Monday • December 4 • 2023
Vol.XV • No.XLIX
Manchester, N.H.
https://www.ccjrnh.org/nh_state_prison_mail_policy
NHexit.US
The next big step for the NH Exit constitutional amendment, CACR 32, is this Thursday March 10th, when it will come to the full state house for a vote. Supporters of New Hampshire independence should immediately call or email their state representatives and ask them to support CACR 32. Please remind them that voting on CACR 32 is NOT a vote on state secession. Their vote is on whether or not to put the question on the ballot for the people to decide.
Many reps are confused and believe that if they vote to pass CACR 32 that they are supporting independence for NH and that is not true. Voting to kill CACR 32 means they are anti-democratic and do not want to allow the people of New Hampshire to vote on the matter. Please be kind to the confused reps and try to help them understand rather than getting upset.
Here’s a handy tool you can use to discover your local state reps and get their contact information. While you can contact more than just your area’s reps, reps outside your area may not consider your comments as seriously as your local reps. So, if your time is limited, keep your state rep outreach to your area’s reps only.
Second, if you have free time this Thursday March 10th, please show up at the state house in Concord at 107 N Main St for their full house session where CACR 32 will be heard. We do not know the exact time CACR 32 will come up, but it is expected to happen at some point. The session begins at 9am but some NH Independence activists will be arriving much earlier, some as early as 7:30am, for a rally outside the state house. Feel free to bring signs or shirts promoting independence for New Hampshire. Be sure to also connect with our chat rooms on Matrix or Telegram to help coordinate. Both chat rooms are linked together, so if you join one, you needn’t join the other.
Earlier this winter, the committee hearing the bill voted it “Inexpedient to Legislate” 21-0, however there are 400 state reps in New Hampshire and because it’s a constitutional amendment any vote of the full house must be a “roll call” vote. Roll call means that each representative’s vote is recorded so we know how each state rep voted. We need to be present on Thursday to show them there is support for CACR 32 and that we are watching to see how they vote. See you Thursday morning at the state house in Concord!
(white) goldstandard-03-10-22-H.pdf
(gold) goldstandard-03-10-22-H-y.pdf
The post House Gold Standard – March 10, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
Of the 3 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 0 and opposition of 0 with 1 being of interest.
Of the 31 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 3 and opposition of 3 with 2 being of interest.
| Position | Bill | Title | Committee | Day | Time | Room | State Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of Interest | HB87 | relative to the definition of electioneering. | Election Law and Municipal Affairs | Mon 3/7 | 1:00 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill amends the definition of “electioneering” by prohibiting only certain election officials from wearing clothing or paraphernalia that a reasonable person would believe explicitly advocates for or against any candidate, political party, or measure being voted. |
| Of Interest | HB1627 | Public hearing on non-germane amendment #2022-0875h, to HB 1627-FN-A. AN ACT establishing an education freedom account program administrator in the department of education and making an appropriation therefor, and relative to the school meals direct certification with Medicaid program. | Finance | Tue 3/8 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill establishes the position of education freedom account administrator in the department of education, division of learner support, and makes an appropriation to the department for the position. |
| Support | HB597 | relative to the expectation of privacy. | Judiciary | Tue 3/8 | 1:00 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill regulates the collection, retention, and use of personal information and establishes a cause of action for violations of an individual’s expectation of privacy in personal information. |
| Of Interest | HB481 | establishing the office of the right-to-know ombudsman and making an appropriation therefor. | Judiciary | Tue 3/8 | 1:15 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill establishes procedures to streamline the resolution of complaints under RSA 91-A. This bill establishes the office of the right-to-know ombudsman. This bill also establishes an alternative process to resolve right-to-know complaints. |
| Support | HB579 | requiring notice to the public before immigration checkpoints are conducted. | Judiciary | Tue 3/8 | 2:00 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill requires the chief law enforcement officer to inform local media when he or she is informed by Border Patrol of an immigration checkpoint. |
| Support | HB355 | relative to Keno. | Ways and Means | Wed 3/9 | 9:10 AM | SH Room 100 | This bill allows licensed lottery retailers in jurisdictions that have voted to allow keno to operate keno games. |
The post Bill Hearings for Week of March 07, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
New Hampshire HB 1682 was introduced by Rep. David Welch (R – Rockingham13) on 1/5/2022, followed by a public hearing on 1/14/2022. The House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety voted that the bill “ought to pass with amendment” and has been referred to the House Finance Committee for further review.
On the Surface It Sounds Great: Hold Police Accountable for Their Actions
The idea of this bill is to establish a committee that’s considered “independent” and separate from local police jurisdictions in order to ensure police officers are held accountable for their actions (or inactions.) According to Rep. David Welch, the aim of the bill is “to establish a single, neutral, and independent statewide entity to receive complaints alleging misconduct regarding all sworn and elected law enforcement officers.” – HB 1682 public hearing, 1/14/2022 – watch here
As outlined in the bill, officers could potentially face the new Conduct Review Committee for a number of reasons, including: if they’ve been convicted of committing a felony, any sentence of incarceration, excessive use of force, driving while intoxicated, moral turpitude (dishonesty, deceit, theft), acts of omission, lying in a police report or criminal proceeding, falsification of records, tampering with or falsifying evidence, racist conduct or statements, etc.
This all sounds great, because of course law enforcement officers should be held accountable for their actions! Which makes me wonder, why aren’t they now?
Policing the Police With Police
There’s already an established Police Standards and Training Council that handles internal reviews in New Hampshire. The new Law Enforcement Conduct Review Committee would fall under that umbrella, dealing exclusively with misconduct reviews. In recent years the public’s interest in holding police accountable has skyrocketed. Perhaps there are so many cases of police misconduct in the state that they can no longer handle the workload or process them quickly enough.
Since the new Conduct Review Committee would fall under the already established Standards Council, the governor would (again) be appointing its members. The current Police Standards and Training Council consists of mainly a bunch of police officers appointed by Governor Sununu. Since it is the governor who will be appointing members here again, I’m not sure this bill will be as effective as it looks. A politician hand-picking members within the context of “maintaining absolute objectivity” is a farce.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Review Committee would consist of:
It’s A Step in the Right Direction
Clearly the public is sick and tired of law enforcement officer misconduct and abuse. Many states are re-thinking how they pursue justice and hold officers accountable for their actions, and New Hampshire is right there with them.
HB 1682, although flawed, is at least heading in the right direction. We want police accountability, and we want it now! What do you think? Will the establishment of a new committee under the current council, all members of which are governor-appointed, get us on the road to accountability? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Video of the Public Hearing for HB 1682: (2:16:42 – 3:22:22)
While out here trying to do my bit against the Kremlin’s re-incarnation of September 1, 1939…It’s important to raise concerns about some of the apocalyptic Moscow-fighting ideas that are getting put on the table in the excitement. It’s shocking my fellow Kremlin foes are advocating a U.S. led no-fly zone over Ukraine. This is a move which has perhaps 10 percent chance of ending civilization as we know it, since it would require direct, large-scale combat between the U.S. and Russia…inside Russia!
The real solution is deadly but a lot less deadly: Peaceable civil resistance inside Russia, at the discretion of Russians. Guerilla war and civil resistance inside Ukraine, funded, peopled and supplied from across the globe. The Kremlin can be beaten, but it has to be without direct conflict between the two top nuclear powers. This is a long established and proven concept; it’s already been done once in much tougher circumstances. Ideally it should happen at private rather than taxpayer expense, definitely without foreign military presence; each of us does need to do our bit without waiting for governments. We also need to do our bit to prevent Russian bystanders from suffering and prevent the Resistance from going nuclear. Most people are probably reluctant to say this; maybe I can say it since I was a volunteer inside Bosnia during that one and am hopefully doing my part for Ukrainians and friendly Russians during this one.
Dave Ridley
NHexit.com
“Independence without enmity”
Of the 5 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 0 and opposition of 0 with 1 being of interest.
Of the 1 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 0 and opposition of 0 with 0 being of interest.
| Position | Bill | Title | Committee | Day | Time | Room | State Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of Interest | HB1598 | legalizing the possession and use of cannabis. | Ways and Means | Thu 3/3 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 202-204 | This bill: I. Legalizes the possession and use of cannabis for persons 21 years of age and older. II. Authorizes the liquor commission to regulate and administer the cultivation, manufacture, testing, and retail sale of cannabis statewide, and makes an appropriation therefor. III. Authorizes a municipality to enact an ordinance prohibiting or limiting the number and type of cannabis establishments that may be permitted within the municipality and regulating the time, place, and manner of operation of a cannabis establishment permitted within the municipality. IV. Establishes the cannabis control fund and requires funds to be distributed to the department of health and human services, bureau of drug and alcohol services, for education tax relief, public safety agency training purposes, and children’s behavioral health services. V. Makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services to create public media and social media campaigns to address some of the risks of cannabis use. VI. Authorizes the business finance authority to establish a state-chartered, single purpose depository bank to transact business with cannabis establishments licensed under this act, and makes an appropriation therefor. |
The post Bill Hearings for Week of February 28, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
1) The Russian government’s act of all-out conventional war is wildly excessive. Any individual or voluntarily funded institution wishing to help defend Ukraine against this overstep is far within their rights, recent Kremlin threats against this non-withstanding.
2) The initial success of the attack on this Western-leaning nation…is a reminder that Washington cannot be relied on to defend New Hampshire. Counterintuitive as is sounds, NH would be better off – and the Western world should benefit – if we handled own defense and diplomacy. Instead of being tied the weirdly aggressive-yet-impotent D.C. zombie, we would find a wide range of better options for our security. These range from the happily de-militarized neutrality of Costa Rica to the gun-heavy but non-aligned preparedness of Switzerland. We would also have the option of doing something better for future nations-under-threat like Ukraine: We could insist that any government we ally ourselves with…free its own people from invasion-enabling gun control laws:
https://freekeene.com/2022/01/14/the-porcupine-peace-plan-how-nh-independence-could-boost-american-security-and-stop-armageddon/
3) Ukraine’s government has made this invasion practical by doing something most European governments and even American governments are still doing: They limited the private possession/carry of firearms up until the week of the invasion, when they finally let civilians carry them without permission. This is roughly what happened in the ill-fated Spanish Republic during the 1936 war. Ukrainians are now reported to be desperately mobbing gun stores, for good reason but probably too late. GunPolicy.org lists Ukraine as having only 7 civilian firearms per 100 persons…a foreign invader’s dream. Civilians in the average U.S. state, including New Hampshire, reportedly possess over 115 per 100.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_law_in_Ukraine
4) Washington has unnecessarily provoked Moscow over the last 30 years. By moving NATO so close to Russian borders and arguably sponsoring a Ukrainian coup in 2014, it ignored the Rodina’s security concerns. Since 2001 especially, it has bombed, blockaded and invaded many nations with little good reason but much abuse of local civilians. It has cast away the relative ethical high ground, against the wishes of most New Hampshirites. It has also become a direct physical threat to all of us with its unconstitutional rules and raids inside our libertarian-leaning state. It has become incapable of credibly condemning Russia’s actions the way it did during the Kremlin’s invasion of Finland in 1939.
5) U.S. ruler Joe Biden’s statement of Feb. 24, 2022 is partially worthy of condemnation: “Putin chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences.” By speaking in this manner, he equated the Russian people with their quasi-dictator…that would be like equating General Franco with the Catalan anarchists he so victimized in the Spanish Civil War. Individual Russians and the Russian nation should be treated as potential allies against Putin; many have already risked their lives this week to protest against him
6) New Hampshire, unlike Switzerland and Costa Rica, is currently on the nuclear target list as a result of its membership in the United States system. This would be one thing if the U.S. were generally in the right and generally humane. It is not and thus is not worthy of *our* lives. Both D.C. and Moscow deserve opposition; neither deserve support.
7) Moscow’s move may be designed to divert attention from a planned attack on Taiwan, where invasion-friendly gun laws are even more severe than Ukraine’s.
8) The appropriate New Hampshire move is to peaceably declare independence from the U.S. (as Rep. Sylvia’s current legislation at Concord is attempting to do). Then it should set a clean foreign policy of its own crafting. This policy should be one that does not overextend and does not aggress but does keep faith with foreign allies by insisting (as a minimum condition of continued partnership) that their governments end all the gun controls they are imposing on their people.
Dave Ridley
NHexit.com
“Independence without enmity”
Local Snitch, Alexander Short of Swanzey
In 2016 we featured a video from then-eleven-year-old Mikey Gordon as he shut down a state trooper’s speed trap in Alstead. In the Summer of 2020, at age 15, Mikey was arrested for allegedly refusing to pull over while riding a motorcycle in Keene, leading police on a high-speed chase that ended near Rt 12.According to police, the then-unknown motorcycle operator ditched the bike and ran into the woods before police were able to catch up. Fortunately for the cops, a local snitch, Alexander Short – the owner of Short’s Detailing at 58 Forest Ave in Swanzey – approached them and told officers he knew who the operator of the motorcycle was, as the two had been hanging out in the Target parking lot the same night. The snitch placed a phone call to Mikey’s cell phone and officers were then able to locate and take him into custody, ultimately returning him home to his parents’ house.
Months later, Mikey was subsequently charged with two misdemeanor counts: “disobeying an officer” and “operating without valid license”. The first count was charged as “class A”, which could result in up to a year in jail and the second count charged as “class B” which could be a large fine. The Keene Police prosecutor offered a plea deal which would have dropped the class A charge in return for his guilty plea on the class B with the punishment being a 30 day loss of license and $620 fine plus $720 suspended on condition of good behavior. Now-seventeen-year-old Mikey heroically refused the plea deal and took the charges to trial earlier this month:
After the state presented its case, Keene district court judge Patrick W Ryan took the case “under advisement” and complimented Mikey, telling him, “you did a good job”. It was Mikey’s first time in court and he appeared pro-se, defending himself without the help of an attorney.
Normally, when a robed man takes a case under advisement it is a good sign that the verdict will not be “guilty”, because usually they are hesitant to deliver a not-guilty verdict in front of an audience and cameras. Judges are likely to issue more favorable verdicts when the cameras are off and no one is around, and that is exactly what happened in this case. Actually, the charges were “dismissed” according to the case file, which means Mikey wasn’t found “not guilty”. Dismissing charges after the trial has finished is an unusual result, but it’s still a solid win for the teenage Cop Block activist.
Observers reported that the snitch Alexander Short laughed and told Mikey outside of the courtroom to “have fun in jail”. Who is laughing now? One benefit of taking charges to trial is the police have to put snitches – or any undercover agents – on the witness stand to make their case, whereas if the defendant takes a plea deal the snitch is protected from public view. So now everyone knows that Alexander Short of Swanzey New Hampshire is happy to throw his friends under the bus and rat them out to the police for victimless crimes.
Congratulations to Mikey for his victory!
(white) goldstandard-02-24-22-S.pdf
(gold) goldstandard-02-24-22-S-y.pdf
The post Senate Gold Standard, Thursday February 24th, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
Of the 20 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 5 and opposition of 2 with 1 being of interest.
Of the 9 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 1 and opposition of 1 with 0 being of interest.
| Position | Bill | Title | Committee | Day | Time | Room | State Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of Interest | HB1279 | relative to the duration of term alimony. | Children and Family Law | Tue 2/22 | 10:00 AM | LOB Room 206-208 | This bill removes the ending of term alimony upon remarriage of the payee. |
| Support | HB1347 | relative to licensing requirements for health care facilities that operate on a membership-based business model. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Tue 2/22 | 11:00 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill exempts membership-based health care facilities from the adoption of certain policies relative to access to care and financial assistance plans. The bill requires membership-based hospitals with emergency departments to prominently post notices that the facility serves members only. |
| Support | HB1487 | relative to the procedure for withdrawal from the vaccine registry. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Tue 2/22 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill provides that a health care provider’s signature shall not be required for withdrawal from the state immunization/vaccination registry. |
| Support | HB1570 | relative to reducing vehicle registration fees. | Transportation | Tue 2/22 | 9:30 AM | SH Room Reps Hall | This bill reduces vehicle registration fees. |
| Support | HB1424 | relative to the speed limit for watercraft on Lake Winnipesaukee. | Transportation | Tue 2/22 | 1:00 PM | SH Room Reps Hall | This bill changes the speed limit for watercraft on Lake Winnipesaukee. |
| Support | HB435 | (New Title) relative to the suspension of drivers’ licenses | Transportation | Tue 2/22 | 1:20 PM | LOB Room 101 | This bill modifies the circumstances under which a driver’s license may be suspended or revoked. |
| Oppose | HB1145 | relative to a motor vehicle exception to criminal restraint or false imprisonment and relative to civil immunity and physical force in defense of a person. | Criminal Justice and Public Safety | Wed 2/23 | 11:30 AM | LOB Room 202-204 | This bill adds an exception to the criminal restraint and false imprisonment statutes based on temporary detainment in a motor vehicle and removes civil liability for the use of force in the protection of person or property and amends the law governing the duty to retreat when using physical force in defense of oneself or another. |
| Oppose | HB1131 | relative to facial covering policies for schools. | Education | Fri 2/25 | 9:00 AM | SH Room Reps Hall | This bill prohibits school boards and accredited nonpublic schools from adopting, enforcing, or implementing a policy that requires students or members of the public to wear a facial covering. |
| Support | HB1371 | relative to school district policies on facial masks of students in schools. | Education | Fri 2/25 | 10:00 AM | SH Room Reps Hall | This bill requires school districts to adopt a policy leaving facial mask use to parents of students and not tolerating bullying, harassment, or discrimination. |
The post Bill Hearings for Week of February 21, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
(white) goldstandard-02-16-22-H-3.pdf
(gold) goldstandard-02-16-22-H-y-3.pdf
The post House Gold Standard, Wednesday February 16th, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
(white) goldstandard-02-16-22-S.pdf
(gold) goldstandard-02-16-22-S-y.pdf
The post Senate Gold Standard, Wednesday February 16th, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
The Free State Project‘s weekly interview show, “Free State Live” has once again focused on NHexit with this week’s episode featuring liberty state representative Mike Sylvia. Readers of this blog know Sylvia as the prime sponsor of CACR 32. Several weeks ago, Free State Live featured Alu Axelman, the president of the Foundation for NH Independence, so this interview of Mike Syliva makes New Hampshire Independence the show’s number one most-discussed topic:
Of the 31 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 8 and opposition of 4 with 10 being of interest.
Of the 9 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 0 and opposition of 0 with 1 being of interest.
| Position | Bill | Title | Committee | Day | Time | Room | State Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Of Interest | SB348 | relative to political expenditures and contributions. | Election Law and Municipal Affairs | Mon 2/14 | 1:15 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill modifies political contribution limits. |
| Support | HB1330 | Public hearing on non-germane amendment #2022-0399h to HB 1330, relative to the board of medical technicians. |
Executive Departments and Administration | Mon 2/14 | 10:00 AM | LOB 302-304 | The amendment repeals the requirements for the certification and regulation of medical technicians by the office of professional licensure and certification. Copies of the amendment are available in the Sergeant-at-Arms Office, Room 318, State House |
| Oppose | HB1481 | repealing the statute relative to medical freedom in immunizations. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/14 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill repeals the statute pertaining to medical freedom in immunizations. |
| Support | HB1379 | relative to the department of health and human services’ rulemaking authority regarding immunization requirements. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/14 | 10:45 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill limits immunization requirements to those diseases identified in statute and removes the department of health and human service’s rulemaking authority in this area. |
| Of Interest | HB1495 | relative to vaccine mandates for government contractors. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/14 | 2:15 PM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill establishes a chapter of law prohibiting employee vaccine requirements for government contractors, except for medical providers when there is a direct threat present. |
| Of Interest | HB1614 | requiring the recording and storing of digital video in all state-funded juvenile detention facilities. | Children and Family Law | Tue 2/15 | 10:00 AM | LOB Room 206-208 | This bill mandates digital video recording of juvenile detention facilities paid for, in whole or in part, with general funds, as well as establishes the system requirements for such digital videos. |
| Of Interest | HB1612 | relative to the confidentiality of reports made to the division of children, youth, and families and requiring guardians ad litem be appointed in certain instances. | Children and Family Law | Tue 2/15 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 206-208 | This bill provides that the identity of any person reporting suspected child abuse or neglect shall be fully confidential unless such a person makes such a report in bad faith or maliciously and with intent to cause harm. This bill also requires courts to appoint guardians ad litem when reports of suspected child abuse or neglect involve one or more parties in a divorce proceeding. |
| Support | HB1280 | prohibiting a parent’s refusal to vaccinate a child pursuant to an order of the state or federal government to be used as a basis for terminating parental rights. | Children and Family Law | Tue 2/15 | 11:15 AM | LOB Room 206-208 | This bill prohibits a parent’s decision not to have their child vaccinated from being used as grounds to terminate parental rights. |
| Of Interest | HB1607 | prohibiting unlawful discrimination in public and nonpublic schools. | Education | Tue 2/15 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill requires the state board of education to ensure there is no unlawful discrimination in any approved school tuition program, public school, nonpublic school, or educational service that receives public funds. |
| Of Interest | HB1671 | relative to the content of an adequate education. | Education | Tue 2/15 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill revises the requirements for the content, definition, and accountability for an adequate public education. |
| Of Interest | HB1678 | relative to the administration of the education freedom accounts program. | Education | Tue 2/15 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill clarifies certain provisions of the education freedom accounts program and the responsibilities of scholarship organizations and public schools. |
| Oppose | HB1120 | relative to education service providers under the education freedom accounts program. | Education | Tue 2/15 | 1:45 PM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill adds compliance requirements for education service providers requesting payment from education freedom account funds, including criminal history records checks of employees with direct contact with students. |
| Oppose | HB1683 | repealing the education freedom account program. | Education | Tue 2/15 | 2:30 PM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill repeals the provisions of the education freedom account program and reverts the unused funds to be deposited to the education trust fund. |
| Of Interest | HB1135 | requiring a performance audit of the department of education, education freedom account program. | Executive Departments and Administration | Tue 2/15 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill requires a performance audit of the department of education, education freedom account program. |
| Of Interest | HB1395 | relative to administrative rulemaking authority. | Executive Departments and Administration | Tue 2/15 | 2:00 PM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill requires that all items of business conducted by the joint legislative committee on administrative rules receive final legislative action by the general court in a joint resolution sponsored by the committee before the business items go into effect. |
| Support | HB1606 | making the state vaccine registry an opt-in program. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Tue 2/15 | 10:15 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill makes the state immunization registry an opt-in program rather than an opt-out program. |
| Support | HB1026 | relative to budget information provided to a budget committee. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 9:00 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill provides that a municipal budget committee may require that the governing body provide budget recommendations in full line item detail in active spreadsheet format. |
| Of Interest | HB1068 | relative to building codes for tiny houses. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill defines tiny houses and provides for the authority and requirements for municipal regulation. |
| Support | HB1238 | relative to zoning powers and the supply of workforce housing. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 10:00 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill prohibits local proscriptions on workforce housing. |
| Oppose | HB1119 | relative to the regulation of single-use bags. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill allows towns to regulate the use of paper and plastic bags. |
| Support | HB1268 | limiting the authority for city council bylaws and ordinances. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 11:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill limits the authority of city councils to make bylaws and ordinances to those they are specifically empowered to make. |
| Of Interest | HB1289 | relative to applications for abatements and authority to abate prior years’ taxes for certain homeowners. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill provides that good cause for a tax abatement under RSA 76:16 shall include allowed recreational use of OHRVs on class 5 and class 6 roads. |
| Support | HB1393 | relative to the adoption of school district budget caps. | Municipal and County Government | Tue 2/15 | 3:00 PM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill establishes the requirements for and procedure for the adoption of a school district budget cap. |
The post Bill Hearings for Week of February 14, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
read more
This weekend, the Free State Project celebrated “Porcupine Day”, the annual commemoration of the FSP reaching its goal of 20,000 liberty activists pledged to move to New Hampshire. That goal was reached on February 5th, 2016, making this the sixth annual Porcupine Day. Approximately 140 people packed Murphy’s Taproom in Bedford last night to celebrate and “Queen Quill” Carla Gericke and Odysee co-founder Jeremy Kauffman spoke. Here are both of their speeches:
Of the 84 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 17 and opposition of 8 with 7 being of interest.
Of the 26 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 1 and opposition of 1 with 2 being of interest.
| Position | Bill | Title | Committee | Day | Time | Room | State Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support | SB250 | enabling municipalities to adopt a tax credit for qualified private community property owners. | Election Law and Municipal Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 1:00 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill enables municipalities to adopt a tax credit for qualified private community property owners. |
| Of Interest | SB252 | relative to information on property tax bills. | Election Law and Municipal Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 1:30 PM | SH Room 100 | This bill requires property tax bills to include information regarding the amount disbursed from the education trust fund in the prior fiscal year and the amount the municipality’s education grant aid will be reduced under RSA 189:41 as a result of the education freedom account program under RSA 194-F:2. |
| Oppose | HB1321 | relative to the governor’s power to declare a state of emergency. | Executive Departments and Administration | Mon 2/7 | 10:15 AM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill removes certain restrictions on the governor’s power to declare a state of emergency. |
| Of Interest | HB1369 | relative to COVID-19 health and safety policies at New Hampshire performing arts venues. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill provides that performing arts venues in New Hampshire have the authority to establish their own COVID health and safety policies. |
| Support | HB1045 | requiring legislative oversight over the emergency powers of the department of health and human services. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 10:15 AM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill clarifies certain public health emergency management powers of the department of health and human services. |
| Oppose | HB1633 | relative to requiring COVID-19 vaccination for school attendance. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill requires covid-19 vaccination for school attendance, expands the definition of school to include postsecondary institutions, and limits the scope of the Covid-19 vaccination requirement to those individuals whose age exceeds the minimum for a vaccine fully approved by the FDA. |
| Support | HB1035 | relative to exemptions from school vaccine mandates. | Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs | Mon 2/7 | 2:15 PM | LOB Room 210-211 | This bill allows parents to obtain an exemption from vaccinations required for school attendance. The parent may claim the exemption for medical or religious reasons or as a matter of conscience. |
| Support | HB1177 | relative to permissible residential units in a residential zone. | Municipal and County Government | Mon 2/7 | 9:00 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill requires that local legislative bodies permit by right certain single-family lots in residential districts to be used for up to 4 residential units. |
| Support | HB1194 | relative to the procedure for overriding a local tax cap. | Municipal and County Government | Mon 2/7 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill requires a supermajority vote of the legislative body to override a local tax cap. |
| Support | HB1238 | relative to zoning powers and the supply of workforce housing. | Municipal and County Government | Mon 2/7 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill prohibits local proscriptions on workforce housing. |
| Of Interest | HB1307 | modifying the authority and duties of the housing appeals board. | Municipal and County Government | Mon 2/7 | 11:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill modifies the authority and duties of the housing appeals board. |
| Of Interest | HB1431 | establishing the parental bill of rights. | Children and Family Law | Tue 2/8 | 10:30 AM | SH Room Reps Hall | This bill establishes a parental bill of rights, a framework for notice of, and to report violations of, such rights, and consequences for affirmative findings of violations. |
| Oppose | SB453 | relative to statewide pre-kindergarten funding. | Education | Tue 2/8 | 9:15 AM | LOB Room 101 | This bill establishes the requirement for school districts to provide pre-kindergarten (pre-K) education to pupils in the district and for state funding of the cost of pre-K education programs. |
| Of Interest | SB410 | relative to school district transparency. | Education | Tue 2/8 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 101 | This bill requires public comment periods at school board meetings, the adoption of a school board code of ethics developed by the state board of education, and procedures for amendment and submission of school district charters. |
| Support | HB1241 | prohibiting a school district from mandating a COVID-19 vaccination for school attendance. | Education | Tue 2/8 | 1:45 PM | LOB Room 205-207 | This bill prohibits school districts from mandating that students have a COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend school. |
| Support | HB1171 | exempting certain niche beauty services from licensure requirements. | Executive Departments and Administration | Tue 2/8 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill exempts niche beauty services from occupational and shop license requirements. |
| Support | HB1560 | relative to nonresident licensure by the board of barbering, cosmetology, and esthetics. | Executive Departments and Administration | Tue 2/8 | 11:15 AM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill modifies the requirements for nonresident licensure by the board of barbering, cosmetology, and esthetics. |
| Support | HB1566 | relative to the NH prescription drug affordability board (non-germane amendment #2022-0375) |
Executive Departments and Administration | Tue 2/8 | 3:00 PM | LOB Room 302-304 | The amendment repeals the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board. Copies of the amendment are available in the Sergeant-at-Arms Office, Room 318, State House. |
| Support | HB1401 | prohibiting the disclosure of the number of miles driven by a specific driver licensed by the state or vehicle registered in the state. | Transportation | Tue 2/8 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 201-203 | This bill prohibits both the department of safety, and inspection stations, from sharing vehicle mileage information without the consent of the vehicle’s owner. |
| Support | HB1302 | relative to the weighing of vehicles. | Transportation | Tue 2/8 | 10:10 AM | LOB Room 201-203 | This bill limits law enforcement’s authority to stop and weigh any vehicle to commercial vehicles only. |
| Support | HB1447 | prohibiting state agencies from using face recognition technology. | Transportation | Tue 2/8 | 11:10 AM | LOB Room 201-203 | This bill prohibits state agencies from using face recognition technology. |
| Oppose | SB442 | relative to the suspension of a vehicle registration as a result of evading toll collection systems. | Transportation | Tue 2/8 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 101 | This bill requires the director of the division of motor vehicles to suspend an owner’s vehicle registration privileges until any unpaid tolls and administrative fees are paid. This bill also prevents an owner from transferring ownership of a vehicle until any unpaid tolls and fees are paid. |
| Support | HB1426 | eliminating the vehicle inspection mandate for non-commercial vehicles. | Transportation | Tue 2/8 | 1:30 PM | LOB Room 201-203 | This bill eliminates the requirement that private passenger vehicles, light trucks, and motorcycles undergo annual equipment inspection to determine whether such vehicles are fit to be driven, provided that such vehicles are not used in the regular course of business. |
| Of Interest | HB1431 | establishing the parental bill of rights. | Children and Family Law | Wed 2/9 | 11:40 AM | LOB Room 206-208 | |
| Oppose | HB1380 | relative to installation of solar photovoltaic energy systems by owners subject to deed restrictions in a homeowners association. | Commerce and Consumer Affairs | Wed 2/9 | 10:30 AM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill prohibits deed restrictions of homeowners’ associations from prohibiting or restricting the installation and use of a solar photovoltaic energy system. |
| Support | HB1378 | relative to inspection of public lodging houses. | Commerce and Consumer Affairs | Wed 2/9 | 11:00 AM | LOB Room 302-304 | This bill requires a sheriff or police officer to present a warrant before inspecting the register of a public lodging house. |
| Support | HB1296 | relative to money, coin, or currency which may be forfeited in connection with a drug offense (non-germane amendment #2021-0264h). nify criminal asset forfeiture, one process for the crime (if there is one) and the asset. It also includes the language of HB1101 (non-adoption for Equitable Sharing). | Criminal Justice and Public Safety | Wed 2/9 | 9:45 AM | LOB Room 202-204 | The amendment establishes a procedure for the forfeiture of items used in connection with a drug offense. Copies of the amendment are available in the Sergeant-at-Arms office, Room 318, State House. |
| Of Interest | HB1476 | relative to persons arrested while out on bail. | Criminal Justice and Public Safety | Wed 2/9 | 11:00 AM | LOB Room 202-204 | This bill provides that a person who commits an offense while on bail shall be detained without bail pending a hearing before a judge. |
| Of Interest | HB1335 | relative to the parole board and the procedure for medical parole of prisoners. | Criminal Justice and Public Safety | Wed 2/9 | 1:30 PM | LOB Room 202-204 | This bill revises the criteria necessary for determining if an inmate qualifies for medical parole and revises the membership of the adult parole board. The bill also renames the position of “executive assistant to the parole board” as the “parole board director of operations.” |
| Of Interest | HB1512 | relative to the parole of certain prisoners. | Criminal Justice and Public Safety | Wed 2/9 | 3:00 PM | LOB Room 202-204 | This bill changes the eligibility for parole for certain prisoners. |
| Oppose | SB374 | relative to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. | Health and Human Services | Wed 2/9 | 10:30 AM | SH Room 100 | This bill prohibits a person from requiring that an individual who had COVID-19 or who is under the age of 18 receive a vaccination against the virus as a condition for employment, education, or access to businesses or entities open to the public. The bill also establishes an exemption as a matter of conscience against a vaccination mandate. The bill establishes a criminal penalty and a private right of action for enforcement. |
| Support | HB1070 | relative to the default budget in official ballot jurisdictions. | Municipal and County Government | Wed 2/9 | 9:00 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill allows for the default budget in an official ballot town or district to be reduced by any reduction to an appropriation the governing body made in the proposed operating budget. |
| Support | HB1087 | relative to zoning for single family housing lots. | Municipal and County Government | Wed 2/9 | 9:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill limits the authority of local land use planning boards relating to ordinances governing lot sizes. |
| Oppose | HB1172 | requiring composting and waste recycling to be made available to residents of public housing. | Municipal and County Government | Wed 2/9 | 11:30 AM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill requires towns to ensure that residents of public housing have access to a composting and waste recycling facility. |
| Of Interest | HB1617 | relative to housing projects of the community development finance authority and establishing a committee to prevent state subsidies for housing development that is not income-sensitive. | Municipal and County Government | Wed 2/9 | 12:00 PM | LOB Room 301-303 | This bill provides that the community development finance authority block grant program may be used for affordable housing projects. The bill also establishes a committee to prevent state subsidies for housing development that is not income sensitive. |
| Oppose | HB1143 | relative to medical mandates adopted by employers. | Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services | Thu 2/10 | 10:00 AM | LOB Room 305-307 | This bill requires an employer that implements a medical mandate as a condition of employment to submit the written policy to the state, and provide severance pay to any employee who is terminated as a result of opting out of the medical mandate. |
| Oppose | HB1508 | prohibiting discharge of volunteer firefighters or volunteer emergency medical technicians from other employment. | Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services | Thu 2/10 | 11:30 AM | LOB Room 305-307 | This bill prohibits an employer from discharging or disciplining an employee who is a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician and whose failure to report for work was due to such employee responding to an emergency. |
| Oppose | HB1514 | relative to an employee’s unused earned time. | Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services | Thu 2/10 | 1:00 PM | LOB Room 305-307 | This bill requires an employer to pay an employee for unused earned time. |
| Oppose | HB1569 | relative to the status of “totally unemployed” for purposes of unemployment compensation. | Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services | Thu 2/10 | 1:30 PM | LOB Room 305-307 | This bill provides that an individual who has not been terminated but has been prohibited from entering his or her place of employment shall be deemed totally unemployed for the purposes of unemployment compensation. |
The post Bill Hearings for Week of February 07, 2022 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.
New Hampshire HB 1027 was introduced by Rep. Tim Baxter (R – Rockingham 20) and Rep. Josh Yokela (R – Rockingham 33) on January 5, 2022, followed by a public hearing on January 19th. It’s now sitting in committee until March 10, 2022.
Politicians and bureaucrats that violate our medical freedom by enforcing unconstitutional and unlawful mandates should go to prison. The legislative process is sacred. President Joe Biden is not a king, and the executive department cannot subvert the legislative process when it is convenient. It is up to individual state legislatures and the United States congress to enact legislation that impacts the citizens…It is well within the authority of the general court to protect its constituents from overreach of federal executive power. This bill aims to check the power of the federal government, and to defend the people of our state from unconstitutional executive actions and decrees that encroach on their ability to conduct business freely. This bill protects the right of private businesses to make their own decisions in what they require of their employees, and frees them from being shackled by executive overreach.” – Rep. Tim Baxter, HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022 – watch here
Arguments Presented at the Public Hearing
Rep. Baxter’s arguments focused on how covid-19 mandates in New Hampshire have affected employers/employees negatively by forcing them into catch-22 situations. One example was a mother in tears because she didn’t agree with the vaccine mandate, but would lose her job if she didn’t comply. Rep. Baxter argued that businesses should be in charge of setting their own parameters, without government intrusion or intervention whatsoever.
Rep. Yokela’s arguments focused on how using covid-19 as the basis for “emergency powers” is an abuse of the legislative system. Over two years into the pandemic, any “emergency powers” enacted are unnecessary, as the entire world is well aware of the situation. Employers do not need hand-holding, and employees should not be forced into unconstitutional positions by the government. Rep. Yokela argued that legislatures have enough time, at this late stage, to follow the legitimate legislative path instead of enacting laws by executive decree. If they do not follow the proper path, it should be considered an act of treason.
I became actively involved in this process in the end of 2021, beginning of 2022, and I was actually appalled with the way people are being discriminated against because of this pandemic. Not only in our communities, but right here in our legislative body. This bill would hold those people responsible and accountable at every level. It needs to be done. I was in a Senate hearing yesterday and one of the senators who spoke…said the bottom line is that we don’t want to approve this because we want everyone vaccinated. That’s not appropriate. That is not appropriate for someone to take that kind of a stand. He’s representing the people of New Hampshire. Not everyone in New Hampshire wants this vaccine. Not everyone in New Hampshire believes in this vaccine. Not everyone in New Hampshire trusts our federal government, or even our state government at this point. I’m here today to support this bill; it’s a good start.” – Russan Chester (NH citizen), HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022 – watch here
Abusing “Emergency Powers” Is an Act of Treason
Skirting around the legitimate legislative process by proclaiming kingly “emergency powers” (when there is no emergency) is an act of treason against the state, and should be treated as such, the bill argues. Obviously if used as intended, the power of “the king” to enact spur-of-the-moment laws wouldn’t seem quite so shady. But creeping up past the two-year mark of the pandemic, there’s no reason to skirt around the legitimate legislative process anymore. If an elected official abuses their powers, this bill would allow for them to be charged with treason, carrying a minimum prison sentence of 20 years.
As this bill states, the legislative process is a core process of our democracy and a lot of people may think of treason as helping a foreign state. In fact, not only is it helping a foreign state, but undermining the core of our actual state. And there are some people who wish to subvert that core aspect of the legislative process in our country, and that should be taken with the utmost of seriousness. The use of covid-19, this far into a pandemic, is not a legitimate claim of emergency. The claim of emergencies that go around our legislative process are used so that in a short amount of time the people can react to changing circumstance. But two years into the pandemic, the legislature has ample time to assess and respond, legislatively. And so going around that legislative process is now unwarranted.” – Rep. Josh Yokela, HB 1027 public hearing, 1/19/2022 – watch here
Video of the Public Hearing for HB 1027: (5:20 – 16:00)
Predicted Storm has postponed HB1105 hearing until Feb. 9 at 2:15 pm
The NH House Criminal Justice Committee will meet in LOB 202 and receive testimony on HB-1105, a proposal to reduce the “Earned Time Credit” of an inmate.
read more