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AFT-NH Legislative Bulletin (2024-06)

More Voucher Expansion Bills Up Next

Urgent Action Needed

Good news, bad news.  Two big victories and a very narrow defeat in the attempt to keep public money in public schools this week.  A bi-partisan group of lawmakers defeated both unlimited school voucher bills this week on strong bi-partisan votes. Your voices helped move lawmakers and made sure that the two universal school voucher bills were defeated. However, school vouchers were still expanded to 500 % of the federal poverty level, which in NH is $156,000 for a family of four when HB1665 was passed 190-189. One more single vote could have changed the outcome – it was that close! Then, even though this bill was supposed to go to House Finance due to the obvious financial impact it would have on the state, and come back to the House floor for a second vote, anti-public education extremist politicians decided there was no need to send it there. Instead, the bill will go directly to the Senate. Be ready to take action when it gets scheduled for a hearing on the Senate side. This one will not only hurt our students and our public schools, it will also raise your local property taxes.


Reaching Higher New Hampshire estimates that HB 1665 will cost about $66 million a year, all while the state continues to underfund our local neighborhood public schools and the continues to short change the 165,000 Granite State public school students.

More voucher bills next week. We cannot sit back as two more voucher bills are on the docket next week. There is a shortened House Session on Thursday but that session will include two more attempts to expand vouchers. We need for you to have your voice heard again.

The two voucher bills up for a House vote next week are summarized below.

HB 1652  is a Local School Voucher bill. This takes a bad idea and just makes it worse. Instead of just covering the state cost of education under the current voucher program, this bill requires payment from the local municipality in the amount of 2x the amount of adequacy aid in addition to the state voucher. Remember, the vouchers apply to students who are not currently in public schools. This bill would cripple municipal budgets and dramatically raise property taxes. OPPOSE

 

HB 1677  removes the income limit for families within the “geographic area” of a public school with less than 25% proficiency. In addition to draining resources from our schools and students who need them the most, “geographic area” is not defined and could easily be a statewide unlimited voucher system. OPPOSE

Both of these bills once again represent MASSIVE expansion of the current school voucher scheme here in NH. We once again need your voices to tell your Representative to vote against any voucher expansion.

Urgent Action Needed   Please click the following link to tell your state representative to vote no on these two voucher bills. Click here to Tell Your Legislator to Vote No to Voucher Expansion.

Subpoena Power to Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut?  Next week in the House Judiciary Committee is another bill being heard that would give Frank Edelblut and the DOE subpoena power.

HB 1353  would give subpoena power to Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut. He has shown nothing but contempt for public school educators, who has used his power to harass educators, and who has repeatedly tried to weaponize the code of conduct is bad and dangerous policy and the House Judiciary should reject any such attempt. Hearing is on February 14th at 9:00am. OPPOSE

Please take action here.  Please make sure your opinion is registered with the House Judiciary Committee. It only takes a moment to submit your position. Here’s the link to REGISTER YOUR OPPOSITION.  Fill out the form. Select House Judiciary Committee, February 14th, HB 1353, and OPPOSE.

Legislative Action Toolkit

For breaking news and other legislative information, please be sure to like us on Facebook at AFT New Hampshire or follow us on Twitter @AFTNewHampshire to receive the latest news.  Please share this with friends so they can sign up for this bulletin at http://nh.aft.org/.

You can also read written testimony submitted to the legislature at STATE HOUSE NEWS.

We will post next week’s schedule of bills we are monitoring at the end of the weekly bulletin. If you want to find out more information about any bill, you can simply enter the bill at the following link:  FIND A BILL.

We encourage you to take action on other bills. Please note our position is not noted on the current tracker for bills that have already been heard and are now pending executive session action in committee since the period for testimony has passed.

For any of the bills scheduled for a hearing you can register your position on any bill scheduled for a public hearing at the following link: SUBMIT YOUR POSITION ON A BILL.

Upcoming Legislative Hearings

Date/Time

Bill

Position

Description

Sponsors

Location

Mon 2/12 9:15 AM

HB 1594

Support

Establishing An Annual Review and Qualification to Determine Eligibility to Participate In The Education Freedom Accounts Program.

Rep. Mel Myler

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Mon 2/12 9:45 AM

HB 1287

Oppose

Relative to The Definition Of The Term "evidence-based" Within Public Education.

Rep. Mike Belcher

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Mon 2/12 10:15 AM

HB 1453

Monitor

Relative to Degree Granting Authority Of Certain Institutions Of Higher Education.

Rep. David Luneau

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Mon 2/12 10:45 AM

HB 1512

Support

Limiting Education Freedom Account Funding to Budgeted Amounts.

Rep. Mel Myler

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Mon 2/12 11:15 AM

HB 1108

Oppose

Relative to Establishing A Committee to Study The Role Of Colleges and Universities In Contributing to The Student Loan Crisis.

Rep. Mike Belcher

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Mon 2/12 1:00 PM

HB 1288

Work Session

Relative to Establishing Certain Due Process Rights For Students, Student Organizations, and Faculty Members Facing Disciplinary Actions By State Institutions Of Higher Learning.

Rep. Bob Lynn

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Subcommittee Work Session

Tue 2/13 9:15 AM

HB 1517

Work Session

Relative to The Statewide Education Property Tax and Excess Revenue From Games Of Chance.

Rep. Michael Harrington

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Full Committee Work Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1298

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Definition Of Part-time Teachers.

Rep. Glenn Cordelli

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1185

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Sexual Education Instruction.

Rep. Karen Reid

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1356

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Use Of Children's Names and Pronouns By Public School Employees.

Rep. Brian Cole

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1235

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to High School Students Serving As School Board Members.

Rep. David Rochefort

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1695

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Release Of Student Personally Identifiable Information.

Rep. Glenn Cordelli

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1458

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Authorizing Parents to Remove Children From The English Language Learner Program.

Rep. Erica Layon

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1437

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Membership Of The State Board Of Education.

Rep. Linda Tanner

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1616

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Parental Consent For Student Participation In Medicaid to Schools Program.

Rep. Glenn Cordelli

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1312

Hearing has already been held.

Requiring Parental Notification Of Student Health or Well-being and Certain Curricula By School Districts.

Rep. Kristine Perez

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1109

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Requiring Student Identification Cards to Include The Helpline For The National Alliance For Eating Disorders.

Rep. Rosemarie Rung

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1692

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Public High School Graduation Requirements.

Rep. Kevin Verville

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1473

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Social-emotional Learning In Public Schools.

Rep. John Sellers

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1496

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The State's Duty to Protect Children In Public Schools.

Rep. J.R. Hoell

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1682

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Civics Test Graduation Requirement.

Rep. Michael Moffett

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 9:45 AM

HB 1643

Hearing has already been held.

Requiring School Districts to Make Curriculum and Instructional Materials Available On Their Web Pages.

Rep. Mike Ouellet

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 10:00 AM

HB 1247

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Requiring The Display Of Certain Information Concerning Selective Service Registration At Driver Licensing and School Military Recruiting Locations.

Rep. Tom Mannion

LOB 203 (Transportation/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 10:15 AM

HB 1099

Monitoring

Relative to Partisan School District Elections.

Rep. Diane Pauer

LOB 307 (Election Law/H)
Public Hearing

Tue 2/13 2:00 PM

HB 1308

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Parent Access to Children's Library Records.

Rep. Arlene Quaratiello

LOB 206-208 (Children and Family Law/H)
Executive Session

Tue 2/13 3:00 PM

HB 1147

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Permissible Campaign Contributions By Business Organizations and Labor Unions.

Rep. Ellen Read

LOB 307 (Election Law/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:00 AM

HB 1353

Oppose

Relative to Authorizing The Commissioner Of The Department Of Education to Issue Subpoenas.

Rep. Bob Lynn

LOB 206-208 (Judiciary/H)
Public Hearing

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1686

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Requiring Excess Revenues Raised Through The Statewide Education Property Tax to Be Remitted to The Education Trust Fund and Prohibiting The Department Of Revenue Administration From Setting Negative Local and County Tax Rates On Real Property.

Rep. Marjorie Smith

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1586

Hearing has already been held.

Establishing A Foundation Opportunity Budget Program For Funding Public Education.

Rep. David Luneau

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1656

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Increasing The Adequacy Grant For Pupils Receiving Special Education Services.

Rep. Cam Kenney

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1583

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Per Pupil Cost Of An Opportunity For An Adequate Education.

Rep. Jonah Wheeler

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1517

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to The Statewide Education Property Tax and Excess Revenue From Games Of Chance.

Rep. Michael Harrington

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1288

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Establishing Certain Due Process Rights For Students, Student Organizations, and Faculty Members Facing Disciplinary Actions By State Institutions Of Higher Learning.

Rep. Bob Lynn

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:30 AM

HB 1305

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Freedom Of Speech and Association At Public Institutions Of Higher Education.

Rep. Daniel Popovici-Muller

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:45 AM

HB 1178

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to An Employee's Unused Earned Time.

Rep. Michael Cahill

LOB 307 (Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:45 AM

HB 1375

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Severance Agreements Requiring Employees to Broadly Waive Labor Law Rights.

Rep. Eric Gallager

LOB 307 (Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services/H)
Executive Session

Wed 2/14 9:45 AM

HB 1377

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Granting Workers Free Choice to Join or Refrain From Joining Labor Unions.

Rep. Yury Polozov

LOB 307 (Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services/H)
Executive Session

Thu 2/15 10:00 AM

HB 1646

Support

Relative to Chartered Public Schools.

Rep. David Luneau

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Thu 2/15 10:00 AM

HB 1080

Work Session

Relative to The Legislative Youth Advisory Council.

Rep. Jodi Nelson

LOB 104 (Legislative Administration/H)
Subcommittee Work Session

Thu 2/15 10:00 AM

HB 1432

Hearing has already been held.

Relative to Prohibiting Certain Uses Of Artificial Intelligence and Creating A Private Claim Of Action.

Rep. Jeffrey Greeson

LOB 206-208 (Judiciary/H)
Executive Session

Thu 2/15 10:00 AM

HB 1646

Monitor

Relative to Chartered Public Schools.

Rep. David Luneau

LOB Room 205-207 (Education/H)
Hearing

CANCELLED
Thu 2/15 10:15 AM

HB 1610

Support

Relative to Standardized Assessment Data For Participants In Education Freedom Accounts.

Rep. Corinne Cascadden

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Thu 2/15 10:45 AM

HB 1087

Support

Establishing A Commission to Study Information Literacy and Media Literacy Instruction In Public Schools.

Rep. David Paige

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Thu 2/15 11:15 AM

HB 1418

Support

Relative to The Use Of Education Freedom Account Funds to Purchase School Uniforms.

Rep. Timothy Horrigan

LOB 205-207 (Education/H)
Public Hearing

Tue 2/20 10:30 AM

CACR 17

Hearing has already been held.

Relating to The Rights Of Parents. Providing That Parents Shall Have A Fundamental Right to Direct The Upbringing, Education, and Care Of Their Minor Children.

Rep. Glenn Cordelli

LOB 206-208 (Children and Family Law/H)
Executive Session

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