Protect Collective Bargaining – Tell Your Representative(s) to vote NO on HB 1704!
This anti-union bill goes to the full House for a vote this week! HB 1704 is a direct assault on one of the key components of collective bargaining that we know is used against unions all the time. It seeks to divide workers to weaken their efforts to negotiate fair pay, benefits, safety provisions, and respect in the workplace.
Mandatory Open Enrollment Bill Expected to Go to Committee of Conference
HB 751, the fast-tracked mandatory open enrollment bill, is expected to be heading toward a committee of conference next. This is where members of the House and Senate try to reach compromise on a bill to make it more likely to succeed—and in this case, try to make it more palatable to the Governor and state representatives.
While conferees may make adjustments around the edges, we know that any mandatory open enrollment policy will undermine New Hampshire’s public education system and make it nearly impossible for our school districts to provide a quality education to every student.
We need to keep the drumbeat up to urge lawmakers to pump the brakes on mandatory open enrollment. If you haven’t already, please use our digital form to email your state representative(s) and the Governor and urge them to reject HB 751!
If you have already emailed state lawmakers, please take the next step by calling the Governor's office (603-271-2121) to urge Kelly Ayotte to stop mandatory open enrollment in New Hampshire!
Hearings Next Week!
Please take action on the important hearings taking place next week by registering your support or opposition to the bills. Links and bill info are below, along with the position we are asking members to take. The sign-in instructions are at the end of the e-mail:
| Senate Education | |||||
|
|||||
| SB 403 |
Title: requiring all schools to start the school year after Labor Day. This bill mandates that all schools in New Hampshire must start their academic year no earlier than the day after Labor Day. We know that this would push the academic year later into the end of the school year in June when classroom temperatures tend to be hotter. Hearing 09:15 AM |
Senate, Feb 17, 2026: Hearing: 02/17/2026, Room Map Room, SL, 09:15 am; SC 6 | OPPOSE | ||
| Senate Education | |||||
|
|||||
| SB 431 |
Title: relative to violations of the prohibition on teaching discrimination. This bill is just an attempt to fix an unconstitutional law and does nothing to improve the underlying bill. Hearing 10:15 AM |
Senate, Feb 17, 2026: Hearing: 02/17/2026, Room Map Room, SL, 10:15 am; SC 6 |
OPPOSE
|
||
| House Election Law | |||||
|
|||||
| HB 1069 |
Title: enabling municipalities and school districts to hold such elections on the day of the state primary. This bill allows municipalities and school districts in the state to hold their elections for local officers on the same day as the state primary election. This is another attempt to bring partisan politics to school board elections. Public Hearing 10:40 AM |
House, Feb 17, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/17/2026 10:40 am GP 158 |
OPPOSE
|
||
| House Election Law | |||||
|
|||||
| HB 1272 |
Title: providing that each candidate's party affiliation be printed on the town or school district ballot. This bill amends existing law to require that each candidate's party affiliation be printed on town and school district ballots. Once again, this is another effort to inject partisan politics into public education. Public Hearing 11:20 AM |
House, Feb 17, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/17/2026 11:20 am GP 158 | OPPOSE | ||
| House Election Law | |||||
|
|||||
| HB 1418 |
Title: setting a minimum affirmative vote for new or expanded spending for SB 2 towns. This bill establishes a minimum threshold for voter participation in towns and school districts that utilize the official ballot referendum form of meeting. This bill is an undemocratic attempt to stifle providing resources for our schools. Public Hearing 11:40 AM |
House, Feb 17, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/17/2026 11:40 am GP 158 |
OPPOSE
|
||
| ==AMENDED==Senate Executive Departments and Administration | |||||
|
|||||
| HB 1162 |
Title: extending the commission on Holocaust and genocide studies. This bill is important to continue the critical work that this commission is doing to help holocaust and genocide studies for all our students. Hearing 10:00 AM |
Senate, Feb 18, 2026: Hearing: 02/18/2026, Room 103, SH, 10:00 am; SC 6 |
SUPPORT
|
||
NEA-NH Action Center
Most of the tools and information you need to be a legislative advocate for public education are right at your fingertips through NEA-New Hampshire. Check out our NEA-NH Action Center to get all the information you need about issues we’re tracking at the State House, how to communicate with your lawmakers, and how to take action on specific bills.
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 [email protected].
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.
