State House Watch: June 22, 2025

“They have money for war but can’t feed the poor.” – Tupac

“We must live together as [siblings] or perish together as fools.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.

“No more war, war never again!” – Pope Paul VI, October 4, 1965

Dear State House Watchers,

On Saturday evening, the U.S. bombed the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear energy facilities in Iran. This unprovoked attack by the United States is an illegal act of aggression and a violation of both international and U.S. law. The death toll from last night’s strikes is not yet known, but in the last week more than 400 Iranians and 25 Israelis have been killed. We mourn the loss of all of the victims, and we hold their loved ones and communities in the Light. Read AFSC’s full statement here:  “We must increase the pressure on Israel and the Trump administration to demand an end to their illegal and immoral attacks. Congress also has the power to stop the U.S. from illegally entering a new war. Both the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973 are clear – the president must seek congressional approval before engaging in hostilities against another country. Last week, both the House and Senate introduced “War Powers” legislation to block the executive branch from taking unilateral and unauthorized action. We need members of Congress to speak out against this act of U.S. aggression and immediately pass these bills.”

We also appreciate this important statement from September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows: “As relatives of those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, [we] have learned a great deal about trying to end terrorism with war. It does not work. Today Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban, despite U.S. boots on the ground for two decades. Years of deadly military action in Iraq brought a branch of Al Qaeda to that nation where it had not previously existed. In the years following the invasion of Iraq, outrage over U.S. warfare led to the multiplication of branches of Al Qaeda throughout the Middle East and beyond. We unequivocally condemn the U.S. decision to enter the war that Israel initiated with Iran, a war that was already dependent on a supply of U.S. weapons and fuel.”

We urge our leaders to immediately withdraw from this illegal and dangerous path, and to take every possible step to de-escalate the violence and prevent a wider war. Peace and security will never be achieved through war and violence. We are grateful to all who demonstrated today in multiple locations throughout the state. Read more here. We see additional calls to action for June 28, and we urge you to contact our Members of Congress.

We celebrated Juneteenth on Thursday, while recognizing that the work to end state violence – in the forms of incarceration, detention and deportation, and the dehumanizing impacts of marginalization – is ongoing. We appreciate this commentary from our friend Woullard Lett, and insights from Isabella Wilkerson on NPR. From AFSC: On Juneteenth, we must honor the unfinished work of abolition. “It is time to unequivocally abandon the idea that putting human beings in cages or in bondage can somehow serve society. We may not know exactly what a world without cages and shackles will look like, nor do we know exactly how to get there. But it is past time to stop building solitary cells and electric chairs simply because we refuse to believe something else is possible. Our communities and our futures deserve better, and together we can get there.” 

We are delighted and relieved that Mahmoud Khalil was released on Friday from immigrant detention after 104 days of unjust confinement as punishment for his pro-Palestine activism. Watch his arrival at Newark Airport here. It is a joy to see Mahmoud united with his wife and child, and inspiring to see him back in the streets, calling for an end to the U.S. backed violence against Palestinians and Iranians.

We also paused to recognize World Refugee Day last week, with renewed commitment to the work of preventing the wars that create refugees, and gratitude for the thousands of people who have found safety and new beginnings here in New Hampshire – from Sudan, Congo, Bhutan, Bosnia, Iraq and many other places.

By a vote of 6 to 3, the US Supreme Court upheld a state law banning gender affirming care for young people. Read more here. Their decision will allow for more state laws that harm transgender people by denying them access to puberty blockers and hormone therapies. NH is among the states that have recently passed these harmful bills. Read more here. Now is the time to contact Governor Ayotte to urge her to veto these measures, as well as HB 148 which allows for discrimination against transgender people in bathrooms, prisons, and athletics.

We celebrate the great work of Hillsborough County community members who showed up in robust opposition to cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the use of the county’s jail to house immigrants in ICE custody. Read more here. And they didn’t just show up, they won when the county delegation voted along party lines to eliminate funding for this purpose. “I was moved, quite frankly, by the testimony from dozens of people,” [said Mark MacKenzie, a member of the county delegation.] “They’re more concerned than they ever have been about what's happening at the federal government and now they see this creeping into the local government, into our county.” More here.

Speaking of people power, scroll down to our events section and make sure you sign up to watch “Union,” an inspiring documentary about the successful campaign to organize Amazon warehouse workers in New York. The event takes place on July 17. Tickets are free but registration is required. Give your spirit a boost!

Let’s hope that people power has some influence over our state budget as well! House and Senate conferees reached a compromise on Thursday, June 19, which enabled the budget bills to move forward for a final vote in the full House and Senate on June 26. Read more here. While some dangerous and neglectful items were removed or corrected in the latest round of negotiations, Governor Ayotte has threatened to veto the budget if additional policies and funding levels aren’t modified, specifically restoring Group II retirement benefits for first responders, police, and corrections employees; restoring cuts to the NH Department of Health and Human Services; and school aid for the Manchester school district. Read more here, and here, and here. 

June 26 is the final day of action in the regular session; the rules do not allow for further amendments to the budget bills (or to any of the Committee of Conference reports), only up or down votes, so it isn’t clear how the governor’s concerns will be addressed before the legislators finalize their work. They may have to consider a ‘continuing resolution’ to keep the state government funded in case the budget negotiations continue beyond the June 30 fiscal year end date. 

Join advocates for a good state budget – one that invests in health care, supports for people with disabilities, public education, and affordable housing – at the Fight for our Future rally at the State House on Tuesday, June 24 starting at 5 PM.

Thank you to the advocates who were arrested last week during a “die in” to protest the proposed work requirements and monthly premiums for Medicaid recipients in the state budget. The action is part of the “Hands Off Medicaid” campaign; you can show solidarity with these leaders and this important cause by supporting them at court on August 8. Read more here, and read more about the likely impacts of harmful Medicaid policies here.

We recommend two recent op-eds on this important topic:
Loss of Medicaid would cost more and harm people (Union Leader), by Jake Berry and Kristine Stoddard
We all benefit when families can access care: Why Medicaid premiums threaten more than just budgets (IndepthNH), by Kris McCracken

Other notable developments in Committees of Conference last week include, unfortunately, a compromise agreement to enact mandatory minimums for certain kinds of crimes, an agreement to increase documentation requirements for absentee voting, and a failure to reach agreement on a proposal to keep cell phones out of classrooms.

Governor Ayotte signed 12 more bills into law.

Here we go into the last official week of the 2025 state legislative session. When the House and Senate meet on Thursday, June 26, they will vote – up or down, no amendments – on the Committee of Conference reports which were finalized last week. We notice that not all CoCs were able to reach agreement; at least nine bills were defeated last week by the CoC’s inability to find a solution. You can see all the CoC outcomes here. We’ve listed our priorities below. 

Next week will be our last regular issue of State House Watch for the 2025 session, but we’ll be back in a few weeks with a summary of the session. We’ll also chime back in if the state budget negotiation extends past the end of the fiscal year deadline of June 30.

Transition at AFSC-NH
We want to take a moment to share some news of an upcoming staff change at AFSC-NH. Grace Kindeke, who has served as Program Coordinator and immigrant rights advocate extraordinaire for the past five years, is moving on to another exciting position here in NH. We guarantee that you’ll continue to hear her mighty voice and see her in action. AFSC’s work for immigrant justice in New Hampshire has been nurtured and strengthened by the wisdom, passion, creativity, and knowledge that Grace has shared with all of us since 2020. We will miss her on our team, but we remind ourselves that the transition is only from co-worker to colleague.

ACTION ALERT

Sign 603 Forward's Better Budget Petition. Help show lawmakers that NH people are paying attention and that we demand a state budget that invests in our future, not one that smothers our hope for the basic American dream. Join the budget rally at the State House on Tuesday, June 24 at 5 PM.

Sign this ACLU NH action alert and tell Governor Ayotte to veto HB 324, a bill that would create a chilling effect for educators across NH and make it easier to ban books in classrooms and school libraries across the Granite State.

SUPPORT HB 67-FN-A, relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems. This positive bill would ensure that accessible voting systems are available for all elections. Please contact your Representatives and Senators and urge them to support this bill. You can find your Representatives' contact information here and your Senator’s contact information here.

OPPOSE HB 613, relative to use of accessible voting systems. This harmful bill discriminates against people with disabilities by permitting municipalities to opt out of providing accessible voting systems (AVS) for their local elections unless a voter provides written notice of their intent to use the AVS at least 60 days before an election. No other voter is required to notify their town’s clerk if, and how, they intend to vote at any point before election day. Please contact your Representatives and Senator and urge them to oppose this bill. You can find your Representatives' contact information here and your Senator’s contact information here.

Key:
LOB – Legislative Office Building (33 N. State St. Concord)
SH – State House (107 N. Main St. Concord)
OTP – “Ought to Pass,” the recommendation for approving a bill or an amendment
OTP/A – Ought to Pass with Amendment
ITL – “Inexpedient to Legislate,” the recommendation for defeating a bill or an amendment. 
ITL” can also be used as a verb.
“Without Recommendation” - This indicates that the committee vote was a tie for both ITL and OTP.  During the House session, these bills will be considered first as Ought to Pass.
Re-refer – When a Senate committee wishes to hold onto a bill for further consideration. The recommendation to re-refer must be approved in the full Senate. The committee will have until the end of the calendar year to meet about the bill and make a recommendation for further action. 
Retain – When a House committee wishes to hold onto a bill for further consideration. The committee makes this decision for themselves; approval in the full House is not needed. The committee has until the end of the calendar year to make a recommendation for further action.
RC – Roll call vote. Each legislator’s vote is recorded and attributed to them.
VV – Voice vote
DV – Division vote

Last week in the House and Senate
The House and Senate met in Committees of Conference last week. You can review the status of each CoC here, including the final proposal that will be voted on for each CoC. We refer you to the House calendar, pages 8-17, for the committees’ narratives about where and how they reached agreement and what changes were made. Here are all of the CoC’s we’re tracking. 

HB 1-A, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027. HB 1 is the spending plan for the State of New Hampshire government for the fiscal years 2026 and 2027, effective from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. 
HB 2-FN-A-L, relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures. HB 2 is the accompanying or enabling bill for the budget, or HB 1. 
HB 60, relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term. 
HB 67-FN-A,relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems. 
HB 71-FN,(Second New Title) prohibiting the school facilities to be used to provide shelter for aliens [sic], relative to department of health and human services contracts, requiring the use of public notices before re-assessment of property values for tax purposes, and relative to construction of a public pier on Hampton Beach and making an appropriation therefor. 
HB 143, (New Title) relative to the issuance of no trespass orders on municipal or school district property, the responsibility of local school districts to provide meals to students during school hours, and reimbursing schools for meals provided to students at no cost, and relative to expanding the crime of endangering the welfare of a child.
HB 154, enabling voters to request to have their ballots hand-counted. 
HB 273, relative to a parent’s access to their minor child’s library records. 
HB 377-FN, (New Title) relative to health care professionals administering hormone treatments and puberty blockers and relative to recognizing the second Thursday in October as children’s environmental health day. 
HB 464, (New Title) prohibiting certain candidates for political office from participating in counting ballots. 
HB 506-FN,(New Title) relative to background checks during motions to return firearms and ammunition and relative to invalidating out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants and relative to requiring schools to engage an owner’s project manager for construction of school building aid projects at the time of application. 
HB 557, relative to the information that appears on the school budget ballot. 
HB 613, (New Title) relative to use of accessible voting systems. 
HB 701, (New Title) relative to the terminal patients’ right to try act. 
HB 710-FN, (New Title) enabling electric utilities to own, operate, and offer advanced nuclear resources, and relative to purchased power agreements for electric distribution utilities and limitations on community customer generators. No agreement reached. The bill is defeated.
HB 712,(New Title) limiting breast surgeries for minors, relative to residential care and health facility licensing, and relative to the collection and reporting of abortion statistics by health care providers and medical facilities. 
HB 718, requiring the state board of education to report the unfunded financial impact to school districts for rules adopted by the board which exceed state or federal minimum standards. 
SB 14-FN, (New Title) relative to the penalty for certain fentanyl-related offenses; relative to establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for the crime of distribution of a controlled drug with death resulting; and relative to amending the penalties for the possession and use of a quantity of psilocybin for persons 18 years of age or older. 
SB 97-FN, relative to intra-district public school transfers. 
SB 108-FN, relative to the department of energy. 
SB 118-FN, (Second New Title) relative to the personal needs allowance of residents of nursing homes; making an appropriation to the department of health and human services for Hampstead hospital and residential treatment facility staff; establishing the Hampstead hospital and residential treatment facility capital investment fund; and permitting qualifying patients and designated caregivers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic use. 
SB 232, clarifying certain net metering terms and conditions. 
SB 291, relative to the religious use of land property tax exemption. 
SB 213, (New Title) relative to electioneering by public employees. 
SB 218, (New Title) relative to absentee ballots. 
SB 221, (New Title) relative to the verification of voter rolls annually. 
SB 287, requiring applicants for absentee ballots to present a copy of their photo identification with their application. 

Recommendation
The YOCOP (Youth Organizing Community of Practice) 2025 Mutual Aid Fund is open and accepting applications. Find more information here: YOCOP Mutual Aid Fund Application and the YOCOP Mutual Aid Fund Policy.

Job Postings
America Votes NH is hiring for a full-time Voting Rights Campaign Director as a part of a team focused on elections, campaigns, and voting rights in New Hampshire. The Voting Rights Campaign Director will lead a nonpartisan coalition, the NH Campaign for Voting Rights (NHCVR), and work with the America Votes coalition to organize around key voting rights issues in the state legislature, build relationships with stakeholders, and ensure voting access for all Granite Staters. Learn more and apply here.

The Resource Organizing Project (ROP) is hiring two positions to focus on donor and funder organizing across New England. The first position is a Donor Organizer who will be working to recruit and engage cross-class individual movement donors. The second position is an Associate Director for Resource Mobilization who will co-lead our overall strategy for expanding the pie of movement resources through collective fundraising projects. Learn more about both positions and apply here.

Upcoming Events 
Many thanks to Mike Franklin for creating this list of weekly vigils for peace and justice across the state. Find it here. 

Much gratitude to Occupy Seacoast for this comprehensive calendar of actions across the state. Find it here. 

June is Pride Month! 
We thank Queerlective for this statewide calendar of events. Find the ones near you!

Every Third Tuesday
Protect, Resist and Build with AFSC– 8 PM to 9:30 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Monthly webinar series that brings together AFSC constituents to learn about how to protect, resist, and build just peace, just migration, and just economies.

Every Wednesday
Solemn Vigils for Ceasefire Now - 2 PM in Dover at the district offices of Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Chris Pappas. The June 25 vigil will be at Shaheen’s office, 340 Central Avenue, Dover. The July 2 vigil will be at Pappas' district office, 15 Third Street, Dover; we gather at the entrance to Henry Law Park.

Every Thursday 
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Peace in Palestine & Israel - 5:30 PM. Hosted by AFSC.

Solemn Vigils for Ceasefire Now – 12 noon at City Hall Plaza, in front of the State House, Concord.

Every Friday 
AFSC Action Hour for a Ceasefire – 12 noon. Join AFSC staff every Friday at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT to hear updates from Gaza. Then, take action with us as we contact our elected officials and call for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access to Gaza. Our elected officials need to keep hearing from us. 

Stronger Together: Protect Our Neighbors Weekly Visibility – 4 PM to 5 PM. Hosted by the Stronger Together Coalition. Corner of North Main Street and Loudon Road, Concord. Join us for a weekly visibility to stand against the war being raged against our communities. Our immigrant loved ones and neighbors are being targeted and kidnapped off the streets. Our public dollars are being funneled into a violent, bloated deportation and detention machine while local police are being weaponized against the communities they are supposed to serve, and life-giving programs are being defunded. Stand with us to protect our communities. All are welcome! 

Tuesday, June 24
Fight for Our Future Rally – 5 PM. State House – 107 N. Main Street, Concord. Join local organizations, community members and advocates to protest the terrible state budget that has been passed which leaves too many people in our communities behind. All are welcome!

Wednesday, June 25
How Affordable Housing Happens - 8 AM to 10 AM. Hosted by NH Housing. This is the first event in our 2025 Affordable Housing Seminar Series. This dynamic session is designed to connect partners, spark collaboration, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the newly structured Multifamily Housing Division at New Hampshire Housing. Whether you’re a longtime stakeholder or just starting to work in this space, this is a valuable chance to connect, ask questions, and stay informed about the evolving landscape of affordable housing development in New Hampshire. 

Thursday, June 26
What's At Stake When Local Police Become Immigration Enforcers? - 11 AM. Hosted by American Immigration Council. From Tennessee to Florida to Texas to Nebraska, communities across the country are witnessing unprecedented immigration enforcement actions against immigrants. These worksite raids and community arrests occur at the hands of state and local police officers who are not formal federal immigration agents. As communities grasp this new reality of mass deportation, join the American Immigration Council to learn about the history, policies, and law behind the agreements that permit local police to enforce immigration laws.

NH Community Canvassing Training – 6 PM to 8 PM. Hosted by AFSC NH & GSOP. Email: gkindeke@afsc.org to register. Whether you're new to canvassing or looking to practice your skills, this training will prepare you to have meaningful conversations with our neighbors about their rights when interacting with immigration enforcement at home, work, school, while driving or in public. Share critical information about family preparedness, where to get legal help, and find support. Connect with other likeminded community members to build solidarity and strengthen our community's ability to take care of each other. 

Info Session: 350NH Youth Organizing Retreat - 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Hosted by 350NH. This info session is open to parents AND students! Please come learn about the 350NH Youth Retreat and ask Pat your questions. Organizing for a better world is challenging in these times, but our Youth Organizing Team is up for the challenge. If you are looking for a way to get more involved in climate justice organizing, want to learn how to turn your frustration into action, or want to build youth power in NH then please join us for our leadership and organizing retreat.

Saturday June 28 
Wellness Fair - 9 AM to 11 AM. 323 Gonic Rd Ste 2A, Rochester. Hosted by LifeBalance Counseling Center. Join us for a vibrant Wellness Fair right here at our office! This FREE, community-centered event is designed to celebrate and share the many pathways to holistic health—mental, emotional, and physical. We’re excited to bring together a diverse group of integrative health practitioners, each showcasing techniques and services that support overall well-being. Visitors can explore various approaches to self-care, meet local wellness experts, and discover tools to support a more balanced life.

Manchester Frederick Douglass Reading - "What to the Slave is your Fourth of July?"  - 11 AM to 2 PM. Manchester City Library - 405 Pine St. Manchester. Hosted by Manchester NAACP & the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire. 

NH Communities Read Frederick Douglass: "What to the Slave is your Fourth of July?"  - 12 PM. Various Locations Across NH. Hosted by Black Heritage Trail of NH & Local Community Groups. For the past several years, the BHTNH has collaborated with community leaders around the Granite State to bring people together to read Douglass’ historic protest speech and to reflect on its meaning. This event happens on the Saturday before the 4th of July at 12:00 pm (noon).

While reading Frederick Douglass’ work is a powerful experience for many, it is only one piece of the long-overdue conversations that our communities need to have. We hope that these readings will be a starting point for these difficult dialogues and that they will provide an opportunity for us to engage in deeper conversations that will lead to actions to help build more inclusive and just communities today.

Wednesday, July 2 
DACA Community Call: What Can DACA Recipients in Texas (and anywhere) Expect - 7 PM to 8 PM. Hosted by United We Dream. Join us to hear updates from legal experts on the 5th Circuit’s decision on DACA, what the latest DACA decision means for recipients in Texas and beyond, and how to stay protected with trustworthy resources and guidance.

Thursday, July 17
“Union” – 6:30 PM at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst Street, Manchester. This film documents the successful and against-all-odds effort by overworked Amazon employees to unionize Amazon’s JKF8 Warehouse in New York. Hosted by the New Hampshire Faith & Labor Alliance, several New Hampshire unions and friends of labor. Join us for a screening of this full-length documentary (102 minutes). Program begins at 6:30 PM; film begins at 7:15 PM. The tickets are free, but it’s important for folks to register here. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Thursday, July 24
Mary Anne Trasciatti - Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: The Rebel Girl, Democracy, and Revolution - 6:30 PM. Gibson's Bookstore - 45 S Main St. Concord. Born in Concord, NH in 1890, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was involved in almost every major campaign of the U.S. Left in the first two thirds of the twentieth century. An outstanding orator, writer, and tactician, Flynn is one of the most important figures in the history of the American labor movement. Inspired by the Irish freedom struggle and appalled by the exploitation and grinding poverty she saw around her, she devoted her life to the advancement of civil liberties. In her new book, Mary Anne Trasciatti traces Flynn’s personal and political life to explore the broader social issues of a fraught era.

Friday, July 25 to Sunday, July 27
5th Annual Youth Organizing & Leadership Retreat - World Fellowship Center, Albany, NH.  Hosted by 350NH Join us for a student-run leadership and organizing retreat for students across NH! Organizing for a better world is challenging in these times, but our Youth Organizing Team is up for the challenge. If you are looking for a way to get more involved in climate justice organizing, want to learn how to turn your frustration into action, or want to build youth power in NH then please join us for our leadership and organizing retreat. Deadline to sign up is June 25th! Learn more at the information session on June 26th here. 

With best wishes,
Maggie Fogarty, Grace Kindeke and Kathleen Wooten 

AFSC’s New Hampshire “State House Watch“ newsletter is published to bring you information about matters being discussed in Concord including housing, the death penalty, immigration, education, civil liberties, and labor rights. We also follow the state budget and tax system, voting rights, corrections policy, and more. 

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. Kathleen Wooten is AFSC’s State House Watch researcher and database manager.

"State House Watch" is made possible in part by a grant 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!.