Monthly Archives: March 2023

House Version of So-Called “Parental Bill of Rights” Fails

Week’s Recap – March 25, 2023 In a marathon 2-Day Session HB 10, the first of the so-called “Parental Bill of Rights” went down in the House. We successfully defeated the committee amendment for HB 10 by 4 votes and then the motion to pass the original legislation by 6 votes (189-195). This was accomplished with 191 Democrats and 4 Republicans. The bill was then tabled by just 1 vote before a vote to kill the bill could be executed. So, that meant keeping our Republicans who voted against the bill from wavering and our Democratic attendance up for the […]

Legislative Update: Stop Unlimited Vouchers in NH

This week the House will have well over 100 bills up for a vote as they meet on Wednesday and Thursday this coming week in order to meet their deadlines to act on certain legislation. Important Action Items for this Week Stop Unlimited Vouchers (Including for Millionaires!) Two bills going to the floor this week with no recommendation would expand the school voucher program, exponentially diverting money away from public schools. ACTION REQUESTED: Contact your State Representative(s) and ask that they vote AGAINST HB 331 and HB 538 by going to our Legislative Action Page. Both programs would blow the […]

Media Grant Paves Way for Statewide Commercials to Air in March

Filming Involves Students, Parents, and Educators from Salem Early on a Saturday morning in late February, a professional production crew crew and all their equipment descended on Salem High School. Their goal was to obtain footage for NEA-NH’s upcoming media campaign to increase our visibility in the state. Starting with two simple scripts and working with David Halpin from the Salem School District Communications and IT department, we recruited more than 20 students, educators, and parents to appear in the commercials. After unpacking and setting up the lights, make-up, break room supplies, microphones, and numerous cameras in the CTE area […]

Actions for this Week – Stop Book Bans by the Legislature

HB 514 is proposing to do away with the due process afforded by our courts for K-12 school employees and instead, make a court where politicians like Rep. Glenn Cordelli and Commissioner Edelblut or the State Board of Education will make unilateral determinations using a subjective standard as to what is considered “obscene” material. This is the NH version of an attempt at a book ban. No one is exempt or should be exempt from obscenity laws as proponents of this bill claims. Instead of supporting parents and teachers working together, this bill is another prosecutorial power grab by the […]

NEA-NH Opposes Bill Giving Ed Commissioner Subpoena Power

NEA-NH President Megan Tuttle testified in opposition to the non-germane amendment to HB 533 that would grant subpoena power to the NH DOE in Code of Conduct cases. “To begin with, we are not aware of any material that the DOE has asked for in the course of an official investigation under the Code of Conduct that they have not received so in asking for this added power it is important for them to concretely articulate why it is they need this new ability,” said Tuttle in her testimony. “The legislature should be cautious on why agencies beyond law enforcement […]