“Evil can be opposed without being mirrored. Oppressors can be resisted without being emulated. Enemies can be neutralized without being destroyed.” ― Walter Wink
Greetings, State House Watchers.
This week brings Passover and Holy Week celebrations throughout the world; we honor these traditions’ important stories of liberation, solidarity with the marginalized, and the power of light over darkness.
We also want to lift up Transgender Day of Visibility on Tuesday, March 31, an occasion to bear witness to the courage, dignity, and full humanity of our transgender siblings in the midst of so many attempts to diminish them.
And we note that last Thursday, March 26 marked Equal Pay Day, explained by NH Fiscal Policy Institute as “the day that represents how far into the new calendar year the median full-time, year-round working woman would need to work to earn what the median full-time, year-round working man earned in the previous year.” In New Hampshire and in the US, women working full-time earn 81% of what men earn, with lifetime impacts due to the disparity and shortfall. Instead of seeing progress, women have lost ground with regard to pay equity for the second year in a row. Read more here and here.
Were you among the 8 million people who gathered to say “No Kings!” on Saturday? We are energized by the robust participation – including by so many newcomers, the creativity of the signs and costumes, the commitment to nonviolence, the community-building spirit, and the presence of anti-war and abolish ICE messages. We appreciate the conversations going on about how these large gatherings can support movement-building for justice and peace so that we can actually defeat authoritarianism and build a society where everyone can thrive. We recommend these articles, and we welcome your suggestions as well!
How to View Protests Like an Organizer, Tim Hjersted, March 28, 2026
So you went to a No Kings protest. Now what?, Fabiola Cineas, The Guardian, March 29, 2026
And check out AFSC’s next movement-building gathering, April 24-26 in Aiken, SC: Beyond the March: Turning a Rising into Real Power
On Friday, Governor Ayotte hastily signed HB 1815 into law, eroding the state’s obligation to fund public education. Read more here. We appreciate Garry Rayno’s assessment: “This bill is not going to improve children’s education in communities like Claremont, Allenstown, Pittsfield, Franklin and Lisbon, the original plaintiff towns in the Claremont lawsuit, nor Newport, Berlin, Charlestown, Stratford, Groveton, Milan, Farmington, Rochester, Somersworth nor Manchester. The definition of an adequate education gives those towns the options of cutting school nurses, administrators, librarians, janitors, while lowering the heat to 60 degrees and having parents pay for transportation for sports teams and field trips, and put off facility maintenance for another year….This legislature will go to great lengths to protect the wealthy from having to pay their fair share of the cost of education or anything else that looks like help for those with the least, which is the role of government.”
House members approved HB 112, which requires public university students to pass the citizenship test or another civics test as a requirement for graduation.
Senators approved SB 647, which would bring a free prescription discount card program to New Hampshire. From New Futures: “This program would offer significant cost savings and nationwide pharmacy access to Granite Staters, without selling their personal data. It would also help local, independent pharmacies stay in business, while generating revenue for the state. By helping New Hampshire address rising prescription costs while putting the savings directly into the pockets of Granite Staters, this program benefits everyone.”
The House Education Policy Committee heard hours of testimony on Wednesday against and in favor of SB 101, the open enrollment bill, and agreed to a second session this week given how many people were requesting to speak. Read more here.
There are no session days this coming week but a number of important hearings.
ACTION ALERTS!
There are no House or Senate sessions this coming week, but there are several hearings for which we ask you to sign in, an executive session, and a growing list of calls to make to Governor Ayotte.
Here are the links:
Sign in for House bills.
Sign in for Senate bills.
Email House committees.
Email Senate committees.
Contact your Senator.
Contact your Representatives.
Contact the governor.
Today – Contact the governor – Protect voting rights.
OPPOSE HB 323, requiring the presentation of a government-issued photographic means of identification in order to vote. From Open Democracy: “If enacted, HB 323 would ban the use of student IDs for voting—unfairly targeting young voters and discouraging student participation in New Hampshire’s elections. There is no evidence of voter fraud that this bill would address. Instead, it risks disenfranchising more eligible voters: already at least 244 Granite Staters were turned away from the polls in 2025 local elections alone—and diverts attention and taxpayer resources away from the real challenges facing our state.” The bill is expected to reach the governor’s desk within the coming week. Use this email action link to urge her to veto the bill.
Today – Contact the governor – Protect transgender rights.
From 603 Equality: "There are 6 pieces of nearly identical pieces of legislation making their way through the NH House and Senate. Let's remind Governor Kelly Ayotte’s that as recently as February, she's vetoed similar legislation. These bills seek to legalize discrimination for bathrooms, locker rooms, sports, and prisons on the basis of "biological sex" as defined as only "male" and "female,” completely erasing the scientific reality of intersex individuals. These discriminatory policies have no place in NH and create real world privacy and safety concerns for all Granite Staters. We need to stop HB 1442, HB 1447, HB 1299, HB 1217, SB 552 and SB 459.” Contact the governor and urge her to veto these bills when they arrive to her desk.
Tuesday, March 31 – Public hearings re: eviction and voting
OPPOSE HB 1499, relative to additional grounds for eviction under landlord tenant statute. This bill creates new grounds for eviction for individuals and families where someone has been convicted of various kinds of crimes within the past five years. From NH Justice for All: “This bill will have dire consequences for individuals and families renting in NH.” Read more here. It has a public hearing in Senate Judiciary on Tuesday, March 31 starting at 2:05 PM. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE HB 1062, authorizing the secretary of state to conduct random audits of the citizenship qualification of registered voters. From the NH Immigrant Rights Network: “This unnecessary legislation is aimed at addressing a virtually non-existent problem: the commission of voter fraud by noncitizens. Nationally and in New Hampshire, the incidence of voter fraud in general is rare but the incidence of voter fraud by noncitizens is ‘vanishingly small.’ [Furthermore,] this bill promotes suspicion of a segment of New Hampshire residents who have the right to vote either by birthright or through naturalization. U.S. citizens who were born outside the U.S.; naturalized citizens; voters with certain surnames; or who present with some other supposedly ‘suspicious feature’ will be vulnerable to undue scrutiny and possible investigation by the Attorney General. Some U.S. citizens will decide not to exercise their right to vote to avoid unjust scrutiny and [suspicion.” It has a public hearing in Senate Election Law on Tuesday, March 31 at 10:30 AM in Rooms 122-123, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
Wednesday, April 1 - Public hearings re: refugee resettlement and open enrollment
OPPOSE 1706, repealing the refugee resettlement program in the department of health and human services and prohibiting expenditure of state funds on refugee resettlement. This harmful bill has a public hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday, April 1 at 9:45 AM in Room 100, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE SB 101, (New Title) authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state and creating a limited exemption from parental consent required for certain recordings under the parental bill of rights. From NEA-NH: “This legislation mandates statewide open enrollment, allowing families to enroll their child in any public school in the state, regardless of where they live and requiring property taxpayers from one school district to potentially send 100% of the amount spent on average per pupil to the district the student attends. We know that property taxpayers are already stretched to keep up with costs of running their own local public schools and educators don't need larger class sizes; this legislation will only make that harder by requiring them to use local property tax dollars to pay tuition to other schools.” The House Education Policy and Administration Committee began this hearing last week, and will continue on Wednesday, April 1 at 10 AM in Room 232, GP. Please show up if you are able to do so, and sign in to oppose and share testimony.
Thursday, April 2 – Public hearings re: housing, DEI, and transgender rights
OPPOSE HB 1709, (New Title) prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons [sic] from occupying or renting real property. This bill would require sheriffs to conduct immigration enforcement during eviction proceedings, turning a limited federal option into a mandatory state policy. It has a public hearing in Senate Judiciary on Thursday, April 2 at 1:30 PM in Room 100, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE HB 1788, (New Title) holding state contracts with DEI provisions to be void as a matter of law and establishing a right of action for citizens where public entities or state agencies engage with contracts with DEI provisions. This bill requires courts to find that contracts that include DEI-related provisions are void as a matter of law, and allows citizens to sue public entities or state agencies for engaging in, or failing to investigate allegations of, contracts with DEI-related provisions. It has a public hearing in Senate Judiciary on Thursday, April 2 at 1:40 PM in Room 100, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE HB 1376, relative to a parent's ability to raise their child in a manner consistent with the child's biological sex. From 603 Equality: “This bill provides legal justification for parents to raise their trans children against the child's intended gender. This is especially important when considering placements for children in foster care. The sponsor of the bill spoke to their intentions during public testimony that they didn’t want a potential parent’s views on gender ‘ideologies’ to preclude them from being able to foster a child. As we’ve seen with other pieces of legislation, ‘gender ideologies’ is a catch-all term utilized to other trans folks and assign their gender as a fictitious aspect of belief, and not a core part of their identity.” This harmful bill has a public hearing in the Senate Children and Family Law Committee on Thursday, April 2 at 10 AM in Room 100, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
OPPOSE HB 1442, limiting the use of certain facilities on the basis of sex and redefining the term "gender identity." This is yet another bill that would ban transgender people from facilities that align with their gender identity. In addition, HB 1442 applies a criminal charge – “willful trespass” – to those who would use a bathroom that doesn’t align with the biological sex indicated on their birth certificate. The bill has a public hearing in Senate Judiciary on Thursday, April 2 at 1:50 PM in Room 100, SH. Please sign in to oppose and share testimony.
Friday, April 3 – Executive session re: mandatory minimums
OPPOSE SB 467, relative to the penalty for certain fentanyl-related offenses and establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for the crime of distribution of a controlled drug with death resulting. Evidence is clear that mandatory minimums are a bad idea; they are costly, ineffective, and unjust. Read more here and here. This harmful bill had its public hearing in the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on March 20, and now the committee will meet in executive session on Friday, April 3 to vote on it. Please take a moment to contact the committee and urge them to recommend defeat (ITL).
Key:
GP – Granite Place. More information here.
SH – State House (107 N. Main St. Concord)
SL – State Library
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
The full House met in session on Thursday. You can watch it here. Here are the bills we’re tracking which were voted on.
On the Consent Calendar
FINANCE
HB 1600-FN, (New Title) relative to access to the centralized voter registration database on election days. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1622-FN, requiring the state to develop additional solid waste disposal capacity. OTP by VV.
HB 1718-FN, relative to authorizing energy storage in connection with net metering. OTP by VV.
HB 1720-FN, relative to notice to child day care providers of child care scholarships. Laid on the table by VV.
WAYS AND MEANS
HB 1738-FN, relative to ratepayer benefits from the regional greenhouse gas initiative. OTP by VV.
On the Regular Calendar
FINANCE
HB 112-FN, (New Title) requiring students in the university and community college systems of New Hampshire to pass the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services civics naturalization test, take a course that covers fundamental American documents as part of the general education curriculum, or pass a civics course competency test. OTP by RC, 191-157.
HB 1633-FN, expanding the information provided to survivors of sexual assault regarding their existing rights. OTP by RC, 340-1.
HB 1705-FN, establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders and making an appropriation therefor. OTP-A by VV.
HB 1775-FN, relative to utility ownership of natural gas and nuclear power generation facilities. OTP by RC, 198-153.
Last week in the Senate
The Senate met in session on Thursday. You can watch it here. Here are the bills we’re tracking which were voted on.
On the Consent Calendar
EDUCATION
HB 1202, relative to dual and concurrent enrollment requirements for courses at institutions within the community college system of New Hampshire. OTP by VV.
HB 1270, clarifying the definition of part-time teacher. OTP by VV.
HB 1574-FN, relative to the extension of free and reduced price breakfast and lunch for students under the age of 22 and making an appropriation therefor. OTP by VV.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
HB 158, relative to public inspection of absentee ballot lists. OTP-A by VV.
HB 348, relative to eligibility for local assistance. OTP-A by VV.
FINANCE
SB 541-FN-A, making an appropriation for regional drinking water infrastructure. OTP-A by VV.
SB 545-FN, relative to financial eligibility for the Medicare savings program. OTP-A by VV.
SB 615-FN, establishing a commission to study the use and regulation of SNAP in New Hampshire. OTP by VV.
SB 661-FN, relative to pooled risk management programs. OTP-A by VV.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SB 520, relative to breast surgeries for minors. OTP-A by VV.
On the Regular Calendar
EDUCATION FINANCE
HB 1815-FN, relative to education financing. OTP by RC, 16Y-8N.
SB 659, relative to education financing. Laid on table.
FINANCE
SB 645-FN, relative to income eligibility for the New Hampshire child care scholarship program and reallocating certain revenue to fund the program. OTP by VV.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SB 476, relative to consumer health care cost transparency. OTP-A by RC, 16Y-8N.
SB 665-FN, requiring pharmacies to charge consumers the lowest available price for prescription drugs. OTP-A by VV.
JUDICIARY
SB 459, relative to biological sex in student athletics and prisons. OTP-A by RC, 15Y-9N.
SB 464-FN, relative to civil rights enforcement. OTP by VV.
SB 512-FN, relative to fees to annul criminal records related to charges that do not result in conviction. OTP-A by VV.
SB 558, relative to the appointment of the youth development center claims administrator. Laid on table.
SB 648, requiring age verification to allow access to certain material harmful to minors. OTP-A by VV.
SB 657-FN, relative to the oversight of artificial intelligence. OTP-A by VV.
Coming Up in the House
The House will not meet in session on Thursday, April 2. It is possible that they will meet the following week, on April 9.
Coming Up in House Committees
You can watch the House hearings here. You can sign in for House bills here. And you can contact House committees here.
Monday, March 30
EDUCATION POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 232, GP
10:00 AM SB 432-FN, authorizing the application of sunscreen in schools and camps without a licensed health care provider’s note or prescription and establishing a skin cancer prevention education program.
10:20 AM SB 578, relative to play-based curriculum and physical education curriculum.
1:00 PM SB 507, establishing a committee to study violence in schools directed at staff members and the obstacles to disciplining or expelling students in such circumstances.
2:00 PM SB 574, establishing a commission to study the efficiency and structure of school administrative units.
Tuesday, March 31
EDUCATION FUNDING, Room 232, GP
10:00 AM SB 491-FN, enabling students to utilize education freedom account funds to pay for certain career and technical education funding.
ELECTION LAW, Room 158, GP
10:00 AM SB 223-FN, prohibiting student identification cards from being used as photo identification for purposes of obtaining a ballot.
10:20 AM SB 405, relative to amounts reported by political committees.
10:40 AM SB 438, relative to the sharing of data between the department of safety and the secretary of state for the purposes of verifying the accuracy of information in the centralized voter registration database.
11:00 AM SB 534-FN, relative to foreign funding and influence in constitutional amendment and local ballot question campaigns.
11:20 AM SB 660, relative to photo identification cards issued solely for the purpose of voting.
PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS, Room 228, GP
10:00 AM SB 627-FN, relative to toll rate adjustments and periodic inflation-based toll reviews for the New Hampshire turnpike system to support the 2027-2036 ten-year transportation plan.
Wednesday, April 1
COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, Room 229, GP
1:15 PM SB 408-FN, relative to health insurance coverage for prosthetics.
1:45 PM SB 548-FN, relative to health carrier provider contract standards.
2:15 PM SB 610-FN, requiring an opportunity for public comment prior to proposed long-term care rate increases under certain circumstances.
EDUCATION POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 232, GP
10:00 AM Continued public hearing on SB 101-FN, authorizing parents to enroll their children in any public school in the state and creating a limited exemption from parental consent required for certain recordings under the parental bill of rights.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 231, GP
11:00 AM SB 488, enabling the governor to declare a state of emergency due to the failure of the legislature to pass a budget or continuing resolution to fund the New Hampshire state government by July 1 of the first year of a biennium.
1:30 PM SB 457-FN, relative to the licensing of physicians who graduated from medical schools outside of the United States or Canada.
Friday, April 3
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 159, GP
10:00 AM Executive session on SB 467-FN, relative to the penalty for certain fentanyl-related offenses and establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for the crime of distribution of a controlled drug with death resulting.
Monday, April 6
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY, Room 229, GP
9:00 AM SB 449-FN, relative to relative to the participation of large customer-generators in net metering and relative to energy storage in connection with net metering.
9:30 AM SB 538-FN, extending net metering eligibility terms for municipal energy projects.
1:00 PM SB 540-FN, relative to portable solar generation devices.
2:00 PM SB 589-FN, relative to port electrification, microgrid development, and cybersecurity standards for energy and water systems.
Tuesday, April 7
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY, Room 229, GP
10:00 AM SB 590-FN, relative to electric aggregation plans.
10:30 AM SB 591-FN, relative to electric utility investment in distributed energy resources.
1:00 PM SB 599-FN, relative to the renewable energy fund.
Wednesday, April 15
WAYS AND MEANS, Reps Hall, SH
3:00 PM Public hearing on proposed amendment #2026-1134h to CACR 12, relating to voting on broadbased taxes. Providing that a supermajority vote of the general court shall be required to enact any broad-bases taxes. This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution prohibits the house of representatives from adopting any tax on personal income.
Coming Up in the Senate
The Senate will not meet in session next week.
Coming Up in Senate Committees
You can watch the Senate hearings here. You can sign in for Senate bills here. And you can contact Senate committees here.
Tuesday, March 31
COMMERCE, Room 100, SH
10:00 AM HB 1588-FN, establishing special assessment districts and expands the housing infrastructure grant program to allow for municipal upgrades linked to new housing and making an appropriation therefor.
EDUCATION, Map Room, SL
9:15 AM HB 1774-FN, relative to qualifying scholarship granting organizations and federal workforce Pell grants.
9:25 AM HB 1817-FN, relative to access to curricular courses and cocurricular programs within school districts.
9:35 AM HB 1828-FN, requiring the department of education to establish an auditing process relative to teacher preparation programs at the post-secondary educational level.
9:45 AM HB 1836-FN, relative to the input-based accountability system requirements and enforcement.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, Room 122-123, SH
9:00 AM HB 1541-FN, requiring the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.
9:15 AM HB 1601-FN, requiring the secretary of state to create a voter education program that includes information on recent changes to voting laws.
9:30 AM HB 1667-FN, establishing the first-in-the-nation security task force to coordinate planning for presidential campaign events.
10:15 AM HB 1309, relative to town meeting warrants.
10:30 AM HB 1062, authorizing the secretary of state to conduct random audits of the citizenship qualification of registered voters.
10:45 AM HB 1076, relative to authorizing or rescinding the use of electronic ballot counting devices.
11:00 AM HB 1125, enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.
1:00 PM HB 1131, relative to the official ballot referendum form of town meetings.
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1:15 PM HB 1100-FN, establishing an exception to the prohibition against interception and disclosure of telecommunication or oral communications.
1:55 PM HB 1598-FN, relative to notice and proceedings for tenants and landlords engaged in eviction processes.
2:05 PM HB 1499-FN, relative to additional grounds for eviction under the landlord and tenant statute.
Wednesday, April 1
EDUCATION FINANCE, Room 100, SH
1:00 PM HB 1121, defining the cost of an adequate education.
1:20 PM HB 1610, allowing school districts to annually retain year-end unassigned general funds.
1:30 PM HB 1816-FN, relative to the intervention of the department of education into a school or school district during a financial emergency.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, Room 103, SH
1:15 PM HB 1247, requiring the secretary of state to create, post on the secretary of state’s website, and otherwise distribute notice of proposed constitutional amendments.
1:45 PM HB 1306, relative to the counting of absentee ballots.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 103, SH
10:00 AM HB 1727, relative to the inter-agency data sharing for the purpose of distributing summer electronic benefit transfer (EBT) benefits.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 100, SH
9:00 AM HB 1117-FN, relative to the right of licensed health care providers to freely communicate with patients, colleagues, and the public about medical information, emerging therapies, and treatment options.
9:45 AM HB 1706-FN, repealing the refugee resettlement program in the department of health and human services and prohibiting expenditure of state funds on refugee resettlement.
WAYS AND MEANS, Room 122-123, SH
10:30 AM HB 1433-FN, creating a child care tax credit for qualifying businesses.
Thursday, April 2
CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW, Room 100, SH
10:00 AM HB 1376, relative to a parent’s ability to raise their child in a manner consistent with the child’s biological sex.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 103, SH
1:00 PM HB 1719-FN, removing Hepatitis B from the list of diseases for which immunization is required under state law.
1:20 PM HB 1584-FN, directing the department of health and human services to provide notice of medical and religious exemptions from immunization requirements and relative to the form of such exemption.
1:40 PM HB 524-FN, relative to disbursement of funds by the New Hampshire vaccine association and establishing a committee to study the efficacy of the New Hampshire vaccine association.
2:00 PM HB 1449, limiting times vaccine clinics may operate at schools and requiring parents or legal guardians to be present with their child during the administration of vaccinations at such a clinic.
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1:20 PM HB 1356-FN, relative to the statute of limitations for bringing a private right of action for violation of the statute prohibiting medical procedures and treatments intended to alter a minor’s gender.
1:30 PM HB 1709-FN, prohibiting certain unlawfully present felons from occupying or renting real property.
1:40 PM HB 1788-FN, holding state contracts with DEI provisions to be void as a matter of law and establishing a right of action for citizens where public entities or state agencies engage with contracts with DEI provisions.
1:50 PM HB 1442-FN, limiting the use of certain facilities on the basis of sex and redefining the term “gender identity.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
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 April 1 vigil will be at Shaheen’s office, 2 Washington Street, Dover; we gather at the entrance to Henry Law Park. The April 8 vigil will be at Pappas' district office, 15 Third Street, Dover.
Every First Wednesday
Mindful Meditation with Aryaloka Buddhist Center of Newmarket - 6 PM to 7 PM, Waysmeet, 15 Mill Road, Durham. Join us for a monthly, volunteer-led guided meditation. We have some cushions and yoga mats to share; you’re invited to bring whatever you may need to feel comfortable for 30 minutes of meditation. Free and open to all. For more information: waysmeetcenter.org/calendar.
Every Third Wednesday
Countering Christian Nationalism conversation – 7 PM, hosted by the NH Council of Churches, every third Wednesday of the month. Zoom link here.
Every Thursday
Meeting for Worship with Attention to Peace – 7:30 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Every week, AFSC’s Quaker Engagement team hosts Meeting for Worship virtually for Friends from across the globe. Embracing the practice of Quaker unprogrammed worship, we gather to bring our attention to witnessing injustice in our world and bolstering our solidarity with people facing oppression. Join us to explore and experience the spiritual dimensions of activism and social justice.
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 to hear updates on what’s happening in Gaza. Then, take action with us as we contact Congress and call for a permanent cease-fire, arms embargo on Israel, and humanitarian access for Gaza. Our elected officials need to keep hearing from us!
Stronger Together: Protect Our Neighbors Weekly Visibility – 3 PM to 4 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!
Every Second Saturday
Nashua Immigrant Solidarity Vigil – 12 PM to 1 PM, hosted by Granite State Organizing Project (GSOP), at United Methodist Church, 154 Main Street, Nashua. Lately, the loudest voices have been those of hate and division. This is our opportunity to show our community that there are people here who welcome immigrants. Bring signs with positive messages.
Every Fourth Friday
Sacred Circle Dance for Spring Equinox – 6 PM to 7:30 PM, at the Community Church of Durham UCC, 15 Main Street Durham. Join us to celebrate the Spring Equinox with dance! People in all cultures, throughout history and across the world, dance. We join in this tradition with dances from a multi-cultural folk dance background. The dances are accessible to many ages, body types and experience levels. Steps taught at all dance sessions. No experience or partner needed. We gather to dance on the fourth Friday of every month in Seacoast NH. Cost: sliding scale of $5-25, pay at the door, cash or check please.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Trans Day of Visibility: Trans Day of Snacks + Crafts – 5:30 PM to 7 PM, 603 Equality is partnering with some amazing orgs to bring you Trans Day of Snacks at two locations: 72 Concord Street, Manchester hosted by Manchester Tru; and 100 Campus Drive, Portsmouth, hosted by NH Outright. We’ll have snacks, pizza, art, and community to honor, support & uplift the trans community. This family-friendly event will include crafts; we’ll have supplies and materials available.
Advocacy and Pizza - 6 PM to 7 PM, every Tuesday in March, at the YWCA, 72 Concord Street, Manchester. Hosted by Queerlective and 603 Forward. Too many bills. Not enough executive function? Join us every Tuesday at the YWCA Manchester to eat pizza and take action together. We’ll provide a weekly cheat sheet of current bills, share action steps from community partners, and provide support for online sign-ins and testimony.
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Your Passion Your Leadership: Managing Great Volunteers – 6 PM to 7:30 PM, Hanover Howe Library, 13 South Street, Hanover. This is the fifth workshop in our series “Your Passion, Your Leadership: A Workshop Series for Aspiring Women Advocates,” and will focus on recruiting, training, and sustaining volunteers, with strategies for creating inclusive and energized teams that can carry the work forward. Your presenter MacKenzie Nicholson is a policy and advocacy leader and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, holding a B.S. in Family Studies with a concentration in Child Advocacy and Family Policy, and an M.S. in Public Policy. She is currently Senior Director at MomsRising, where she leads advocacy efforts focused on policies impacting low-income families, pay equity, and health equity.
Friday, April 3, 2026
A Good Friday Musical Meditation: The Music of Paul Simon – 7:30 PM, 33 Government Street, Kittery, Maine. Hosted by Second Christian Church of Kittery, UCC, North Church of Portsmouth and First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, UCC. Join us for our 2026 Good Friday Musical Meditation. Make sure you have this on your calendar. You won't want to miss it! Your $20 suggested donation at the door will go to support the important work of Kittery's social service hub Mainspring Collective.
Monday, April 6, 2026
Peace & Justice Conversations: Nuclear Weapons & Your Tax Dollars - 7 PM to 8 PM, online. Every year on tax day, our country funds its national priorities and budget. According to Jim Wallis of Sojourners Magazine “budgets are moral documents.“ Where do nuclear weapons fit in our priorities? Now in its 38th year, the Nuclear Weapons Community Cost Project presents a comprehensive calculation of the total nuclear expenditures by our communities. Dr. Dodge will present an overview of this year‘s project.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
April Short & Sweet Speaker Series – 4 PM to 4:45 PM, hosted online by AFSC, NHCUCC, and NH Voices of Faith. 45-minute Zoom sessions with 15 minutes of a presentation (with guest speaker), 15 minutes of Q & A, and 15 minutes about taking action.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Film: The Voice of Hind Rajab – 7 PM at 3S Artspace, Portsmouth. Join 3S Artspace and Not in My Name NH for a film screening followed by a Q&A facilitated by Not in My Name NH. The evening will also include a marketplace of Palestinian art and crafts, and olive oil from the West Bank. About the film: On January 29, 2024, Red Crescent volunteers received an emergency call. A 5-year-old girl trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they did everything they could to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab. Blending real emergency call recordings with narrative story structure, the film follows the Red Crescent dispatchers who fight against time and impossible barriers to reach her.
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Your Passion Your Leadership: Stories of Success – 6 PM to 7:30 PM, Hanover Howe Library, 13 South Street, Hanover. This is the sixth workshop in our series, “Your Passion, Your Leadership: A Workshop Series for Aspiring Women Advocates.” A panel of women community advocates will share firsthand experiences of organizing against harmful policies, building coalitions, and winning real victories, offering inspiration and practical lessons for participants’ own leadership journeys. Your presenter Zandra Rice Hawkins is a nonprofit executive director, former City Councilor, PTA volunteer, and longtime community advocate who believes deeply that we are stronger together. She is the Founding Executive Director of Granite State Progress, a statewide communications and research hub advancing progressive policy in New Hampshire.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
A Long Talk - Transformative Conversations for Change – 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, at Wesley United Methodist Church, 79 Clinton Street, Concord. A Long Talk was developed by two black fathers, Kyle Williams and Kamal Carter, in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, during a moment of national reckoning. There was a collective and international outcry, but a notable gap existed between intention and action. People wanted to help but didn’t know where to start. A Long Talk was developed. It provides a space for conversations that people are afraid to have. A Long Talk provides an activation experience designed to empower participants with knowledge and skills to interrupt problematic thinking and behaviors. This program has been offered to universities, corporations, high schools, and grade schools across the US. A Long Talk has become “a war on ignorance” and has grown to be an experience that empowers people to respond to racism, xenophobia, and homophobia.
Bird-dog Training - 1 PM to 3 PM, at 4 Park Street, Concord. Want to learn to bird-dog the candidates like a pro? Join us for a training by Arnie Alpert and Olivia Zink. The term “bird-dog” comes from hunting; the bird-dog’s job is to flush the birds out of the bushes and into the open. Politicians are like the birds–they try to keep their positions hidden behind vague rhetoric. Using tightly crafted questions, the successful bird-dog forces candidates to reveal their position on an issue. Learn how to ask questions on issues of importance to the candidates who are visiting our towns! The NH Coalition for a Just Peace in the Middle East, Open Democracy Action and NH Peace Action are hosting this training designed to explain how to strategically follow and quiz candidates about significant issues. With incomparable access to presidential candidates and the media who follow them, New Hampshire’s citizen “bird-dog” can shift the political tides of the nation. We show up at candidate appearances with honed questions that both educate onlookers and the media, and elicit informative answers from the targeted candidate. Space is limited! Register today.
Sunday April 12, 2026
Tales from Trans+ Lives Nashua/Milford – 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (address shared at registration). Hosted by 603 Equality. Join us for an evening of storytelling to learn more about the lives of local transgender and nonbinary people, in an intimate and inviting environment. Storytellers will share their lives at some depth, with humor and openness: transition, healthcare, schools, challenges, successes, hopes, and fears. Following individual sharing, we will open the floor to thoughtful questions and reflections.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
What Granite State Families Need to Know About Changes to Medicaid – 5:30 PM to 7 PM, Frisbie Memorial Hospital, the Belknap Room, 11 Whitehall Road, Rochester. This local event (hosted by Medicaid Matters) will provide updates on the upcoming changes to Medicaid due to new state and federal laws. It will include an interactive discussion on the timing for the roll out of changes, including what's already in effect and what's still to come. Participants may share perspectives on the impact to individuals, families and the greater community. Refreshments will be available. If you want to stay informed on what's changing and how it affects you, your loved ones, or your work, please join us.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Open Democracy Book Club: The Hard Work of Hope – 7 PM to 8:30 PM, online. The Hard Work of Hope takes you into the heady days of 1960s and 1970s activism, chronicling the hopes and strategies of the young people who created the movements that rocked the country. Hosted by Open Democracy.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Voices of Faith Legislative Luncheon- 11:45 AM to 2PM, NH State House cafeteria, 107 North Main Street, Concord. Join NH Voices of Faith, NH Conference United Church of Christ, NH Council of Churches, Granite State Organizing Project, and Welcoming NH for lunch with our legislators at the NH State House! We'll build community, connect with our elected officials, and speak to our issues of concern related to immigration, LGBTQ+, public education, worker rights, housing, and fair taxation. After lunch, join us as we head to Governor Ayotte's office to urge her to veto several bills that would be harmful to Granite Staters.
Building Community in New Hampshire: Honoring Refugee Journeys in NH – 5 PM to 7 PM, at Energy Park, 780 N. Commercial Street, Manchester. Join BCNH for a joyful, powerful celebration of refugee resettlement— and a clear statement that NH welcomes refugees and immigrants.
Friday, April 24, 2026
For the Sake of Joy: Meetings, Pilgrimage, and the Re-Olding of Quakerism – 7 PM, in person or on Zoom. Are you part of a Friends Meeting, new to or exploring worship with Quakers, or curious about the life and testimony of Friends today—and tomorrow? Noah Merrill will offer some reflections and invitations, grounded in ministry with Friends and beyond over the past two decades, on the relevance, reality, and possibility of local faith communities rooted in the faith and practice of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in these times.
Sunday, April 26, 2026
603 Equality De-Escalation Trainings – 10 AM to 5 PM, in Keene, NH (address shared at registration). 603 Equality is offering a Deescalation and Self-Defense training led by Impact Boston. This is a scenario-based training to develop verbal deescalation and basic physical self-defense skills specifically for the trans/queer/gender non-conforming community. This will include responses to bullying, harassment and bathroom enforcement scenarios. This training is centered in a trauma-informed, disability-aware, queer-positive, feminist approach, and your feelings are welcomed.
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Unmasking Christian Nationalism: Institution, Ideology, & Impact: Impacts on Government & Family – 10 AM to 12 noon. Online event hosted by NH Council of Churches. This is the first of a 3-part series on how this ideology is playing out in government and family life. We will examine concrete examples of how this version of white supremacy influences legislation, administrative decisions, civic participation, and public narratives about families, gender roles, authority, and belonging.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
De-Escalation/Self Defense Concord – 10 AM to 5 PM, in Concord (address shared at registration). 603 Equality is offering a Deescalation and Self-Defense training led by Impact Boston. This is a scenario-based training to develop verbal deescalation and basic physical self-defense skills specifically for the trans/queer/gender non-conforming community. This will include responses to bullying, harassment and bathroom enforcement scenarios. This training is centered in a trauma-informed, disability-aware, queer-positive, feminist approach, and your feelings are welcomed.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
NH Center for Equity and Justice – Annual Meeting – 1:30 PM – 6 PM, The Hawthorn, 33 Jewell Court, Portsmouth. Be part of NHCJE’s Annual Meeting! Join over 150 change – makers in coming together to organize & collaborate across sector, issue, identity, in support of our states marginalized communities.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Tales from Trans+ Lives Lake Region – 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (address shared at registration). Join 603 Equality for an evening of storytelling to learn more about the lives of local transgender and nonbinary people, in an intimate and inviting environment. Storytellers will share their lives at some depth, with humor and openness: transition, healthcare, schools, challenges, successes, hopes, and fears. Following individual sharing, we will open the floor to thoughtful questions and reflections.
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Windham Pride Festival – 12 PM to 4 PM, at Windham High School. Hosted by Windham Citizens for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This community favorite event is free and family friendly. Come experience incredible live entertainment, delicious food trucks, and fun activities guaranteed to keep everyone entertained and engaged all day long. All this, while supporting our local LGBTQ+ community!
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Concord Pride 5K Run/Walk – 9 AM, at the NH State House, Concord. The Concord Pride 5K is back for year three! Registration is open!
With best wishes,
Maggie Fogarty, Maille & Kathleen Wooten, and April Richer
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 is the NH Director for AFSC which publishes this newsletter; April Richer is the NH Interfaith Organizer. Maille Wooten, in partnership with Kathleen Wooten, is AFSC’s State House Watch researcher and database manager.
"State House Watch" is made possible with your financial support. 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!