Legislative Update Report

April 26, 2024: NEA-NH Legislative Update

Two Major Hearings in Senate This Week and Major House Floor Vote  This week we have 2 major public hearings in the Senate: a positive bill that would make a modest increase in state aid to school districts, and one of the last of two remaining culture war bills that squeaked through the House.   We also have a major House floor vote taking place on Thursday for SB 341, the bill that would force educators to out LGBTQ+ students under the threat of licensure removal.  Please read all the items this week and take action on each!  HB 1583 – […]

April 19: NEA-NH Legislative Update

Re-Cap: One Voucher Expansion Bill Left – Act Now to Stop Efforts to Divert More Money to Unaccountable Private School Voucher Scheme  SB 442 – NEA New Hampshire testified against this bill that would expand the eligibility for students to receive a voucher from 350% of the Federal Poverty Level to 400% (or $125k for a family of four). SB 442 could bring the amount of public dollars diverted to private schools to $53 million dollars per year. After the hearing the House Education Committee unanimously voted to recommend the bill be killed. However, House Republicans only made this move […]

April 13: NEA-NH Legislative Update

REGISTER BEFORE DEADLINE for NEA-NH STATE HOUSE DAY: Tuesday, April 23rd!  For the second year in a row, NEA-NH will be hosting a State House Visit Day during the April break week for most schools in New Hampshire. This year, the day will feature an opportunity to interact with legislators and an extra special tour for educators of our historic New Hampshire State House. We anticipate the day going from 9:30am until about 2pm that day.   Please RSVP soon so that we can better plan for how many members to expect.  Next Week: Final Two Voucher Bills Have their Public […]

April 8: NEA-NH Legislative Update

Last Week: Republicans Push Culture War and Voucher Expansion Bills Through Senate  Last week’s Senate Session was loaded up with a barrage of bills that target LGBTQ+ students in various ways and expands the private school voucher scheme.  Here is the rundown:  House Education Committee Scheduled to Vote on Important NEA-NH Legislation: Classroom Temperature Control and Loan Repayment Bill  SB 526 – It’s Getting Hot (or cold) in Here! – Tell House Ed Committee to Pass Temperature Control Bill!  This week, the House Education Committee is scheduled to vote on SB 526, which would require school districts to develop and implement […]

March 29: NEA-NH Legislative Update

Re-Cap This Week: House Fails to Remove Subpoena Bill from Table and House Education Committee Hears Loan Repayment and Classroom Temperature Control Bills  HB 1353: Subpoena Power for Ed Commissioner Effectively Defeated  Last week, education advocates successfully tabled HB 1353, a bill that would grant subpoena power to the Education Commissioner in certain educator code of cases. This week, House lawmakers intent on giving the Commissioner this extraordinary authority attempted to take the bill off the table, however, it failed by a vote of 183-194. Having not passed by the deadline for acting on House bills not in a second […]

A photo of the New Hampshire State House dome.

March 22: NEA-NH Legislative Update

Re-Cap This Week: House Tables Education Commissioner Subpoena Bill and Senate Punts on Student Surveillance, Again   HB 1353: Subpoena Power for Ed Commissioner Tabled – Still Need to Take Action!  The House this week tabled HB 1353, a bill that would grant subpoena power to the Education Commissioner in certain educator code of conduct cases after its accompanying amendment was defeated on a division vote of 169 – 178. The bill, however, can be taken off the table up until the conclusion of next week’s March 28th session day, the deadline for bills not already in a second committee. This […]