This Week’s Recap: Major Action on Remaining Bills in Committees Now Headed for Senate Votes
This week, the Senate Education Committee acted on a series of significant House bills. These will all be headed to the Senate floor this Thursday, May 7, so please take the time to contact your state senator using our action alert links below!
Voucher Double Dipping Bill Deals a Double Whammy to School Districts
On a party line vote, the Senate Education Committee recommended HB 1817 to pass with an amendment that unfortunately does not change the effect of the bill. HB 1817 would allow families to accept a voucher and then also have the right to enroll in classes at their local public school. In this scenario, a public school district could lose their state aid for a student but still be forced to allow that student to enroll in classes with potentially no reimbursement. This is yet another attempt to expand the voucher program and take more public dollars away from public schools. The direct subsidy for the voucher program using local property tax dollars in this bill is a double whammy at a time when school districts are struggling to even level fund their budgets.
ACT NOW – Urge your state senator to oppose HB 1817!
HB 1792 Revamped, But It Should Still Be Defeated
This week, the Senate Education Committee also voted along party lines to recommend HB 1792 with a replace all amendment. Informally referred to as the “CHARLIE Act” in the House, the bill as amended makes new changes to the existing “banned concepts” law that is under appeal in federal court after a lower court has already deemed it unconstitutional. This proposal still targets educator careers by threatening action on their educator licenses in order to chill classroom speech.
Campus Carry Proposal Recommended for Study Committee
HB 1793 began as a bill that would prohibit any public institution of higher education from enacting any rules or policies restricting the possession, carry, storage, or lawful use of firearms or non-lethal weapons on campus. The public outpouring of opposition to this proposal was heard loud and clear by lawmakers. This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an amendment that replaces nearly the entire bill, only leaving the prohibition on policies related to certain non-lethal weapons and creating a study committee to study the rest of the bill. The full Senate will vote on HB 1793 this week; if passed, it will go back to the House for a vote on whether to concur with the changes or try to reach a compromise through Committee of Conference.
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 hearings:
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 hearings:
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.
