This week the NH House voted to pass HB 1711, a bipartisan bill introduced in the wake of the tragic shooting at NH Hospital. The passage out of the NH House marks significant progress for New Hampshire.
As members of the NH Gun Violence Prevention Coalition well know, the loopholes and failures in our current laws have led to tragedies in New Hampshire and around our region that could have been prevented had stronger gun violence prevention public safety laws been in place. HB 1711 authorizes New Hampshire to report mental health data for firearms background check purposes following certain mental health-related court proceedings (individuals adjudicated for involuntary mental health commitments or deemed not competent to stand trial). HB 1711 also establishes a process to restore firearms rights (“relief”) post-commitment; our state currently has no adequate process in place to restore firearms rights otherwise. This law will save lives, helping keep firearms out of the hands of those who are temporarily at risk of harming themselves or others. A mental health crisis is temporary, and with proper health care and support, all Granite Staters can lead full, healthy lives. We are thankful for the passage of this bipartisan bill out of the NH House, and are eager to secure support in the NH Senate. We are also thankful for all of YOU who took action in support of this legislation; for the collaboration with our partners in the mental health, medical, and disability rights community; and for our committed champions on the NH House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, especially longtime GVP leader and bill co-sponsor Rep. David Meuse. We are ever thankful to NH Hospital staff leaders Dr. Jeff Fetter and Dr. Samantha Swetter, who bravely provided the heartbreaking but powerful testimony the committee needed to hear in support of this bill. HB 1711 passed the NH House, 204-149, thanks to all of you. |
How to Support or Oppose Bills |
To testify in person, join us in Concord during the public hearing. To sign in support or opposition to a bill, or submit testimony in writing, visit the General Court website forms: NH House and NH Senate. You always have until 11:59 PM the day of the public hearing to register your opinion. To join one of our campaigns or coalitions around these issues, contact Granite State Progress. |
Education |
There were several education bills on the House floor this week. Here are the results for the bills we were following closely:
HB 1084, relative to qualifications for the commissioner of education (SUPPORT) Tabled This bill would have required the NH Commissioner of Education to have an advanced degree, be certified as a teacher or school administrator, and have at least 5 years of combined teaching and administrative experience in a public school. Despite an amendment that would carve out an exception for current NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut (in an attempt to secure enough votes for passage), this bill was unfortunately tabled. HB 1087, establishing a commission to study information literacy and media literacy instruction in public schools (SUPPORT) Tabled This was the remaining Freedom to Read bill that would have helped to establish statewide standards for information and media literacy in K-12 schools. The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) views media literacy—defined as the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication—as an essential 21st-century literacy. We’ll keep educating the public about media literacy. HB 1093, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools (OPPOSE) Passed 187-184 Anti-mask representatives spoke to “harms of masks” – but of course completely ignored the harms of COVID, other diseases, a potential next pandemic, guns, and more! HB 1287, relative to the definition of the term “evidence-based” within public education (OPPOSE) Inexpedient to Legislate Thankfully this one was voted down. We’re breathing a big sigh of relief here – this bill would have made it possible to eliminate essential services from public education, such as Multi Tiered Systems of Support (a way to identify struggling students early so they can receive assistance quickly) or Social Emotional Learning. HB 1592, relative to the use of education freedom account funds in religious schools (SUPPORT) Table motion 191-186 This bill would have prohibited the use of school voucher dollars at religious schools. Additionally, anti-public education representatives tried to pick up a bill laid on the table last week, HB 1353, from the table that would have given NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut subpoena power (yikes!) from the table in order to add a bad amendment— but thankfully it didn’t pass. The full Senate will be in session on Thursday, April 4th. We are paying close attention to all of the bills put forward by Senate Education, in particular: SB 523-FN, relative to the regulation of public school library materials. (OPPOSE) We’ve already made great strides in passing HB 1311, the Freedom to Read bill, in the House. SB 523 creates processes for challenging books but doesn’t include safeguards to ensure freedom to read and avoid discriminatory censorship based on the author or subject’s age, sex, gender identity, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, national origin or sexual orientation. SB 525-FN, relative to administration of the education freedom accounts program. (SUPPORT) This bill would require families who participate in the school voucher program to reapply for voucher dollars annually. This would help to reign in the out-of-control over-budget spending in the school voucher system. In the present version of the program, families need only qualify once for funding and they remain eligible for it every year until their student graduates or reaches 22 years old. |
Gun Violence Prevention |
While there was good news in the NH House for HB 1711 passing the House floor, over in the Senate the Judiciary Committee voted 3-2 on party lines against SB 593, the gun free schools bill, to recommend it inexpedient to legislate.
Sample message: I urge you to support SB 593, the statewide gun free schools law. The federal Gun Free Schools Act prohibits students from bringing firearms into schools, and the Gun Free Schools Zone Act prohibits all other persons from bringing firearms within 1,000 feet of school property unless they are licensed by the state to carry a firearm. While federal law establishes gun free school zones with qualifications, gaps in state law and a statement from the Attorney General’s office has left school districts and police departments in murky water on enforcement and jeopardizes safe spaces for our children to learn and grow. This is further complicated by HB 1178 which Gov. Sununu signed into law in summer of 2022 that seeks to prevent local and state law enforcement and school officials from acting swiftly in response to the presence of firearms in our K-12 schools. Guns do not belong in schools – vote to pass SB 593 when it is on the Senate floor this Thursday, April 4th. |
LGBTQ+ Rights |
While the attacks on LGBTQ lives and experiences keep coming, Granite Staters from every corner of the state are coming together to say we all belong and deserve to thrive. Here are four ways to help join in:
New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility has launched a sign-on letter in opposition to anti-LGBTQ legislation. Please sign if you are a business owner, and share with business owners you’re friendly with! Women athletes have launched a sign-on letter in support of transgender girls in sports. Sign on if you are a current or former athlete, or a coach, and encourage others to sign as well! You can review the sign-ons so far for ideas of how to describe yourself. Athletes of all levels and backgrounds encouraged to sign! LGBTQ advocates, child advocates, medical professionals, and business leaders will hold a press conference this Tuesday, April 2nd, at 9:15 AM in the Legislative Office Building (33 N State St, Concord, immediately behind the main State Capitol building). Supporters are invited to join us to hold signs! This Thursday, the NH Senate will vote on the following bills. Join 603 Equality and other coalition members and allies to hold signs and talk to State Senators from 9-10 AM. RSVP on Facebook. In the meantime, contact your State Senator and urge them to OPPOSE the following anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Use Planned Parenthood NH Action Fund’s link to make it easy! SB 341, relative to mandatory disclosure by school district employees to parents. This bill would require teachers to document detailed confidential conversations with students, to meet a high standard of reporting information to parents, with no workable exceptions for possible abuse or neglect. While it does not explicitly name LGBTQ students, we know it would disproportionately affect them, via forced outing. SB 375 – relative to biological sex in student athletics. This is the Senate’s bill to ban transgender girls from participating on teams corresponding to the gender they live every day. SB 523 – relative to the regulation of public school library materials. This is yet another book-banning attempt that attempts to provide a rating system for library materials to further second-guess best practices for the development of public school library collections for different ages. SB 562 – relative to state recognition of biological sex. This bill is the Senate’s version of HB 396. It would open the door to discrimination against transgender people in public spaces. Thankfully the following bills were voted “interim study,” which the NH Senate is likely to agree with. While they should be opposed outright, this process will delay the bill by holding additional committee meetings on the bill in the fall and bringing it back for a vote the following year. SB 524 – relative to women’s sports. This bill would ban trans girls from participation in sports. The Senate has chosen the other bill banning trans girls from participating in sports. SB 304 – this bill has a wildly long title that has to do with creating a separate cause of medical action for people who medically detransition, falsely claiming that they cannot already sue for things that are truly medical malpractice, which detransition care is not. The creation of this legal cause of action would make it more difficult for doctors to provide healthcare that transgender people need. |
Reproductive Freedom |
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) heard oral arguments in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. The nine justices will now decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revert prescribing instructions to what were in place before 2016. Whatever the ruling of this case is, the court decision will affect the entire country. Mifepristone remains approved, and its availability remains unchanged at least until SCOTUS rules, likely in June. Read more.
On Thursday, we were glad to help bring the truth about harmful, anti-abortion ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ to Red River Theatres in Concord at Repro Equity Now’s screening of Preconceived this past Thursday night! We are thankful for the partnership with REN and Equality Health Center for this event, and are discussing teaming up for more screenings around the state. |
Upcoming Events |
Upcoming 306 Rules – Testimony and Action
Calling all NH public education advocates! NH is still approving the minimum standards for public schools, also known as “the Education 306 administrative rules.” These rules determine what each student in our state will experience as a part of their public school education, and public education advocates are alarmed about several changes in the most recent draft, namely:
Watch Reaching Higher NH’s (20-minute) webinar to learn more. People planning to testify should prepare to speak to the rule changes that say what a school is or is not required to have. This hearing will address the program elements of a student’s public school education, so people planning to testify should prepare to speak to: if content area X is a requirement, what should that look like? Want support drafting testimony? Email Sarah! |
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Moms Demand Action Gun Violence Prevention Lobby Day
GunSenseNH will join Moms Demand for a Gun Violence Prevention Lobby Day, Thursday April 11th at the State House, starting at 9AM. Register here! Participants will have the opportunity to listen to speakers, speak with legislators or staff, make new connections, and learn advocacy skills. |
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*NEW* Extended Special Enrollment Period for ACA Marketplace for Granite Staters Switching from Medicaid and CHIP
The Department of Health and Human Services is extending a temporary special enrollment period to help people who are no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP transition to Marketplace coverage using HealthCare.gov. If you or someone you know needs to start a new application or complete an existing one for health insurance on HealthCare.gov, you may now do that until November 30, 2024. For additional navigation help locally, contact Health Market Connect. |
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Special Message from Granite State Progress: Congratulations, Linds! |
The entire Granite State Progress team would like to congratulate our very own Linds Jakows for receiving the National Association of Social Workers Citizen of the Year Award this past week.
Linds is a tremendous champion for LGBTQ+ equality, working day and night and through the years to bring together the LGBTQ community and allied partners to protect and advance equality for all. Linds’ work means that, even during a difficult and challenging time like now, there is a growing, connected, and thriving LGBTQ community and coalition that can work together to lift one another up and keep fighting forward. Linds is a superstar in their work with Granite State Progress, but where they really shine is as the co-founder of 603 Equality, New Hampshire’s emerging and much-needed statewide LGBTQ+ rights advocacy organization. We are so thrilled to see Linds get the recognition they deserve, and to know that 603 Equality is growing and moving our state in the direction it needs to be going, no matter what. You can help support 603 Equality by taking the actions above, and by making a donation to the Queer Care Fund supported by 603 Equality and the Reproductive Freedom Fund of NH. To Linds, with love, from all of your co-workers and admirers, – Team GSP |
In progress,
Linds, Zandra, Sarah, Tim C., Doreen, Nancy, and the rest of the Granite State Progress team To invite a friend to join our progressive movement, have them sign up here. To build the future we all deserve, we need to work even harder and smarter in 2024. Help Granite State Progress by becoming a one-time or sustaining monthly donor today! |