State House Watch: January 6, 2023

Happy New Year, State House Watchers!

We hope the end of year holidays brought you relaxation and joy.

The 2023 NH state legislative session opened this week on Wednesday, January 4. NH Voices of Faith were there, greeting legislators and making sure they know we want positive action for public schools, LGBTQ+ students, affordable housing, living wages, union rights, voting rights and more!

The almost evenly divided House - 201 Republicans and 198 Democrats - voted on procedural rules for the upcoming session, defeating a proposal for proxy voting for lawmakers who are unable to be present in person on a voting day. They also defeated a proposal to allow remote participation by the public for committee hearings, and rejected an effort to limit firearms in the House chamber. House members did approve a rule change requiring only three days’ notice for committee hearings (a reduction from the prior requirement of four days’ notice), in order to be able to announce Monday hearings in the calendar which is posted on the prior Thursday.

On Thursday, in front of a joint session of the legislature, Governor Sununu was sworn in for his fourth term. In his inaugural address, he extolled the virtues of civic engagement, local control, bipartisanship, and personal freedom, and he pledged that New Hampshire wouldn’t lose its ‘First in the Nation’ primary status. His address contained no policy proposals which would address the economic insecurity that so many New Hampshire families are experiencing, nor the acute and growing issues of homelessness, political extremism, homophobia or other forms of hate. You can read more about what he did say here.

Key issues for the coming year

AFSC and many partners are preparing to engage on a number of issues related to social and economic justice. Here are a few priorities from our own list:

The 2024-2025 state budget – We want a state budget that invests in strong communities, economic security, a clean and sustainable environment, care for vulnerable residents, robust public education and, of course, a permanent reauthorization of the Granite Advantage Health Care Program, the state’s version of expanded Medicaid which provides more than 50,000 New Hampshire residents with health insurance. Amber MacQuarrie, a mother of two who experienced loss of her job and home due to a serious health condition, spoke to the program’s importance at a press conference earlier this week: “Medicaid expansion is a significant driving force behind my family’s ability to navigate our life by providing me with the health care services I need.” Read more here and here.

Immigrant rights – Immigrant community members have partnered once again with Representative George Sykes (D-Lebanon) and other allies to create four bills which would expand access to driver licenses for immigrants in NH. In addition, Representative Joe Schapiro has offered a bill that would ease Medicaid eligibility requirements for lawfully residing child and pregnant immigrants. NH is one of only 15 states that maintain a five-year waiting period before otherwise eligible immigrants can receive Medicaid. Also, we are happy to see a bill from Representatives Seibert, Schapiro and Newell that would require public notification in advance of immigration checkpoints.

Criminal legal system reforms – Representative Linda Harriott Gathright is the prime sponsor of a bill that would improve protections for people in pre-trial detention by replacing bail commissioners with magistrates. We look forward to advocating in support of this bill. We’ll also show up to support a bill sponsored by Senators Becky Whitley and Rebecca Perkins Kwoka which will encourage community-based sentencing alternatives for primary caregivers.

Public education – There will be many opportunities to defend public education this session. Coming up next week is the committee hearing for Representative Petrigno’s bill, HB 61, which would repeal and replace the infamous ‘banned concepts’ law. Please take a moment to contact the House Education Committee before the hearing on January 12 at 9:30 AM.

In future issues, we’ll share some more of what to watch for, especially related to LGBTQ+ rights, affordable housing, affordable childcare and the closure of the Sununu center. Read more about what’s coming from the NH Bulletin.

Beyond the dome

Mayors from eight New Hampshire cities called on Governor Sununu to provide more state support to address the growing crisis of homelessness statewide. The statement followed a number of tragic events in Manchester including two deaths and the endangerment of an infant born to a homeless woman. From NH Business Review: “Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, who was the main author of the letter, said the state’s inadequate care systems have exacerbated the housing crisis across the state. ‘There are gaps that need to be addressed in terms of providing services for substance use disorder, for mental health, for medical issues and severe trauma that individuals are suffering with,’ Craig said. ‘We need the state to recognize that and provide opportunities from a statewide perspective for these individuals.’ The letter requests immediate funding and services, as winter shelters are struggling to keep up with increased demand. The mayors asked the state to open up more emergency shelter beds, medical services, and shelter for women and youth. They also asked the governor to consider bringing in the New Hampshire National Guard to help ‘adequately staff winter surge shelters.’”

In December, AFSC gathered the names of 93 New Hampshire people who died in 2022, whose lives were shortened by homelessness. Maggie explained, "It's important to remember the individuals we lost this year, to reflect together about the Light that each one of them carried, and the fact that they were taken from us too soon. In this way, we continuously renew our commitment to build a world in which no one dies of poverty or neglect. We have more than enough resources to make it possible for everyone to thrive. We need the political will to make sure that our federal, state and local budgets reflect our values and our obligation to care for each other." We urge the governor and budget-negotiators to take this urgent appeal to heart.

Speaking of the importance of state investments to address community needs, we encourage our readers to look at two recent reports. The Greater Manchester Community Health Needs Assessment report, available here, describes the necessity of affordable housing, better educational outcomes, trauma response, mental health care and solutions to poverty.

The NH Women’s Foundation’s 2023 Status of Women report is here. The report “highlights a hardworking, resilient and diversifying population of women…enumerating the many social, economic and political barriers facing women and compounding inequities by race, ethnicity, geography, age and parenting status.” It is notable that NH’s 7% poverty rate – the lowest in the country – is marked by an increase in the rates of poverty among Black/African women and rural communities.

More obstacles for asylum seekers

Last month, Stronger Together coalition members organized a protest action at Senator Hassan’s Manchester office to draw attention to her ongoing support for Title 42 and other border enforcement measures which deny the rights of asylum-seekers and exacerbate a humanitarian crisis at the US/Mexican border. NHPR has the story.

On December 23, Congress approved an omnibus funding bill to keep the government operating for the remainder of the fiscal year. Sadly, not only Senator Hassan but Senator Shaheen as well joined a handful of other senators to support an amendment to extend Title 42. We’re relieved that this harmful proposal failed but we’re increasingly frustrated that our senators act against the human rights of migrants fleeing persecution.

Yesterday, President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas announced additional enforcement actions which would further restrict the rights of migrants to seek asylum in the United States. This includes the expansion of Title 42, which is an archaic public health order that empowers Border Patrol agents to expel migrants without recognizing their right to seek asylum under U.S. and international law, and further expedite their removal. From AFSC’s Pedro Rios, US/Mexico border program director, “we strongly believe that an enforcement approach in response to people seeking safety is misguided and cruel, and will only exacerbate the precarious conditions that endanger the lives of those seeking safe harbor.  We urge the Biden administration to re-prioritize its approach by centering policies on the human rights of migrants seeking asylum in the United States.”

Please let our Members of Congress and President Biden know that you want humane policies which welcome asylum seekers to our communities and support them to make a life here. As a resource for your own messages, here are the talking points from the Welcome with Dignity campaign.

Coming Up at the State House

Bill language and bill numbers are slowly but steadily being added to the list of Legislative Service Requests (LSRs). The list has shrunk some, now with 825 LSRs posted. You can read the list here.  Some Senate LSRs/bills have still not been posted to the list, so expect some surprises over the next couple of weeks.

Now that committee chairpersons, co-chairs and members have been appointed, committees have begun to meet to orient members, receive agency reports, and hold public hearings. House and Senate committee hearings are live-streamed and recorded. You can watch the House hearings here, and the Senate hearings here.  

Coming Up in House Committees

Tuesday, January 10

CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW, Room 206-208, LOB
10:15 AM Committee orientation.
2:30 PM HB 34-FN, relative to raising the age of marriage to eighteen. ACTION NEEDED: Please sign in, contact the committee, or show up to support this bill.

ELECTION LAW, Room 306-308, LOB

10:00 AM Orientation.
1:00 PM HB 101-FN, relative to requiring voters declare a party affiliation prior to a state primary election.

Wednesday, January 11

EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
9:30 AM Committee Work Session.
10:40 AM HB 102-L, requiring high schools to include instruction on the nature and history of communism.
11:25 AM HB 103, relative to school board member qualifications.
2:00 PM HB 170, requiring the teaching of cursive handwriting and multiplication tables.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 306-308, LOB
10:45 AM HB 65, commemorating the first labor strike in the United States by women.
1:45 PM HB 140, proclaiming January 24 as “Granny D” day.
2:30 PM HB 180, renaming Columbus Day as Indigenous People’s Day.

WAYS AND MEANS, Rooms 210-211, LOB
9:00 AM Joint Economic Briefing with Senate Ways and Means Committee - The committees will hear from state agencies and experts on conditions impacting the state.

Thursday, January 12

COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, Room 302-304, LOB
11:00 AM HB 173, relative to toilet facilities provided by restaurants.
1:15 PM HB 39-FN, relative to paper billing fees.

EDUCATION, Reps Hall, SH
9:30 AM HB 61, relative to teaching on discrimination in the public schools and discrimination in public workplaces. This bill would repeal and replace the ‘banned concepts’ law. ACTION NEEDED: Please sign in, contact the committee, or show up to support this bill.

Room 205-207, LOB
1:00 PM HB 131, requiring reports concerning school policies on classroom recordings and in-classroom observers.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 306-308, LOB
11:30 AM HB 193-FN, relative to administration of the New Hampshire retirement system.
1:30 PM CACR 1, relating to the governor. Providing that there be a lieutenant governor who shall assume the duties of the governor if the governor is incapacitated.

WAYS AND MEANS, Rooms 210-211, LOB
9:00 AM Joint Economic Briefing with Senate Ways and Means Committee - The committees will hear from business and industry experts on conditions impacting the state and the national economy.

Coming Up in Senate Committees

Tuesday, January 10

ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, Room 103, SH
9:00 AM SB 11, relative to African American burial grounds. ACTION NEEDED: Please sign in, contact the committee, or show up to support this bill.
Executive session may follow.

Wednesday, January 11

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 103, SH
9:00 AM SB 28, relative to a portrait in the likeness of Rogers Johnson at the State House.
9:15 AM Presentation from Marty Karlon about the New Hampshire Retirement System.
Executive session may follow.

WAYS AND MEANS, Rooms 210-211, LOB
9:00 AM Joint Economic Briefing with House Ways and Means Committee - The committees will hear from state agencies and experts on conditions impacting the state.

Thursday, January 12

JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
10 AM Joint Public Hearing with Senate Health and Human Services Committee on SB 1-FN-A, relative to the Sununu youth services center.
Executive session may follow.

WAYS AND MEANS, Rooms 210-211, LOB
9:00 AM Joint Economic Briefing with House Ways and Means Committee - The committees will hear from business and industry experts on conditions impacting the state and the national economy.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, January 10

PPNHAF Virtual Legislative Process 101 – 6 PM to 7 PM. Hosted by Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund. Do you want to learn more about New Hampshire's legislative process, but don't know where to start? Join us for our Legislative Process 101 on Tuesday, January 10 via Zoom. We'll discuss the details of the NH legislative process and how you can take action! 

Advocacy Webinar – 11 AM to 12 PM. Hosted by New Futures. Learn how to advocate during the 2023 legislative session. This webinar will cover the basics of the NH legislature, how a bill becomes a law and when to advocate in that process, tips on writing your advocacy message, and best practices for different ways of advocating such as testifying at a public hearing, calling your legislator, or writing a Letter to the Editor. 

Monday, January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Communication Across Difference: Toward Beloved Community – 1 PM at Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way, Manchester. Hosted by the MLK Coalition. This event features guest speakers, MLK Celebration Choir, high school jazz bands, awards, and a community reading from Dr. King's work.

Environmental Justice: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Commemoration – 5 PM to 6 PM. Park Theater, 19 Main Street, Jaffrey. Hosted by the Jaffrey-Rindge MLK Committee. Join us in person or remotely via the livestream. Our theme this year will address environmental justice. Aaron Mair, the national Sierra Club's past president, and the Club's first African American president will address environmental justice issues. A reception with a student exhibit will follow his talk. For more information email jaffreyrindgemlk@gmail.com.

Peace & Justice Conversations: Reflections From a Justice Organizer on MLK Day – 7 PM. Hosted by NH Peace Action. Join us to for a conversation with Grace Kindeke, community organizer and artist-activist, who will share how she sees the three evils Dr. King spoke of: Racism, Poverty, and War, interacting and relating in her work in New Hampshire and answer questions about how we can work together to build a more just and peaceful future. 

Tuesday, January 17  

PPNHAF Virtual Legislative Briefing – 6 PM to 7 PM. Hosted by Planned Parenthood New Hampshire Action Fund. Join us on Tuesday, January 17 via Zoom to discuss what to expect at the State House this legislative session, which bills to keep an eye on, and how to take action throughout the process. We’ll have plenty of time to answer your questions so you can feel ready to take on this upcoming session. Together, we fight for all! 

Open Democracy Book Club: Democracy Vouchers – 7 PM to 8:30 PM. Hosted by Open Democracy. Welcome back to the Open Democracy Book Club. We will have our first gathering of the new year to discuss Democracy Vouchers by Tom Latkowski. Spoiler alert, our own Executive Director Olivia Zink was interviewed for this book! Author Tom Latkowski will join us for the first half hour (to be interviewed by Olivia). There will be time for Q&A from attendees and then we will split off into separate groups to discuss the book, coming back together for the last portion to summarize. 

Thursday, January 19 

Budget Process Webinar – 4 PM to 5 PM. Hosted by New Futures. It’s a budget year in New Hampshire! In this one-hour webinar, New Futures’ staff budget expert Kate Frey will provide insight into the budget process in New Hampshire and how to advocate for critical funding. 

The Black Matter Is Life: "Connections" Poetry Reading with Guest Poet, L'Merchie Frazer – 7 PM. Hosted by the Black Heritage Trail NH. The Trail welcomes visual activist, public historian, artist, innovator, and poet L'Merchie Frazier as our guest poet for the finale of The Black Matter Is Life virtual poetry series. Frazier will join two New England scholars, Courtney Marshall and Dennis Britton, to explore the theme of  “Connections” through a discussion of the following poets and poems: Danez Smith - "dogs!" / Sterling Brown - "Ma Rainey"/ Ruth Foreman - "Poetry Should Ride the Bus." 

Tuesday, January 24 

Child Care Webinar – 1 PM to 2 PM. Hosted by New Futures. Affordable childcare is a critical tool in keeping New Hampshire’s families physically and economically healthy. Learn about the senate bill that aims to ease the burden on Granite State families in this one-hour webinar with New Futures Kids Count Policy Director Rebecca Woitkowski. 

Wednesday, January 25  

Alcohol Fund Webinar – 4 PM to 5 PM. Hosted by New Futures. New Hampshire’s Alcohol Fund is an innovative, fiscally responsible, common-sense approach to support programs that address substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery in the Granite State. However, it has been historically underfunded or diverted. In this one-hour webinar, learn more about how your voice is needed to help protect this critical funding from New Futures Vice President of Advocacy Kate Frey. 

Be well,
Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke 

AFSC’s New Hampshire "State House Watch" newsletter is published to bring you information about matters being discussed in Concord which relate to racial, social, and economic justice. Bookmark www.afsc.org/State-House-Watch to read past and upcoming newsletters, including our 2022 End of Session Report. 

The AFSC is a Quaker organization supported by people of many faiths who care about peace, social justice, humanitarian service, and nonviolent change. Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke staff the New Hampshire Program which publishes this newsletter. Check out our 2022 Highlights brochure!

‘State House Watch" received financial support for more than a decade from the Anne Slade Frey Charitable Trust. Your donations make our work possible. Click the DONATE NOW button on our web page to send a secure donation to support the work of the AFSC’s New Hampshire Program. Thank you!