Next Week: Gutting Content of an Adequate Education, Second Universal Voucher Bill, and Major Votes on Bills Attacking Unions
What a week it’s going to be next week. It’s representative of some of the major attacks we face this year at the state level, all taking place in just a few days – and of course with the backdrop of unprecedented attacks on public education coming from Washington, D.C. Here are the TOP 3 Actions you can take to advocate for your students at the state level ahead of next week – it should take less than 10 minutes total!
HB 283 – Gutting Content Areas for an Adequate Education
By now you might have heard that the Legislature is considering a bill that would eliminate some of the required subject areas that constitute an adequate education and are part of how the state is supposed to develop its calculation for the amount of aid it sends to local school districts. To be clear – this is a bill we have seen, and defeated, before – and now we must do it again.
HB 283 is proposing to eliminate the following:
- Arts education including music and visual arts
- World languages
- Engineering and technologies including technology applications
- Personal finance literacy
- Computer Science
Further, this bill would remove “civics, government, economics, geography, history, and Holocaust and genocide education,” which is currently specified in the definition of social studies.
Commissioner Edelblut asked for the same bill a few years ago and the outpouring of opposition that helped to defeat this. This bill erases critical areas of an adequate education when the State is already providing the bare minimum, opens the door for future funding cuts, and removes subject areas that are currently in law to ensure students receive a complete and well-rounded education.
This legislation weakens public education, will increase disparities between school districts, and will leave students unprepared for the future.
If you haven’t already, click here to SIGN IN or WRITE IN TO OPPOSE HB 283. While the House Education Policy & Administration Committee public hearing on this bill begins Monday, February 10 at 1:30 pm, it is likely to go longer so if you want to come down to testify after school, the location of the hearing will be the Legislative Office Building (located right behind the State House) in room 205-207.
SB 295 – Second Universal Voucher Bill to Be Heard by NEW Senate Education Finance Committee
Senator Victoria Sullivan introduced a universal voucher bill SB 295 in the Senate, which will be heard next week before a newly created Senate Education Finance Committee. The bill comes on the heels of an identical bill in the House that had a hearing last month – which hundreds of members signed in and wrote in to oppose. It’s just as important to tell the Senate that New Hampshire taxpayers can’t afford to subsidize extremely wealthy families who send their kids to elite private schools.
A recent report from Reaching Higher NH indicates that expanding our voucher program with no income limit could cost the state over $100 million dollars per year. That is $100 million in public money that would be diverted away from supporting public education – even though Granite Staters overwhelmingly support their community public schools, which are attended by nearly 90% of New Hampshire students and 95% of students with a disability.
Instead of sinking more money into a program that its advocates refuse to place any accountability on, tell the legislature they should support local communities by fully funding special education costs, maintaining or increasing aid to be able to hire or retain qualified educators, and funding building aid so that students have safe and health environments to learn.
TWO WAYS TO STOP ATTACKS ON UNIONS
HB 238 – So-Called “Right-to-Work” On the House Floor This Week!
Far-right extremists are once again trying to pass so-called “right-to-work” legislation in New Hampshire. HB 238-FN is a direct attack on hardworking families in our state. It would lower wages, reduce workplace safety, and strip workers of their rights to bargain for better pay and conditions.
We need your help to stop this dangerous bill before it’s too late. Call your representative now and tell them: Vote NO on HB 238-FN!
Make a Call to Stop the Attack on NH Workers!
HB 735 – House Labor Committee Considering Bill to Force Re-Certification Votes for Unions
The House Labor Committee has held a public hearing, but has not yet voted, on HB 735, a bill that would force a re-certification vote just to maintain your local union if the original employees who formed the union no longer make up a majority of the unit. The sponsor said he is working on an amendment to “fix” it, but we know there’s no fix for this anti-union attack.
The committee is scheduled to vote this Tuesday, February 11th so please don’t delay – click here to make sure the House Labor Committee members know that HB 735 is bad for our public workers like teachers, police officers, and fire fighters.
Governor Ayotte’s First State Budget Address
This Thursday, all eyes will be on Governor Ayotte as she delivers her first budget address for what is projected to be a state budget proposal that requires reductions in many areas of state government. We will be watching to see what the Governor says about school funding overall, whether she will address the underfunding of special education aid, and of course if she will continue to pursue a major expansion of the unaccountable school voucher program. Stay tuned!
NEA-NH Legislative Advocacy Toolkit
Most of the tools you need to be a legislative advocate for public education are right at your fingertips through NEA-New Hampshire. Check out our new NEA-NH Legislative Advocacy Toolkit here to get all the information you need on how to communicate with your state representatives and senators, support and oppose specific bills, and testify in Concord.
Questions?
If you have questions on any of these bills or ones not mentioned here, please feel free to contact Brian Hawkins, NEA-NH Director of Government Relations at bhawkins@nhnea.org.
Need help signing in on legislation? Follow these comprehensive instructions (details for public hearings are contained in each action request).
For House bills:
1. Visit this link: https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx
2. Enter your personal information
3. Select the hearing date
4. Select the committee
5. Choose the bill
6. I am – A member of the public
7. Choose who you are representing – Myself
8. Indicate your position on this bill
9. Upload remote testimony (Optional)
10. Review information and click submit
For Senate bills:
1. Go to https://bit.ly/3S4Cof1 and click the date that the bill you are interested in is being heard
2. Select the committee that is hearing the bill
3. Select the bill you are interested in
4. Select a category – Member of the Public
5. Indicate your position on this bill
6. Click continue
7. Enter your name and contact information
8. Click continue
9. Carefully review the information to ensure it is entered correctly. If it is correct, check the box and click continue.