Sign hangs from the AFSC office window at 4 Park Street, Concord NH
“When I was young, I felt the physical weight of race constantly. We had less. Our lives were more violent. And whether by genes, culture, or divine judgment, this was said to be our fault. The only tool to escape this damnation—for a lucky few—was school. Later I went out into the world and saw the other side, those who allegedly, by genes, culture, or divine judgment, had more but—as I came to understand—knew less. These people, white people, were living under a lie. More, they were, in some profound way, suffering for the lie. They had seen more of the world than I had—but not more of humanity itself. Most stunningly, I realized that they were deeply ignorant of their own country’s history, and thus they had no intimate sense of how far their country could fall. A system of supremacy justifies itself through illusion, so that those moments when the illusion can no longer hold always come as a great shock.” ― Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Message
Greetings, State House Watchers,
Nearly five months into this challenging state legislative session, and four months into Trump 2.0, it is understandable to be weary and discouraged, but so many of you just keep showing up, making the calls and sending your letters, joining protest actions and bringing your neighbors, and finding ways to tell the truth about what is at stake and why it matters. Thank you for your commitment, perseverance and resistance!
Let’s be sure to remember that while we resist, we must also build, which is about way more than restoring or reforming the systems that were never truly designed to serve us all. When organized and focused, we can harness our collective power to care for each other and build peaceful and just communities. We recommend this piece by Barbara Peterson in Waging Nonviolence: Why building inspiring alternatives is necessary to counter authoritarianism: “Authoritarianism thrives when people are isolated and dependent — when food, energy, housing and safety are controlled by a handful of elites. But when communities feed each other, house each other, teach each other and protect each other — they are less dependent on dominant systems, which allows them to mount a more effective resistance. Such communities, then, don’t just survive. They become ungovernable by any unjust governing body, regardless of who is in power.”
We celebrate with the family of Juan Francisco Mendez that he has finally been released from immigrant detention, a week after the government’s case against him had been dismissed as nonexistent. Juan Francisco is home, and we pray that he and his loved ones will heal from the violence and injustice he experienced. Read more here.
We express our solidarity with the Dartmouth student workers as they continue in a protracted struggle for a good contract and fair treatment by university management. The university’s disregard for the students’ concerns has prompted student organizers to prepare to go on strike this coming week. Read more here. Support from allies is welcomed and needed. You can read about the history of the negotiations process, the students’ demands, and ways to support them here.
These days our state legislators are busy with executive sessions and floor votes in advance of the June 5 deadline to finalize their work in each body. The Senate Finance Committee is making lots of decisions about their version of the budget, which will be published by May 29 prior to the full Senate vote on June 5. Soon, we’ll be in the ‘Committee of Conference’ phase of the process when differences in the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of a bill must be accepted or reconciled, or the bill will be defeated. For some bills, the process has already been completed, and Governor Ayotte signed 23 of them into law last week.
Given the terrible anti-immigrant messages that dominated the political campaigns of the governor and the House and Senate majorities, we are dismayed but not surprised to see several anti-immigrant bills move forward this year. These bills will contribute to the growing violence against immigrant community members as local, county and state law enforcement agencies choose to or are required to participate in the mass deportation agenda of the Trump administration. Read more here. Representative Joe Sweeney (R-Salem) has been leading the charge against immigrants this session and is currently making baseless claims against the student population at the University of New Hampshire. Read more here.
We’re glad to see that New Hampshire’s legal age for marriage – 18 years old – was affirmed last week, when the Senate defeated HB 433 which would have lowered the marriage age when one member of the pair is involved in military service. We are thankful for the leadership of Rep. Cassandra Levesque and Unchained At Last.
Unfortunately, the Senate did approve, along party lines, a book banning bill, HB 324. Since the House had already passed this bill, it heads to the governor for a final determination. A similar bill, SB 33, is scheduled for a vote in the House Education Policy and Administration Committee on Tuesday, having already passed the Senate. See below for our action alert. From ACLU-NH: “Politically motivated censorship has no place here, and attacking Granite Staters’ First Amendment rights is antithetical to our state’s core values. Book bans are archaic, do not work, and are designed to limit the information, communities, and context that we can access. HB 324 even goes so far as to give the state board of education the ability to overrule the decisions of local school boards as to whether certain books should be allowed in school libraries….Bills like this undermine our right to education by throwing open the floodgates to ban books based on personal preference and encourage self-appointed censors, including the state board of education, to impose their beliefs on all Granite State families. Students have a right to learn from a diverse range of materials — including library books by and about marginalized communities — and we must support that right.”
Meanwhile in Congress, House Republicans are attempting to advance a ghastly and massive bill that will impose dramatic reductions to food assistance and health care for low-income households, while expanding tax breaks for the wealthiest people. Read more from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities here and here.
Also in Congress, the House Ways and Means Committee is trying to give President Trump unprecedented power to shut down nonprofit organizations, by including in a nearly 400-page tax bill a dangerous provision that would allow the administration to strip nonprofits of their status by alleging – without proof or due process – support for “terrorism.” President Trump has already indicated he would use this power to quash free speech and punish groups that oppose his agenda. Social justice organizations, faith-based organizations, universities, news outlets, and others would all be at risk. AFSC is calling on Members of Congress to remove this language from the bill immediately.
We applaud the courage of Logan Rozos, graduate of New York University (NYU) who used his opportunity as graduation speaker to address the moral urgency of the US-funded destruction of Gaza: “The only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine,” he began. Read more here. NYU leadership responded by withholding his diploma, another example of free speech rights being sacrificed to political cowardice and complicity. Add your voice to those calling upon NYU to reverse course. Rozo’s message came one day before ceremonies throughout the world recognized the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, when 700,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes. Read more here and here.
ACTION ALERTS
Note that the following Action Alerts are not all the same. Please read each one carefully as the instructions are different depending on where the bill is in the process.
When a public hearing is scheduled, members of the public have the opportunity sign in online to register their opposition or support for a bill. After a public hearing has taken place and the committee is ready to vote on a bill, they will hold an executive session. There is no sign-in or public testimony at executive sessions, but you can still contact members of that committee by email or phone to let them know how you’d like them to vote.
The Senate committee pages provide a link to “contact entire committee,” which will open your email app and populate it with the email addresses of all committee members. House committees don’t have that handy feature, but thanks to Katy Cutshall, here’s a list of members for each House committee, which makes it easy to cut and paste.
TUESDAY, MAY 20 – EXECUTIVE SESSION
OPPOSE SB 100, relative to violations of the prohibition on teaching discrimination. This harmful bill would prevent the teaching of true history and is a thinly veiled attempt to codify the “divisive concepts” law (which NH courts have already ruled as unconstitutional). This bill will have an executive session in the House Education Policy & Administration Committee, Room 206-208 LOB on Tuesday, May 20 at 9:30 AM. Note that the online sign-in period has passed, but please contact committee members to urge them to recommend defeat for this bill.
OPPOSE SB 33-FN, relative to the regulation of public school materials. This unconstitutional bill would rely on a single designee to determine which materials would be removed. This bill will have an executive session in the House Education Policy & Administration Committee, Room 206-208 LOB on Tuesday, May 20 at 9:30 AM. Note that the online sign-in period has passed, but please contact committee members to urge them to recommend defeat for this bill.
OPPOSE SB 211, relative to biological sex in student athletics. This bill requires school sports teams to be expressly designated as male, female, or coed, denies transgender students the opportunity participate on sports teams that align with their gender identity, and creates a cause of action for violations of these requirements. These restrictions would apply to “any interscholastic, intercollegiate, athletic team, sport, or athletic event that is sponsored or sanctioned by a school, school district, or organization under the control of the state board of education, or an institution of higher education under either the university system or the community college system.” This bill will have an executive session in the House Education Policy & Administration Committee, Room 206-208 LOB on Tuesday, May 20 at 9:30 AM. Note that the online sign-in period has passed, but please contact committee members to urge them to recommend defeat for this bill.
THURSDAY, MAY 22 – HOUSE VOTES
OPPOSE SB 13-FN, invalidating out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. This harmful bill would misuse public funds to target immigrant drivers from out of state who are driving with valid licenses. It will promote racial profiling and create a hostile and unwelcoming environment – adversely impacting our economy and community ties. Adding to its harm, an amendment has been included which would also make current and pending asylum seekers ineligible for a NH driver’s license. It is headed to the House floor on Thursday, May 22 at 10 AM with a committee recommendation of OTP-A. Please contact your own representatives and urge them to defeat this harmful bill. You can find their phone numbers, addresses and emails here.
OPPOSE SB 72-FN, establishing a parents’ bill of rights in education. This unnecessary parental rights bill pits parents and educators against each other, ignoring the mechanisms currently in place to ensure open lines of communication between school staff, students and families. An amendment has been included that would require written parental notification for a minor to access birth control and other reproductive healthcare. It is headed to the House floor on Thursday, May 22 at 10 AM with a committee recommendation of OTP-A. Please contact your own representatives and urge them to defeat this harmful bill.You can find their phone numbers, addresses and emails here.
THURSDAY, MAY 22 – SENATE VOTES
OPPOSE HB 60, relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term. This forced eviction bill would harm tenants and increase homelessness in a state already experiencing high housing costs and low housing availability. Although it has been amended to be less harmful, we agree with housing advocates that enabling state law to make it easier in any way for tenants to be evicted without just cause is unconscionable. It is headed to the Senate floor on Thursday, May 22 at 10 AM with a committee recommendation of OTP-A. Please contact your own senators and urge them to defeat this harmful bill. You can find their phone number, address and email here.
SUPPORT HB 343, relative to reporting regarding the northern border alliance program. From bill sponsor, Rep. Alissandra Murray: “This bill expands the existing reporting requirements for the Northern Border Alliance to ensure that sufficient data is collected and shared with the legislature. Specifically, the bill codifies certain information that is already being reported, and it requires further reporting on the distribution of program funds, as well as on the nature of Customs and Border Protection related incidents.” It is headed to the Senate floor on Thursday, May 22 at 10 AM with a committee recommendation of ITL. Please contact your own senators and urge them to support this commonsense bill. You can find their phone number, address and email here.
OPPOSE HB 148, permitting classification of individuals based on biological sex under certain circumstances. Passage of this bill would allow for discrimination against transgender people in NH and roll back important protections that were signed into law in 2018. It is headed to the Senate floor on Thursday, May 22 at 10 AM with a committee recommendation of OTP. Please contact your own senators and urge them to defeat this harmful bill. You can find their phone number, address and email 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
The House did not meet in session last week.
Last week in the Senate
The full Senate met in session on Thursday, May 15 at 10 AM. Here are the results for the bills we’re tracking.
On the Consent Calendar
EDUCATION
HB 235, relative to amending the educator code of ethics and code of conduct to include responsibility to parents. OTP by VV.
HB 324-FN, relative to prohibiting obscene or harmful sexual materials in schools. OTP by RC, 15Y-8N.
HB 361, prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools. Committee recommends OTP. Removed from Consent Calendar and special ordered to June 5, 2025.
HB 781-FN, requiring school districts to adopt policies establishing a cell phone-free education. OTP by VV.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
HB 67-FN-A, relative to agreements with the secretary of state for the use of accessible voting systems. OTP-A by VV.
HB 274, relative to the verification of voter rolls annually. ITL by VV.
HB 340-FN, relative to electioneering by public employees. Re-referred to committee.
HB 481, relative to moving the state primary date. This bill would move the state primary date from September to June. The Committee wishes to hold onto this bill in order to observe the progress of similar legislation currently making its way through the legislature. Re-referred to committee.
HB 546-FN, relative to financial disclosures and the public reporting of those disclosures by the secretary of state. ITL by VV.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
HB 233, requiring meetings of the New Hampshire vaccine association to be audio and video recorded and published on its website within 48 hours. Re-referred to committee.
JUDICIARY
HB 433-FN, making 17 the age of consent for marriage if either party is active duty military and removing language regarding age waivers for marriage registration records, since age waivers are no longer issued in New Hampshire. ITL by VV.
TRANSPORTATION
HB 105-FN, creating a new conservation license plate and directing the additional fee to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund. Re-referred to committee.
HB 321-FN, requiring the division of motor vehicles to extend a fine payment period for certain motor vehicle violations from 30 days to 90 days if the driver requests the extension. Re-referred to committee.
HB 452-FN, relative to the issuance of drivers’ licenses for aliens [sic] temporarily residing in New Hampshire. This bill would deny driver licenses to many groups of legally present immigrants who can currently receive them. Re-referred to committee.
HB 461, relative to department of safety and department of motor vehicle training and testing materials. ITL by VV.
On the Regular Calendar
EDUCATION
HB 90-FN, relative to the definition of part-time teachers. OTP by VV.
EDUCATION FINANCE
HB 557, relative to the information that appears on the school budget ballot. OTP-A by RC, 15Y-8N.
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. Committee recommends OTP-A. Special ordered to June 5, 2025.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
HB 217, relative to absentee ballots. This bill requires absentee ballot voters to submit information demonstrating citizenship, age, domicile, and identity in order to qualify to vote. ITL by VV.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
HB 712-FN, limiting breast surgeries for minors. Committee recommends OTP-A. Special ordered to June 5, 2025.
HB 731-FN, relative to supportive housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities. OTP by VV.
JUDICIARY
HB 71-FN, prohibiting the use of the facilities of a public elementary school, a public secondary school, or an institution of higher education to provide shelter for aliens [sic] who have not been admitted into the United States and relative to department of health and human services contracts. OTP by RC, 15Y-8N.
Coming Up in the House
The House will meet in session on Thursday, May 22 starting at 10 AM. Watch it here. Here are the bills on our tracking list that will be deliberated and voted on.
Consent Calendar
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
SB 61-FN, relative to prescriptions for state prisoners paid for by the department of corrections. Committee recommends OTP.
HOUSING
SB 166, relative to notice required prior to sale of a manufactured housing unit located in a resident-owned community. Committee recommends OTP.
SB 170, (New Title) relative to development and related requirements in cities, towns, and municipalities. Committee recommends OTP-A.
SB 174, prohibiting planning boards from considering the number of bedrooms a given unit or development has during the hearing and approval process. Committee recommends OTP-A.
SB 188-FN, allowing independent permitting and inspections, and allowing local governments to authorize licensed engineers and architects to perform building code inspections. Committee recommends OTP-A.
WAYS AND MEANS
SB 291, relative to the religious use of land property tax exemption. Committee recommends OTP-A.
Regular Calendar
CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW
SB 72-FN, establishing a parents’ bill of rights in education. Majority committee recommends OTP-A. Minority committee recommends ITL.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY
SB 267-FN, relative to the penalty for engaging in prostitution as a patron. Majority committee recommends OTP. Minority committee recommends ITL.
EDUCATION POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
SB 97-FN, relative to intra-district public school transfers. Majority committee recommends OTP-A. Minority committee recommends ITL.
HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS
SB 37, relative to residential care and health facility licensing. Majority committee recommends ITL. Minority committee recommends OTP.
SB 119-FN, relative to Medicaid pharmaceutical services. Majority committee recommends OTP-A. Minority committee recommends OTP.
SB 130-FN, (New Title) establishing a commission to study delivery models for emergency medical services in the state of New Hampshire. Majority committee recommends ITL. Minority committee recommends OTP.
SB 243-FN, relative to the child care scholarship program. Majority committee recommends ITL. Minority committee recommends OTP.
SB 257, establishing a committee to study state guidelines for Medicaid eligibility determinations. Majority committee recommends ITL. Minority committee recommends OTP-A.
TRANSPORTATION
SB 13-FN, invalidating out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. Majority committee recommends OTP-A. Minority committee recommends ITL.
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 and use this committee email list here.
TUESDAY, MAY 20
EDUCATION POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 206-208, LOB
9:30 AM Executive session on SB 33-FN, relative to the regulation of public school materials; SB 57, establishing a study committee to analyze reducing the number of school administrative units; SB 69-L, relative to acceptance of or rejection of charitable contributions, gifts, or donations by local school boards; SB 96, relative to mandatory disclosure by school district employees to parents; SB 100-FN, relative to violations of the prohibition on teaching discrimination; SB 206-FN, requiring public schools to adopt policies to limit the use of cell phones by students; SB 210, establishing a study committee to study the issue of school bullying; SB 211, relative to biological sex in student athletics.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 306-308, LOB
11:00 AM Executive session on SB 178, relative to the department of health and human services laboratory services for testing of water supplies; SB 180-FN, designating Coos county as a distressed place-based economy; SB 182, relative to the maternal mortality review committee.
FRIDAY, MAY 23
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204, LOB
1:00 PM Continued executive session on SB 178, relative to the department of health and human services laboratory services for testing of water supplies; SB 14-FN, relative to the penalty for certain fentanyl-related offenses.
Coming Up in the Senate
The full Senate will meet in session on May 22 starting at 10 AM. Watch it here. Here are the bills we’re tracking which will be deliberated and voted on.
Consent Calendar
COMMERCE
HB 60, relative to the termination of tenancy at the expiration of the tenancy or lease term. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 342, relative to the approval process for new construction. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 457, relative to the occupancy of housing units. Committee recommends OTP-A.
EDUCATION
HB 532, relative to alternative dispute resolution and individualized education plan team meeting facilitation. Committee recommends OTP-A.
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS
HB 367, changing the method for adopting partisan town elections to be the same as rescinding partisan town elections. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 464, prohibiting certain candidates for political office from participating in counting ballots. Committee recommends OTP-A.
JUDICIARY
HB 196-FN, relative to annulling certain cannabis possession offenses. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 343, relative to reporting regarding the northern border alliance program. Committee recommends ITL.
HB 369-FN, relative to misdemeanor sexual assault prosecutions. Committee recommends OTP-A.
Regular Calendar
CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW
HB 560, relative to parental access to a minor child’s medical records. Committee recommends OTP.
EDUCATION
HB 446, relative to parental notice for non-academic surveys in public schools. Committee recommends ITL.
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
HB 566-FN, requiring permit applications for new landfills to contain a detailed plan for leachate management. Committee recommends to re-refer to committee.
HB 710-FN, enabling electric utilities to own, operate, and offer advanced nuclear resources. Committee recommends OTP-A.
JUDICIARY
HB 148, permitting classification of individuals based on biological sex under certain circumstances. Committee recommends OTP.
HB 191-FN, providing criminal and civil penalties for the transporting of an unemancipated minor in order to obtain a surgical procedure without parental permission. Committee recommends to re-refer to committee.
HB 480, relative to restoration of competency to stand trial for criminal defendants. Committee recommends to re-refer to committee.
HB 506-FN, relative to background checks during motions to return firearms and ammunition. Committee recommends OTP-A.
HB 528-FN, amending the penalties for the possession and use of psilocybin for persons 18 years of age or older. Committee recommends OTP-A.
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.
MONDAY, MAY 19
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
1:30 PM DELIBERATIVE/EXECUTIVE SESSION
Tentative List of Agencies:
NH State Commission on Aging
Advocate of Special Education
Office of the Child Advocate
Office of Professional Licensure & Certification
State Department
Right-To-Know Ombudsman
New Hampshire Retirement System
Department of Revenue Administration
TUESDAY, MAY 20
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
1:30 PM DELIBERATIVE/EXECUTIVE SESSION
Tentative List of Agencies:
Judicial Council
Judicial Branch
Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food
Department of Justice
Youth Development Center Claims Administration and Settlement Fund
Human Rights Commission
Department of Safety
Department of Energy
Public Employee Labor Relations Board
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1:00 PM Hearing on proposed Amendment #, 2025-2183s , to HB 57, relative to a person’s release from prison for the purpose of participating in certain post-secondary education programs in the community.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
11:00 AM DELIBERATIVE/EXECUTIVE SESSION
Tentative List of Agencies:
Liquor Commission
Department of Business and Economic Affairs
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Fish and Game Department
Veterans Home
Community College System of New Hampshire
Lottery Commission
WAYS AND MEANS, Room 100, SH
9:00 AM Hearing on proposed amendment #2025-2214s relative to the Pasquaney School District and tax assessment restriction, to HB 123, defining pre-sequestration timber tax revenue, establishing a moratorium on carbon sequestration and establishing a commission to study the effects of carbon sequestration in New Hampshire forests upon state and local tax revenue, effective forest management, and the health of New Hampshire’s logging industry.
THURSDAY, MAY 22
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
2:30 PM DELIBERATIVE/EXECUTIVE SESSION
Tentative List of Agencies:
Department of Corrections
Department of Environmental Services
DHHS - Division for Children, Youth and Families
DHHS - Division of Economic Stability
DHHS - Division of Medicaid Services
DHHS - Division of Long Term Supports and Services
DHHS - Division of Public Health Services
FRIDAY, MAY 23
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
1:30 PM DELIBERATIVE/EXECUTIVE SESSION
Tentative List of Agencies:
DHHS - Glencliff Home
DHHS - Division for Behavioral Health
DHHS - New Hampshire Hospital
DHHS - Office of the Commissioner
DHHS - Hampstead Hospital University System of New Hampshire
Department of Education
Recommendations
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.
Are you finding it hard to keep up with all of the harms being enacted by the current administration? Here’s a helpful but daunting report: Documenting the Damage - 100 Harmful Policies from the First 100 Days of the Second Trump Administration. And you can track all Trump executive orders and actions here.
Do you live, work, attend school or do business in Concord? The City of Concord’s Diversity, Inclusion, Justice and Belonging (DEIJB) Committee is seeking to understand the lived experiences of Concord’s diverse community groups regarding access to city services, programs, and opportunities, and feelings of belonging and inclusion. Sign up now for a focus group interview here.
Job Postings
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.
The NH School Funding Fairness Project is seeking a Communications Director. This is a full-time, hybrid position with a starting salary range of $60,000-$75,000. This person will play a key role in broadening our reach, enhancing our digital strategies, and driving the conversation around school funding and equity statewide. 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.
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 May 21 vigil will be at Pappas' new district office location, 15 Third Street, Dover. The May 28 vigil will be at Shaheen’s office, 340 Central Avenue, 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!
Sunday, May 18
Town Hall Meeting – 12:30 PM to 3 PM. SEE Science Center – 200 Bedford Street, 2nd Floor, Manchester. Hosted by Manchester Community Action Coalition. Please join us for a conversation about health and what we can do to help each other through these difficult times. Featuring guest speaker: Dr. Arin Whitman, Western New England University.
Storytelling for Change Summit - 1 PM to 3:30 PM. Spotlight Room, 96 Hanover Street, Manchester. Hosted by Queerlective. Join us for an inspiring afternoon of collaborative storytelling and community art. At this free conference, we’ll dive into the power of art to foster social change. Hear from leading storytellers, artists, and community leaders about how they use their craft to create change, elevate voices, and tell impactful stories that shape our world.
No Voice Too Small - 2 PM to 6 PM. State House, 107 N. Main Street, Concord. Hosted by 50501 NH. Come celebrate our kids. Let’s lift them up and show them how many people believe in them and want the best for them. Let’s listen to them speak. They see more than we could know, and they know more than we think. It’s time to hand them the mic.
Tuesday, May 20
Rights & Democracy New Hampshire Resistance Team - 6 PM to 7:30 PM. Hosted by Rights & Democracy. Join the NH Resistance team to help build grassroots power for democracy and justice in New Hampshire! Be part of the movement to protect our rights and create positive change in our communities.
Wednesday, May 21
"There Is Another Way" Film Screening & Discussion – 6:30 PM. Red River Theater – Concord. Hosted by Not in My Name NH. Join us for a viewing of this new film by Combatants for Peace. A community discussion will follow. “There is Another Way” tells the story of a group of visionaries who refuse to surrender to violence and injustice, and in doing so show that another path is possible - for them, for us, and for all humanity. As we are all faced with essential questions about who we are, will we choose collective liberation, where the needs, rights, and safety of all are prioritized - in which our humanity comes first, knowing that no one is free until everyone is free." You can view the trailer here.
Thursday, May 22
Congregational Care in a Time of Urgency - 7 PM to 9 PM. Hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Association. The world outside our congregational doors is chaotic, noisy, and frightening. Congregations can be a powerful source of resilience in times like these. We will give you concrete practices and skills to care for your community so you can move from reactivity to faithful responsiveness and do what is yours to do in the world.
Wednesday, May 28
Know Your Rights: Religious Discrimination in Housing – 6 PM to 7 PM. Hosted by NH Legal Assistance. Join us to learn more about your legal rights regarding religious discrimination in housing. Presentation provided by Sofia Hyatt, Esq., staff attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance.
Utility Justice 101 with the 350 Network Council and Third Act - 8 PM. Hosted by 350 Nh & Third Act. Join this call with 350 Network Affiliates from across the country and Third Act, including founder Bill McKibben, to learn about Utility Justice!
Thursday, May 29
350 New Hampshire Welcome Call – 7 PM. Hosted by 350 NH. If you are new to 350 New Hampshire or even brand new to grassroots organizing, please join this welcome call to connect with organizers fighting for climate justice. We will give you an overview of 350 New Hampshire, the campaigns we are working on, and talk about the different ways you could plug into our work moving forward.
Overcoming Digital Barriers in Greater Nashua Summit - 10 AM to 3 PM. Nashua Community College - 505 Amherst Street, Nashua. Hosted by United Way of Greater Nashua. Join us for the Overcoming Digital Barriers in Greater Nashua Summit, a focused event for nonprofit and small business staff working to ensure the adoption of technology for all. Connect with peers, learn from experts, and collaborate on solutions to help clients overcome challenges in adopting devices, internet, and digital skills. Together, we’ll build a more inclusive, connected community.
Saturday, May 31
Indie Lens Pop-Up - "Free for All: The Public Library" - 11 AM. Redi River Theaters – 11 S Main St. Concord. Join us for a free screening of FREE FOR ALL: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, followed by an engaging and interactive post-film discussion with Susan Drisko Zago, Law Library Director and Professor of Law at UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law. Free for All: The Public Library tells the story of the quiet revolutionaries who made a simple idea happen. From the pioneering women behind the "Free Library Movement" to today's librarians who service the public despite working in a contentious age of closures and book bans, meet those who created a civic institution where everything is free and the doors are open to all. Click here to watch the trailer. This special community event is FREE and open to the public. Register now to save your seat!
Thursday, June 12
Supporting Our LGBTQIA+ Community - 6 PM. Hosted by Unitarian Universalist Action NH.
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!