BILL: HB 632-FN Education Tax Credit Repeal
WHEN: Hearing Tuesday, March 5, 1:00 pm; Legislative Office Building, Room 202 (this is a continued hearing due to the overwhelming public presence at the first hearing).
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. The bill would gut this important program that has made school choice a practical option for many New Hampshire families. Legislators need to hear from parents and students alike!
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Plan to attend the March 5 hearing! The Ways and Means Committee needs to see strong support for education choice measures like the education tax credit program.
Full House Session March 7th
Act Now
BILL: HB 158 Abortion Statistics
WHEN: Vote scheduled for the House session on Thursday, March 7th.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: SUPPORT. See our written testimony on the bill.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact your state representatives: ask them to overturn the committee recommendation of “inexpedient to legislate,” and instead vote “ought to pass”.
BILL: HB 383, Relative to Gender “Discrimination” in Public and Private Schools
STATUS: Vote scheduled for the House session on Thursday, March 7th.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. The problem is in the details: the bill is vague, it is written to contain no religious exemption for private schools, and thanks to the new gender identity law (signed by Governor Sununu last year), the definition of “discrimination” now includes “gender identity.” Read more about the bill here.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact your state representatives. Ask them to overturn the committee recommendation of “ought to pass with amendment,” and instead vote “inexpedient to legislate”.
BILL: HB 608 Expanding the Law Against Discrimination Based on Gender Identity
WHEN: Vote scheduled for the House session on Thursday, March 7th.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. What seems like a harmless housekeeping bill is a lot more insidious. Read our written testimony here.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact your state representatives. Ask them to overturn the committee recommendation of “ought to pass with amendment,” and instead vote “inexpedient to legislate”.
SB 310, Relative to Casino Gambling
WHEN: The New Hampshire Senate will vote on SB 310 on Thursday, March 7.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED to the bill, and therefore in favor of the “inexpedient to legislate” recommendation from the committee. Casinos and video slot machines foster gambling addictions, breed crime, and usually have a net negative economic effect on their communities.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact your Senator and urge them to vote with the committee’s recommendation of “inexpedient to legislate”.
Committee Hearings This Week
BILL: SB 263 Relative to Anti-Discrimination for Students in Public Schools
WHEN: Monday, March 4, 1:00 pm; Senate Judiciary State House, Rm 103.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. Cornerstone is concerned that the language in this bill will prohibit any all-girl or all-boy activity, as well as allow any transgender athlete to sue a school if the athlete is denied the right to compete on any gender team they want to join.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Attend the public hearing. Watch our updates for more information about the bill and how its sponsors present it.
BILL: HB 291 Establishing a Committee to Study Certain Findings and other Initiatives Regarding End-of-Life Care.
WHEN: Tuesday March 5, 11:00 am; House Judiciary Committee, Legislative Office Building, Rm 208
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. From sponsor’s testimony, this is greasing the skids for assisted suicide.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: This is an executive session at which the committee will vote and no public testimony will be taken. Watch our next update where we will report on the committee’s recommendation.
Update on Recent Legislative Action
Bills we have been following, that are now on to the next steps. Your voice still needed and still matters!
BILL: HB 481, Legalizing and Regulating Recreational Marijuana
STATUS : The House voted 209-147 “ought to pass” at the House Session on Wednesday, February 27th.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED. Enabling widespread use of recreational marijuana brings social, economic, and health costs that far outweigh any benefit the state might derive from taxing the drug. Read more here. How did your state representatives vote on this bill? The roll call is here, with NAY votes being the ones in support of Cornerstone’s position.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: This is a disappointing result, but our efforts don’t stop here. The bill will now go to the House Ways and Means committee for further work, and Cornerstone will keep you posted on the schedule.
BILL: HB 289, Repeal of Law About Recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in Public Schools
STATUS: The House tabled the bill at House Session on Thursday, February 28.
CORNERSTONE POSITION: OPPOSED to the bill, Cornerstone supported the committee recommendation of inexpedient to legislate. The only good thing about HB 289 was the way it highlighted the need for more conversation and education about the religious rights of students and faculty while at school. Read more about the bill here.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Watch Cornerstone’s updates for more information as it becomes available.
