnutrition across the Gaza Strip. Dozens of people, including children, have starved to death in recent weeks. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's commissioner-general, said in an interview Wednesday that it is ‘a stain on our collective humanity that such a situation is artificially unfolding under our eyes…. Food should not be used as a weapon of war.”

AFSC joined 24 NGOs last week to challenge the Biden administration to recognize that continued military support to Israel “violates Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. § 2378–1), which prohibits the United States from providing security assistance or arms sales to any country when the President is made aware that the government “prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.” Read more here.

Join AFSC and other human rights organizations to call for an immediate restoration of life-saving funding: Tell Congress to resume U.S. funding for life-saving Palestinian aid.

Immigration News

The federal funding bill approved by Congress this morning will increase ICE’s already bloated budget by 13.5%, add 22,000 border patrol agents, and increase the daily immigrant detention capacity to 41,500, an increase of 8,000 over current levels. From Setareh Ghandehari at Detention Watch Network: “The dangers of this bill cannot be overstated. …The bill will undoubtedly lead to suffering for immigrant communities. More funding for ICE and CBP translates to increased targeting and racial profiling, more people in abusive immigration detention, and heightened surveillance of communities nationwide. This bill is a racist and immoral right-wing agenda realized, now championed by Biden and establishment Democrats.”

We are disappointed to learn that Attorney General John Formella has expressed support for and Rep. Chris Pappas has voted in favor of the anti-immigrant and broadly punitive Lakin-Riley Act. Read more from the New York Times. Here are the key talking points about the bill which “requires the mandatory immigration arrest and detention – without access to bail – of any undocumented person convicted of or merely arrested for burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting related offenses. There is no statute of limitations and no mechanism for the individual to contest their immigration detention in order to resolve the underlying criminal charges against them (if charges are even brought).”

The tragedy of a young woman’s murder should not be used to punish every immigrant who may end up in the crosshairs of the criminal legal system. The bill would also allow state attorneys general to sue the federal government and to send migrants to Mexico even if that’s not their home country.

There is also disappointing news out of the State House, as the NH Senate voted to pass two anti-immigrant bills: SB 563, the 'anti-sanctuary cities' bill requiring that law enforcement "shall use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law;" and SB 358, which would invalidate driver licenses obtained by undocumented immigrants in states that allow undocumented residents to obtain a license. Read more at InDepthNH.

Many of the punitive anti-immigrant bills we are seeing in NH are following a similar playbook as that of other states. Read more here. In Texas, lawmakers recently passed SB 4, a bill that would give local law enforcement the power to arrest migrants who have entered the state without authorization. The law had been halted by legal action from the US Department of Justice and immigration advocates, but the US Supreme Court allowed it to proceed, only for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to halt it again a few hours later. The law now awaits a final rule from the 5th Circuit. Read more here. “The justices’ ruling created confusion along the border, outraged immigration advocates and led to a show of defiance by the Mexican government. Hours later that was all moot, except the confusion. At issue is whether the law will be put on a long-term hold while the Biden administration’s claim that the law is unconstitutional makes its way through the legal system.”

Join us on March 26 at 7 PM for Stopping the Militarization of Border Communities to hear from Grace Kindeke with the New Hampshire Program and Pedro Rios with the US Mexico Border Program about AFSC's longstanding work to stop the militarization of border communities. We will offer information about conditions under militarized approaches, the dramatic differences between the Mexico and Canadian borderlands, and our vision to ensure that migrants and immigrants are treated with dignity and respect.

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 session on Thursday, March 21. Here are the outcomes for the bills we’re tracking.

On the Consent Calendar

CHILD AND FAMILY
HB 1269, relative to the use of child restraints in schools. This bill requires video and audio monitoring and recording of restraint and seclusion incidents if recording is included within a student's individualized education program and requires parental notification prior to the use of seclusion or restraints if practicable. Referred to interim study by VV.

EDUCATION  
HB 1418, relative to the use of education freedom account funds to purchase school uniforms. This bill prohibits the use of education freedom account funds to purchase school uniforms. ITL by VV.
HB 1458, relative to authorizing parents to remove children from the English Language Learner Program. This bill allows parents to remove their children from the English language learner (ELL) program, automatically removes them if they have not received ELL services in the last 2 years, and puts the burden on the local school district to appeal removals. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1610, relative to standardized assessment data for participants in education freedom accounts. This bill requires all students to participate in standardized statewide assessments. ITL by VV.
HB 1625, relative to school health services. This bill requires school nurses to be licensed by the board of nursing and removes the requirement that they be certified by the state board of education.  Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1691, relative to the definition of an adequate public education. This bill revises the areas composing the substantive educational content of an adequate education.  Referred to interim study by VV.

ELECTION LAW
CACR 26, election reform and ballot reconciliation. This concurrent resolution proposing a constitutional amendment provides for comprehensive election reform to include provisions and penalties in regard to ballot reconciliation, access, retention, polling location limits, poll workers, allowance of registered voters for post-election ballot viewing, ballot lot and voting documentation viewing, and scanning and recording photographically during citizen audits. ITL by VV.
HB 1085, relative to public inspection of absentee ballot lists. This bill requires that town and city clerks make absentee ballot voter lists available for public inspection and requires the secretary of state to report on absentee ballots information. ITL by VV.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 1010, relative to expanding maternity options and midwifery access. This bill provides that the midwifery council shall not adopt rules limiting care by a midwife based on the patient being pregnant with multiple fetuses, malpresentation of the fetus, the number of prior cesarean sections, or distance from a hospital. ITL by VV.
HB 1028, relative to the definition of mental illness for purposes of the New Hampshire mental health services system. This bill revises the definition of mental illness for purposes of the mental health services system to remove the exclusion of intellectual disability and provides that an individual shall not be deemed ineligible for mental health services due to a co-occurrence of mental illness and intellectual disability. OTP-A by VV.

JUDICIARY
HB 1368,  prohibiting termination of a tenancy based on a tenant's failure to pay rent that was increased by certain price fixing programs. This bill prohibits evictions based upon certain vertical price fixing programs used by landlords. ITL by VV.
HB 1432-FN, relative to prohibiting certain uses of artificial intelligence and creating a private claim of action. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1497, restricting trial courts in criminal matters from imposing certain sentences following a plea bargain. This bill requires trial courts in all criminal matters to impose a sentence that does not exceed a length of incarceration by more than 10 percent of the incarceration length contemplated in the most recent plea bargain accepted by the defendant. ITL by VV.
HB 1602, relative to the authority of the housing appeals board. This bill expands the scope of the review of the housing appeals board. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1640-FN, relative to qualified immunity standards. This bill establishes standards and procedures for claims against the state for alleged violations of constitutional rights by government employees. ITL by VV.

LABOR
HB 1110, relative to requiring certain employers to use the federal E-Verify system of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. This bill requires employers with 25 or more employees to use the federal E-Verify system of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. ITL by VV.

LEGISLATIVE  ADMINISTRATION
HB 1080, relative to the legislative youth advisory council. This bill refines existing practices and procedures of the legislative youth advisory council. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1388, relative to recusal by members of the general court for conflicts of interest. This bill defines "conflict of interest" and makes provisions for the recusal of members of the general court for conflicts of interest. OTP-A by VV.

MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT
HB 1124, relative to limiting conflicts of interest and excessive concentration of power for municipal board and committee members. This bill limits conflicts of interest and excessive concentration of power for municipal board and committee members. OTP-A by VV.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHILDCARE
HB 1056, relative to administration of the child care scholarship program. This bill directs the department of health and human services to prioritize applications by child care employees for child care scholarships. The bill also provides that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and prohibits waiting periods for reapplication following an application denial. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1567-FN, relative to zoning provisions concerning family and group family child care uses. This bill generally requires family and group family child care programs to be allowed as an accessory use to any primary residential use under local zoning and planning regulations. OTP by VV.

WAYS AND MEANS
HB 1193, relative to the establishment of a child care tax credit program. This bill provides employers with a child care tax credit against the business profits tax and the business enterprise tax. ITL by VV.
HB 1514, relative to excess funds paid to municipalities for the use of school districts. This bill requires municipalities to remit any excess statewide education property tax to the state for deposit in the general fund. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1563, relative to the education property tax and the authority of political subdivisions. This bill replaces the statewide education property tax with a property tax contribution from political subdivisions based on the state education property tax warrant issued for the tax year beginning April 1, 2024. The bill also restores statutory authority for the determination of education grants for municipalities that tuition students to other institutions. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1613, establishing a trust fund for money from soil and water environmental contamination court settlements. This bill establishes a trust fund for money from soil and water environmental contamination court settlements. OTP-A by VV.

On the Regular Calendar

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 1528, relative to reporting by the northern border alliance program. This bill requires the semi-annual report issued by the northern border alliance program to include additional reporting statistics. OTP-A by VV.

EDUCATION
HB 1205, relative to women's school sports. This bill requires schools to designate athletics by sex and prohibits biological males from participating in female athletics.  This bill further creates various causes of action based on violations of the provisions in the bill. OTP-A by RC 189-182.
HB 1650, relative to the approval of alternative programs for granting credit leading to graduation. This bill requires all alternative learning programs for granting credit leading to graduation to comply with state and federal anti-discrimination laws and establishes a committee to evaluate applications for alternative programs. Indefinitely postponed by RC 192-18.
HB 1654, relative to review of education freedom account service providers. This bill requires the state board of education to annually review education freedom account service providers for continued compliance with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Indefinitely postponed by RC 191-183.
HR 30, urging a robust climate education in schools including current environmental and economic information. Indefinitely postponed by RC 191-183.

ELECTION LAW
HB 1074, relative to campaign contributions by limited liability companies. This bill requires that a political contribution by a limited liability company be allocated to members for purposes of determining whether a member has exceeded the contribution limits. Indefinitely postponed by RC 191-185.
HB 1099, relative to partisan school district elections. This bill enables school districts to adopt partisan elections. Laid on Table by DV 188-186.
HB 1119, relative to absentee ballots. This bill makes provisions for procuring an absentee ballot during a weather emergency. ITL by RC 282-92.
HB 1147, relative to permissible campaign contributions by business organizations and labor unions. This bill requires business organizations and labor unions to make political contributions through segregated funds. Indefinitely postponed by DV 187-186.
HB 1149, relative to domicile residency, voter registration, investigation of voter verification letters, and relative to the terms "resident," "inhabitant," "residence," and "residency." This bill modifies the definition of domicile for voting purposes, modifies forms and procedures used for voter registration, and removes the requirement that the secretary of state conduct post-election voter registration inquiries. This bill also amends the general statutory definitions of "resident or inhabitant" and "residence or residency" to include an intent to maintain a principal place of physical presence for the indefinite future. Indefinitely postponed by RC 190-184.
HB 1264, relative to the penalty for failure to file school expenditure reports, and relative to certain adequacy grants. This bill removes the requirement that public academies file financial reports with the department of education.  The bill also inserts a provision for adequacy grants for school districts that tuition their students. OTP-A by VV.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
HB 1335, removing Columbus Day as a holiday. This bill removes Columbus Day as a holiday. ITL by RC 331-42.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 1347, relative to administration of the New Hampshire refugee resettlement program. This bill requires that department of health and human services funds under the refugee resettlement program shall first be fully expended to provide for the state's efforts to support the social determinants of health for United States citizens. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1683, relative to coverage of circumcision under the state Medicaid plan. This bill provides that the state Medicaid plan shall not include circumcision unless the child has a specific diagnosis for which the procedure is determined to be medically necessary. Tabled by RC (188-187).

JUDICIARY
HB 1002, relative to fees for records under the right-to-know law. This bill establishes parameters for when a public body may charge a fee for records provided under RSA 91-A. Referred to interim study by VV.
HB 1115, relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term. This bill adds the expiration of the term of the lease or tenancy if over 6 months as grounds for an eviction. OTP by DV 194-180.
HB 1283, relative to end of life options. This bill establishes a procedure for an individual with terminal illness to receive medical assistance in dying through the self administration of medication. The bill establishes criteria for the prescription of such medication and establishes reporting requirements and penalties for misuse or noncompliance. OTP-A by RC 179-176.
HB 1353, relative to authorizing the commissioner of the department of education to issue subpoenas. Laid on table by DV 292-58.
HB 1664 relative to legal remedies for individuals who receive medical detransitioning. This bill establishes standards for a cause of action to recover damages for injury caused by gender transition surgery, administration of puberty blocking drugs, and/or the administration of cross-sex hormones and provides other related definitional changes.   Indefinitely postponed by RC 181-164.

LABOR, INDUSTRIAL, AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
HB 1246, relative to allowing for payment of wages in gold or silver. This bill allows employers to pay the weekly or biweekly wages due to employees in gold or silver. ITL by RC 182-155.
HB 1648 relative to electronic payments to employees debit cards. This bill clarifies the obligations of employers using employee debit cards for payment of wages. ITL by DV 338-2.

MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT
HB 1210, relative to the election of Strafford county commissioners. This bill changes how county commissioners are elected in Strafford County and provides that all county commissioners shall be elected at large. Laid on table by DV 308-28.

WAYS AND MEANS
HB 1611, relative to establishing a child care workforce fund. ITL by RC 163-162.

Last week in the Senate
The full Senate met in session on Thursday, March 21. Here are the outcomes for the bills we’re tracking.

On the Consent Calendar

ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
SB 386, relative to establishing a committee to study power generation, transmission, distribution, and storage. OTP-A by VV.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
SB 309, relative to the vesting period for members of the state retirement system. This bill changes the vesting period for retirement system benefits from 10 years to 5 years. OTP by VV.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SB 403, relative to health care workforce investments. OTP-A by VV.
SB 407-FN, relative to direct pay for ambulance services. OTP-A by VV.

JUDICIARY
SB 315, relative to law enforcement agency reporting on information concerning bias crimes. This bill requires a law enforcement agency operating within New Hampshire to collect and report information concerning bias crimes as prescribed by the division of state police. OTP-A by VV.
SB 416, relative to the penalties for certain driving offenses while released on bail for certain offenses. This bill allows for enhanced charges for certain driving offenses that were committed while released on bail or summons for certain offenses. OTP-A by VV.
SB 424, relative to reductions of maximum sentences while on parole. This bill requires the supervising probation/parole officer to conduct an annual review of his or her parole caseload to identify and present parolees to the adult parole board for reduction of the parolee's maximum sentence and provides additional factors for the parole board to consider when determining whether to grant a reduction of a parolee's maximum sentence. OTP by VV.
SB 501, relative to driver licenses for noncitizens residing in New Hampshire. This bill authorizes the department of motor vehicles to issue driver's licenses to noncitizens lawfully present in the United States. OTP-A by VV.
SB 568, relative to licenses for aliens temporarily residing in New Hampshire.  This bill removes the requirement of proof of vehicle operation in a foreign country for a temporary alien's drivers' license. The substance of this bill was added to SB 501 so the committee felt it was no longer needed. ITL by VV.
SB 578, relative to criminal pre-trial services and monitoring. This bill prohibits criminal defendants on pre-trial release from being required to pay for pre-trial services or monitoring, including electronic monitoring, with the cost instead to be paid by the court where the defendant is charged or through appropriations to the agency performing the pretrial services and monitoring. This bill further requires the agency performing the pretrial services and monitoring to use the least restrictive interventions that are necessary unless otherwise ordered by the court. OTP-A by VV.
SB 605, relative to ethical standards for members of the general court. This bill defines "organization" for the purpose of determining the ethical duties of members of the general court. OTP-A by VV.

On the Regular Calendar

COMMERCE
SB 308, relative to the state minimum hourly rate. This bill provides for increases in the minimum hourly rate. ITL by VV.
SB 517, relative to the employment status of university students working in educational programs. This is a harmful bill that diminishes the rights of student workers; it is an attempt to prevent them from unionizing. OTP-A by VV.

EDUCATION
SB 522, relative to establishing an early childhood education scholarship account and making an appropriation therefor. This bill requires rulemaking by the department of health and human services on child care early education and establishes an early childhood education account program to provide funds for an education freedom accounts scholarship organization to administer grants to eligible New Hampshire pre-kindergarten children for qualifying expenses. OTP-A by VV.
SB 525, relative to administration of the education freedom accounts program. This bill changes income eligibility and reporting requirements for the education freedom account program and modifies the program's administration and oversight. ITL by VV.

ELECTION LAW
SB 383, relative to local tax caps. This bill creates an additional adjustment to local tax caps based on inflation and population changes. The bill also establishes procedures for adoption of a budget cap by school districts. OTP-A by VV.
SB 384, relative to a municipal loan and grant program for rental housing and making an appropriation therefor. This bill directs the department of business and economic affairs to establish a median income rental housing program and makes an appropriation to the InvestNH fund for this purpose. Referred to interim study by VV.
SB 536, enabling no-excuse absentee registration and voting. This bill allows for no-excuse absentee registration and voting. ITL by VV. 

FINANCE
SB 321, relative to the release of a defendant pending trial.  This bill revises the standard for release of a defendant pending trial following multiple failures to appear.  OTP by VV.
SB 409-FN, relative to reimbursement for ambulance services under the state Medicaid plan. OTP by RC 14-10.
SB 476, making a capital appropriation to the department of corrections toward the replacement of the New Hampshire state prison for men. This bill makes a bonded appropriation of funds for architectural, engineering, programming, and design and construction documents for the New Hampshire state prison for men. OTP by RC 19-4.

JUDICIARY
SB 358, relative to invalidating out-of-state driver licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. OTP by RC 14-8.

Next week in the House
The full House will meet in session on Thursday, March 28. You can watch the session here.

On the Consent Calendar

COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
HB 1071, relative to the right to repair certain educational technology. This bill requires the manufacturer of certain educational technology to provide authorized independent repair providers with the necessary parts and equipment for repair. The failure to do so would be a violation of the consumer protection act.  Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1159, relative to toilet facilities provided by restaurants and other food establishments. This bill would require that restaurants designed to seat 50 or more patrons have at least 2 separate toilet rooms, and eliminates the requirement for separate bathrooms to be gender-specific. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1430, relative to electric rates approved by the public utilities commission for residential condominium property. This bill requires non-commercial condominium associations to have public utility residential electric rates apply. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1498-FN, establishing a state short term rental registry. This bill includes short-term rentals in the licensing and registration requirements for taxes on meals and rooms. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1571-FN, relative to requiring insurance coverage for glucose monitoring devices for people with diabetes.This bill requires insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for glucose monitoring devices for people with diabetes. Committee recommends interim study.
HB1635, relative to the definition of short-term rental. This bill applies the definition of "short-term rental" to certain statutes governing housing authorities, taxation of room rentals, and certain rental proceedings. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1694, relative to establishing a committee to study a New Hampshire public bank. Committee recommends ITL.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 1711, 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. Committee recommends OTP-A.

EDUCATION
HB 1298, relative to the definition of part-time teachers. This bill defines "part-time teachers" and subjects them to the board of education's professional code of ethics and professional code of conduct. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 1552, relative to the duties and responsibilities of superintendents of school administrative units. This bill updates the definition of "superintendent" to include personnel assigned by a superintendent of an SAU to perform superintendent services. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 1605-FN, relative to alternative education programs for granting credit leading to graduation. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 1608-FN, This bill creates an induction program for new teachers. Committee recommends interim study.
HB 1682-FN, relative to the civics test graduation requirement. This bill provides authority for schools to use the department of education provided civics test to satisfy graduation requirements. Committee recommends interim study.

ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE
HB 1221, relative to including solid waste landfills in the definition of development of regional impact. Committee recommends OTP-A.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
HB 1456, relative to the appointment of the members of the board of tax and land appeals and the housing appeals board. This bill requires that the members of the board of tax and land appeals and the housing appeals board be appointed by the governor and council, after a public hearing before the executive council. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 1474, relative to the commission on Native American affairs. This bill amends the procedures and duties of the commission on Native American affairs. Committee recommends OTP.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 1067, relative to a patient's right to sterilization treatment. This bill adds a provision to the patients' bill of rights related to a patient's request for a procedure that may leave the patient sterile. Committee recommends interim study.
HB 1300, relative to terminal patients' right to try act. This bill revises the definition of eligible patient and terminal illness for purposes of the patient's right to try act, expands the criteria for informed consent, and removes references to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for purposes of defining an investigational drug or device. Committee recommends OTP.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
HB 1168, establishing a committee to study the impact of the housing crisis on people with disabilities. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 1400, relative to the required maximum number of residential parking spaces. This bill provides that zoning and planning regulations shall not set the maximum residential parking spaces, per unit, to greater than one parking space per residential unit. Committee recommends OTP-A.

TRANSPORTATION
HB 1637, relative to reducing requirements for vehicle inspections. This bill reduces requirements for vehicle inspection. Committee recommends OTP-A.

On the Regular Calendar

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
HB 1539-FN, relative to annulling, resentencing, or discontinuing prosecution of certain cannabis offenses. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 1713, relative to a defendant's presence during certain criminal proceedings. This bill requires that a defendant who is charged with or awaiting sentence for an offense punishable by life imprisonment or imprisonment of a maximum term of 15 years or more be present at every trial stage and at sentencing, subject to excusal for cause.  The bill further permits a court to order the use of reasonable force in carrying out a transport order issued pursuant to this section of an incarcerated defendant who refuses to comply with that order.  The bill further makes it a class A felony to knowingly violate this provision. Committee recommends OTP.

EDUCATION
HB 1014, relative to the registration of high school students to vote. This bill requires school districts and private high schools to develop programs to inform high school students about registering to vote. Without recommendation from committee.
HB 1084, relative to qualifications for the commissioner of education. This bill establishes minimum qualifications for the commissioner and deputy commissioner of the department of education. Without recommendation from committee.
HB 1093, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools.This bill prohibits school boards and other public education agencies from adopting, enforcing, or implementing a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering. Without recommendation from committee.
HB 1287-FN, relative to the definition of the term “evidence-based” within public education. Without recommendation from committee.
HB 1592-FN-LOCAL, relative to the use of education freedom account funds in religious schools. This bill prohibits the use of education freedom account funds at religious schools or for religious education or training, and repeals provisions relating to independence of and legal proceedings concerning education freedom account providers. Without recommendation from committee.
HB 1616, relative to parental consent for student participation in Medicaid to schools program. This bill requires schools to obtain parental consent for each service that is provided to a student under the Medicaid to schools program.  Violation of the requirement would subject the educator to disciplinary action by the state board of education. The bill also requires certain legislative policy committees to receive reports regarding the Medicaid to schools program. Without recommendation from committee.

ELECTION LAW
HB 1091, relative to the financing of political campaigns. This bill makes various changes to the laws that regulate the financing of political campaigns. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 1596-FN, requiring a disclosure of deceptive artificial intelligence usage in political advertising. This bill requires the disclosure of deceptive synthetic media and deceptive and fraudulent deep fakes usage in political advertising. Without recommendation from committee.

ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE
HB 1145-FN, prohibiting the private ownership of landfills. This bill prohibits new solid waste landfill permits in the state for facilities owned by any person other than the state of New Hampshire or a political subdivision thereof. Committee recommends OTP.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
HB 1545, relative to the disposal of state surplus property for affordable housing. This bill permits the disposal of state surplus property at less than fair market value if the property is transferred to a nonprofit for the purpose of constructing affordable housing. Without recommendation from committee.

HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS
HB 1607, relative to expanded safe haven protections. This bill allows a parent to relinquish their child by placing the child in a safe haven baby box, expands the age of a child to 61 days and provides protection from legal action to the parent. Committee recommends interim study.

PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS
HB 2024, relative to the state 10-year transportation improvement plan. This bill adopts the state 10-year transportation plan for 2025-2034. Committee recommends OTP.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
HB 1291, relative to accessory dwelling unit uses allowed by right. This bill increases the number of accessory dwelling units allowed by right from one to 2, adds definitions, and increases the maximum square footage. It also gives municipalities the right to require accessory units to meet the definition for workforce housing.
HB 1399, allowing municipalities to permit 2 residential units in certain single-family residential zones. This bill allows the expansion of a single family residence within a residential zone in an urban area to no more than 2 residential units without discretionary review or a hearing, if the proposed development meets certain requirements. Committee recommends OTP-A.

TRANSPORTATION
HB 1273-FN, relative to the protection of personal information in driver licenses. This bill adds restrictions on the use of personal information from driver licenses.  Committee recommends interim study.

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.

Tuesday, March 26

EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
11:30 AM SB 374, relative to the licensing of part-time teachers.
1:00 PM SB 378, relative to the performance-based school accountability system task force.
2:00 PM SB 339, relative to repealing the graduation requirement regarding Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications.

FINANCE, Room 210-211, LOB
10:00 AM Public hearing on proposed non-germane Amendment #2024-1005h to HB 1583-FN, relative to the per pupil cost of an opportunity for an adequate education.
11:00 AM Public hearing on proposed non-germane Amendment #2024-1214h to HB 1633-FN, 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 therefor.

Wednesday, March 27

EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
10:45 AM SB 521-FN, relative to the educational credentials for master teacher.

Friday, March 29

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204, LOB
9:30 AM SB 420, relative to requiring an additional report from the legislative study committee concerning the long-term impact of the New Hampshire adult parole system.
11:00 AM SB 425, relative to bail commissioner fees.

Next week in the Senate
The full Senate will not meet in session on March 28.

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 here.

Tuesday, March 26

EDUCATION, Room 101, LOB
9:00 AM HB 1107, relative to public school curriculum frameworks.

Wednesday, March 27

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 103, SH
9:45 AM CACR 13, relating to slavery and involuntary servitude. Providing that slavery and involuntary servitude shall be prohibited in the state of New Hampshire.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 101, LOB
9:30 AM HB 1171, extending the commission to study environmentally-triggered chronic illness.

Thursday, March 28

JUDICIARY,  Room 100, SH
10:00 AM HB 1220-FN, abolishing the collection of racial and educational data for use in a marital application worksheet.
1:45 PM HB 1169-FN, creating a private cause of action for discrimination based on hairstyles relative to a person’s ethnicity.
2:00 PM HB 1639-FN-L, relative to children with disabilities placed at state facilities for detained or adjudicated youth.

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.
March 28: 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.

Surveillance, Criminalization, and Punishment (Spring 2024 Speaker Series) - 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.

April 10 - Digitally Mapping Social Networks: RICO, Electronic Monitoring, and Surveillance of Gangs and Protest Movements
April 17 - New Terrain for Surveillance in Prisons: Wearable Monitoring, Tablets, and Technological Limits on Human Contact
May 8 - Toward Data Justice: Countermobilization and Community Control

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.

April 23 – Detention & Deportation
May 28 – Employment & Worker Rights
June 25 – Hard Conversations

Saturday, March 23
Ed 306 Review Online Session – 9 AM to 1:30 PM. Join us to learn more about the 306 process and the interactions these rules have with state laws. In addition, participants will be able to view all proposed rules that were released on February 12, 2024 by the NH State Board of Education, and provide feedback on these rules.  

Monday, March 25
Peace & Justice Conversations: NHPA Update - 7 PM Hosted by NH Peace Action. NH Peace Action has gone through a major transition and is now entering a new phase. We'd love to talk with you about it and tell you what we think and hear from you. You’ll get the chance to meet NH Peace Action's new director, Tim and hear about our recent work and about our plans going forward. We're facing many critical issues and conflicts in our world. There will be extra time for conversation and Q&A in this program.

Tuesday, March 26
Stopping the Militarization of Border Communities - 7 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Join AFSC to hear from our New Hampshire and US Mexico Border Programs about AFSC's longstanding work to stop the militarization of borders. We will offer information about conditions under militarized approaches, the dramatic differences between the Mexico and Canadian borderlands, and our vision to ensure that migrants and immigrants are treated with dignity and respect.

High School Voter Registration Workshop - 6 PM to 7:30 PM. Hosted by Open Democracy & The Civics Center. Join us to learn how to encourage and empower students and educators to organize voter registration events for their schools and help NH high school students register to vote before they graduate this spring!

Wednesday, March 27
NH Listens: Advanced Facilitator Training - 12 PM to 2:30 PM. Hosted by NH Listens. Many of us are trained to remain neutral when we serve as facilitators. However, that doesn't mean we are passive in the face of bias and misunderstandings. This workshop helps enhance confidence to remain neutral, productively address issues, encourage, and constructively move the conversation.

Thursday, March 28 to Saturday, March 30
Stop the Stigma Conference  - Hosted by Project Aim. Virtual and in person at Southern NH University. Stop the Stigma is a free conference brought to you by Project AIM, an initiative at SNHU with the mission to provide an educational pathway for incarcerated learners. Organized completely by current SNHU students, our goal is to spread awareness to the community at large on the challenges faced by justice impacted individuals. The conference provides a space to discuss issues related to transportation, employment, housing, and educational opportunities.

Saturday, March 30
Kites for Gaza - All Day. Hosted by AFSC. In 2011, more than 12,000 children in Gaza flew kites on the beach, setting a new world record for most kites flown simultaneously. Devastatingly, more children have been killed in the first five months of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza than flew kites in 2011. Join us in DC or virtually from around the world, to fly kites for a cease-fire in Gaza. We hope you will join us in making, displaying, and flying kites to help amplify the call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Monday, April 1
Manchester Housing Alliance Meeting - 7 PM to 8 PM. Hosted by Rights & Democracy. Once Monthly, we meet to discuss local housing policies to make sure that Manchester is a place everybody can afford to live. Join to find out how to get involved at the local level to push Manchester elected officials to take action on the Housing crisis.

Friday, April 5
Advocacy Committee Meeting  - 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Hosted by Stay Work Play. From the closure of maternity wards and threats to reproductive care to lack of access to mental health services, healthcare availability can significantly influence the decisions of young people when choosing where to live. Speaking to New Hampshire's healthcare landscape and the public policies that affect it, Dartmouth Health Senior Director of Government Relations Courtney Tanner will be the featured speaker.

Wednesday, April 10
NH Listens Local Lunch Box: Facilitating Through Conflict - 12 PM to 12:45 PM. Hosted by NH Listens. Join us for a 45-minute informative and interactive session aimed at sharing bite-sized tips and resources from our toolbox for community engagement and facilitation. The role of a facilitator in many spaces is to support the group in working with and moving through conflict.

Sacred Poetry: Multifaith Perspectives. 7 PM. Nashua Public Library Theater. Hosted by Nashua Area Interfaith Council.  Join local poets and poetry-lovers from Greater Nashua faith communities for an evening exploring poetry inspired by our diverse faith traditions.

Friday, April 12
A Conversation with Jose Antonio Vargas - 7 PM to 8 PM. Hosted by AFSC. AFSC is delighted to host Jose Antonio Vargas as our keynote speaker for the 2024 Corporation Program. Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, Tony-nominated theatrical producer, and a leading voice for the human rights of immigrants.

Saturday, April 13
“The Movement and the ‘Madman” Film Screening & Panel Discussion - 6 PM. Hosted by AFSC.

Saturday, April 20
4th Annual BLM New Hampshire Excellence Awards - 5 PM to 8 PM. Currier Museum - 150 Ash St, 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
Envisioning the Future Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks 2024: A New Deal for a Great Society - Hosted by the Black Heritage Trail NH in Portsmouth, Keene, Nashua. Registration is open for the 2024 annual Elinor William Hooker Tea Talks. 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. February talks will be held in Portsmouth, the March talk in Keene, and the April talk in Nashua. 

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.

Your donations make our work possible. Click the DONATE NOW button on our web page to send a secure donation to support the work of the AFSC’s New Hampshire Program. Thank you!