Re-Cap of the Week
Senate budget writers dug into their work this week. First, members of the House Finance Committee presented their changes to the Governor’s budget proposal. Next, they’ll hear from state agencies about what those changes will mean.
On May 6, members of the public will have another opportunity to weigh in on the state budget. The Senate has scheduled their public hearing to begin at 1pm; there will be a break for an hour between 5 and 6 pm and the hearing will continue into the evening. Please mark March 6 on your calendar; if you can join us in person, email me!
As lawmakers make difficult decisions about state funding priorities, every state senator will need to hear from our members if we want to ensure that the budget reflects what we know is best for our students and our communities.
In addition to continuing to monitor the state budget, NEA- New Hampshire was at the State House this past week to oppose three bills that would negatively impact our members, our profession, and our students. Click the links to read more about each bill!
- HB 340 – Broadening the Electioneering Prohibitions for Public Employees
Upcoming Hearings Next Week
SB 297 – Regulating Public Employee Risk Pool Insurance
Filed late in the state Senate, SB 297 would place new regulations on the organizations that operate in a state sanctioned risk pool to deliver health and other insurance for town and school district employees. The House Commerce Committee has scheduled a public hearing on this bill on Wednesday, April 23rd at 1:30pm in Room 302 – 304 of the Legislative Office Building.
NEA-New Hampshire members know these organizations as the entities who govern the vast majority of the health insurance plans you negotiate with your employers, like Health Trust and School Care.
A quick summary of what SB 297 does:
- It empowers the secretary of state to require the abatement of asset deficiencies or seek receivership if necessary.
- It mandates that participating members be assessed on a pro rata basis to cover any identified deficiencies and establishes standards for the governing board’s management, emphasizing a duty of care and fiduciary responsibility to member political subdivisions.
- It mandates annual audits by independent certified public accountants and requires the establishment of written bylaws for governance.
- It introduces a health care stabilization fund, requiring members to allocate at least 4% of their annual contributions to cover potential assessments.
- It sets guidelines for maintaining contingency reserves, stipulating minimum and maximum percentages based on member contributions, and outlines procedures for replenishing reserves.
- It allows the boards of risk pools to request temporary increases in maximum coverage limits for workers’ compensation and health coverage, contingent upon specific requirements.
After the bill was approved in the Senate, one of the risk pool organizations, Health Trust, announced that if SB 297 became law as written, their board would cease operations at the end of the calendar or fiscal year depending on the town or school district’s insurance renewal date. Following this announcement there has been a back and forth between the Secretary of State and Health Trust over each of their assessments about the efficacy of this bill.
As NEA-NH President Megan Tuttle stated in her e-mail to members about this issue, “We believe our elected officials must work towards a compromise that ensures that Health Trust provides the insurance benefits for which our members bargained while addressing the concerns expressed by the Secretary of State which are the basis for the bill.”
HB 115 – House Universal Voucher Bill
As amended by the House Education Funding Committee, HB 115 would lift the income cap entirely on the school voucher program, subsidizing private schools for the ultra-wealthy at the expense of local property taxpayers who will have to make up the difference in state funding
HB 200 & HB 374 – Pair of Bills Change Existing Local Tax and Budget Caps with No Vote
HB 200 and HB 374 would make changes to local town and school district caps that are already in place. HB 200 would also raise the threshold for the legislative body to override a local tax cap from a majority to a 3/5 supermajority. HB 374 would disallow voters from amending the inflationary index they want to use if the question goes before a traditional school district meeting or deliberative session.
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 Bills Being Heard in a HOUSE Committee:
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 Bills Being Heard in a SENATE Committee:
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.