He’s back. We previously covered State Rep Damond Ford in: State Rep Damond Ford Doesn’t Know Much About History and State Rep Damond Ford … You CANNOT Be Progressive And Pro-Israel and Rep Damond Ford: Heaven Is Only For Communists. But there is more. Damond Ford, just yesterday, back to spewing his Woke-Communist hate for Israel:

Are Woke Communists like Damond Ford who Manchester voters want “representing” them? Or are they clueless that Damond Ford, like so many other “Democrat” Reps from Manchester, is actually a Woke Communist? And what does it say about the current state of politics in Manchester, New Hampshire, and the focus of the NHGOP that Damond Ford does not even try to hide it?

The post State Rep Damond Ford … Do Manchester Voters Have Any Clue? appeared first on Granite Grok.

To all those who are sending in memes, thank you!  Many, many good ones!  Please do share this post, and if you share an individual meme, consider mentioning you saw it on the Grok!

Speaking of, from this week, Monday Edition and Wednesday Edition.  Note that my weekly Israel post will be out on late Saturday.

 

*** Warning, a few possibly off-color ones, in case tender eyes are about ***

 

 

AND…

To all my Christian readers, I wish you a wonderful and celebratory Easter.  In these times of trouble, and in all times, may He be a blessing and a comfort to you.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

 

Assuming this is true, this is yet another poke at the Bear.

TPTB seem desperate to provoke WWIII.

 

 

 

 

 

Very sad but true.  There’s a reason I refer to the population, as a whole, as “sheeple”.

 

 

 

 

There’s an old joke that lab rats are being replaced by politicians.  Why?  Because there are some things rats won’t do.

 

 

 

 

Just heard her mentioned on the radio the other day.

 

 

 

 

 

Coming soon: We must obey the DS “for the greater good”…  I was rereading one of my old essays and read a quote from a lib who PREFERRED living under the enlightened rule of panels of experts.

 

 

 

Strength is currency in the Middle East (and around the world).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn’t she actually issue a press release saying she’d never done the deed with Trump?

 

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA

 

 

 

 

The data are clear.  But so many won’t see – because it would either disrupt their paychecks, or their vision of themselves as superior.

Understand, the entire system is bought lock, stock, and barrel.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

 

Just saw a video on Telegram about how laden Dunkin’ Donuts is with glycophosphate.

 

 

 

Am I an advocate of corporeal punishment as a general rule?  No.  But sometimes it’s necessary when all other avenues fail.  In particular, when the kids were young, one swat on the butt was mainly to get their attention.

 

 

 

IMHO there is no innocent explanation for stopping this.

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent costume idea!

 

 

 

Don’t just boycott them.  Write them a physical letter to tell them why.  No, no emails or comment forms – those can be set to ignore most keyword messages.  A physical letter, especially in swarms, is harder to ignore.

 

 

 

And they do so openly, not by “nudging”…

The Fly on the Urinal – Urban Scoop

 

 

It makes you wonder – do they really think people are that unobservant?

 

 

 

 

Remember, this is a multi-generational faith.

 

 

 

Well, sunlight is great in dosed amounts.  If you get fried / lobsterized, that’s different.  Over the course of a summer I build up a nice tan, but I’m careful about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Link Section (some mine, some from my Jarhead friend):

 

Regarding the container ship Dali that lost power (twice) just before crashing into the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore.  This site has videos from several sources showing the ship made a last minute course change literally seconds before impact.  Given the course change, and the power going out (twice) just before impact, it certainly seems like a cyber attack set up to make the impact cause the most damage possible.  The bridge was a major artery for goods moving North-South on the Eastern seaboard, and the pieces of the bridge are now blocking access to the port, which was the 9th busiest port in America.  If this was a cyber attack, they sure got the bang for their buck:

It WAS NOT an accident: Ship changed course and kept it… something is fishy yet again – Whatfinger News’ Choice Clips

Related:

Bayou Renaissance Man: The Baltimore bridge collapse and supply chains

—

Looks like Biden is considering blanket amnesty for illegal aliens.  So we allow them to come, then make them instant citizens.  Just in time for them to register to vote for the 2024 election, isn’t that great!  The scary part is, short of trying Biden for treason (which the UniParty won’t do), I don’t see how to stop it:

Biden Is Considering Illegal Immigrant Amnesty – HotAir

—

This is the article from the Epoch Times about Steve Baker, a journalist who covered January 6th, 2021 at the capitol, and how he was not arrested until he started becoming effective at debunking the “narrative”.  He was charged with 4 misdemeanors, and voluntarily turned himself in (as requested) to the FBI in Dallas.  They arrested him, placed him in leg chains, shackles, and handcuffs (with a belly chain) to perp walk him in front of the judge.  The message is:  “Don’t mess with our narrative, or we’ll take you down”:

https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/steve-baker-on-the-jan-6-front-lines-and-in-the-dojs-crosshairs-5609736

—

Wisconsin election integrity group Omega 4 America has found another method by which the Dems plan to steal the 2024 election, and it also explains why Biden et.al. are flying illegals into swing states in the middle of the night:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/wisconsin-researchers-find-illegal-aliens-are-flooding-voter/

—

The WEF et.al. is now coming for your garden (seriously, they want to ban private food production).  However, a bill being introduced in the U.S. Congress will allow having private food production means, and make it so the government cannot dictate regarding food sold within a state (only that passing across state lines).  Maine has already done the right thing, as they passed a law last year that allows Mainers to grow, harvest, and sell food from private food sources (MANY Mainers, on BOTH sides of the aisle supported this bill).  Of course that will only work if the Feds keep their hands off…

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/great-reset/the-right-to-grow-food/

 

 

Funny how the government used to encourage self-sufficiency.  Now they’re on a jihad against it.

—

A good article on the “new cars” (which are really rolling surveillance platforms), and how they won’t LET you go over the speed limit, or pass another car, or whatever.  You are no longer a “driver”, but an “observer”.  This started in 2017, and all new cars are getting it now (some system more “active” then others).  And as of 2025, all new cars are required to have a “kill switch” installed so law enforcement (or the government) can shut your car off if you don’t obey.   And once they have enough cars on the road “under control” (say 60% or more), how long before they pass a law requiring you to have a “monitoring device with a kill switch” installed in order to drive on public roads?  And pretty soon after that, ANY car that is not “government controllable” will be outlawed.

https://www.ericpetersautos.com/2024/03/24/would-you-still-want-to-drive/

In fact, in the future, I predict you won’t even be able to BUY a car anymore, at best, you MAY be allowed to lease one (you’ll own nothing, and LIKE it, peasant).

Eight States Plan to Ban the Sale of Gas-Powered Vehicles as Joe Biden Issues New Rules to Begin Killing Them Off | The Gateway Pundit | by Cullen Linebarger

—

For those who wish to get blood from “un-jabbed” donors, several sites are setting that up (because the Red Cross doesn’t care).  Full disclosure:  I’ve been giving blood since I was 18 (always through the Red Cross), and I’ve given over 10 gallons now (gotta love the Oreos…).  However, the last couple times I gave, I asked the Red Cross folks about unjabbed blood (I’m unjabbed), and they didn’t care.  So now I’m considering donating to one of these organizations:

https://granitegrok.com/blog/2024/03/looking-for-safe-blood-in-the-post-pandemic-era

—

If you like watching YouTube videos about subjects that may make government nervous (gorilla warfare, how to conceal your face from facial recognition, how to make maps from drone video, etc.), Google is now ratting you out to the Feds.  Better get a REALLY good VPN, and maybe route through TOR (although the Feds take a special interest in you if you start using TOR):

https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2024/03/24/google-has-been-ratting-out-youtube-viewers-to-the-feds-n3785282

Somewhat related:

A whistle blower is saying that Google and Meta are basically extensions of the NSA, CIA, DHS, DOJ, and FBI now.  Anything they have on you (your searches, likes, comments, reviews, purchases, etc.) the government has it.  Who cares about that pesky 4th Amendment anyway…

https://gellerreport.com/2024/03/google-and-meta-function-as-extensions-of-the-us-intelligence-community.html/

—

A (very) short “future history” story on X, showing a very plausible look on what will happen:

:https://twitter.com/Matt_Bracken48/status/1771897931676713128

—

Here’s Bill Gates on X, explaining why it’s OK for him to fly in a private jet and travel, but YOU shouldn’t:

https://twitter.com/wideawake_media/status/1772213468684296547

—

Right now, the Republicans hold a very slim majority in the US House (217-213).  However, Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc) and Representative Ken Buck (R-Colo) have both “designed to resign” before their term is up, leaving April 19th.  If they left NOW, their districts could hold a special election before November.  And given that they both come from deep red districts, a special election would give the R’s a solid chance to put R’s back in those seats.  But by waiting until mid-April, there will not be enough time for the special election, and those seats will be vacant, while the Dems are busy with special elections to REPLACE the Dems in the positions they lost.  Why is this important?  Besides holding the majority in the House, the House members are who certifies elections.  If the Dems control the house, they could vote to NOT CERTIFY the 2024 election! Or vote to accept “alternate electors”, so that Slo-Joe “wins” even though he didn’t win.  Having these RINOs wait until mid-April to quit seems like another UniParty set-up to deny Trump the White House (assuming he wins).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/03/22/another-house-republican-is-resigning-narrowing-gop-edge-to-one-seat

Related (shows the details better):

DC RINOs Attempt to Sabotage President Trump’s Re-Election With Retirements, Insurrection Legislation – ISRAPUNDIT

Susan Collins is openly saying she will NOT endorse Trump, and in fact, may renounce the Republican party altogether and become Independent.  The Swamp really, REALLY, doesn’t want Trump back in the White House.  Gee, maybe because he might actually correct our course?

Sens. Murkowski and Collins Could Leave the GOP (independentsentinel.com)

—

Baltimore voted to “defund” their police.  Now they have major crime happening all over.  So what do they do?  Defund some more!:

Baltimore City Implodes: Police Force Collapses, Only Three Officers Patrolled Major District  | ZeroHedge

—

Globalists are itching to implement CBDC, and the folks running the SWIFT system (controls the bank transactions in the Western world) are planning to transition to CBDC in 12-24 months:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/03/25/swift-planning-launch-of-central-bank-digital-currency-trading-platform-in-12-months

Related:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/blackrocks-fink-says-russia-ukraine-crisis-could-accelerate-digital-currencies-2022-03-24

I’ve mentioned that with a CBDC your account could be frozen.  And 99% of the time, I get some version of “That can’t happen here”.  And disbelief, utter disbelief, when I tell them about what happened to Canadians during the trucker protests.

—

A good piece from TL Davis on why we need citizen militias:

https://tldavis.substack.com/p/bucking-for-a-new-waco

—

We bitch about the Millennials (and some of them do whine a LOT), but here’s a sobering look at where they stand financially.  The long & short of it is this:  Most will never own a house, and never be able to retire:

Hopelessness setting in and leading to depression – Gun Free Zone

—

The national debt is piling up at a rate that is totally unsustainable, as just the INTEREST is $1.1 Trillion (yes, with a “T”) per year.  When it all collapses, people will be using $100 bills as fire-starter.  Here’s a good article laying it all out.  Take a look at your finances and use your cash to pay off any debt you have, as that will be used to enslave you:

CBO Director Warns Of Debt Market Meltdown With US Debt On “Unprecedented” Trajectory | ZeroHedge

Fiscal Collapse Accelerates – by Peter St Onge (profstonge.com)

A reminder.  I hate being right all the time:

 

E I Feel Like Sarah Connor The Coming Financial Collapse

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Pick of the Post:

 

 

Make it like the old Indian practice of Sati; burn them alive on the funeral pyre with the carcass of their owner.  Just MHO.

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Palate Cleansers:

 

—

—

 

I’ll show myself out.  TGIF!

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

And don’t forget… come back Monday for another edition.  Same Meme Time.  Same Meme channel.

Please do consider buying me a coffee.

Buy Me a Coffee

 

My thanks to JC who bought me five coffees!

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

The post Friday Meme Overflow-Overflow appeared first on Granite Grok.

So little of what we see in the news these days can be called good.  In fact, one has to look pretty hard to find it.  Few would argue the chaos in New Hampshire (exploding violent attacks, joblessness, high cost of living, reckless politicians, etc.) is reflective of the larger global chaos.  The evidence and outcomes of two world wars you think would have been enough to avoid a third, yet here we are staring it in its big, ugly, insatiable maw.

Who couldn’t go for a little good news right now?

Today marks the annual holiday recognized as Good Friday among the faithful.  It’s a holiday that harkens us back to a day similarly dark and brutal full of suffering, where mankind proved beyond a shadow of a doubt we were, as we are today, morally bankrupt and depraved, collectively conspiring to kill the greatest servant and most peaceful human being to ever walk the earth – God the Son – Jesus Christ.

If you haven’t seen the Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson’s award winning movie about the time leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, today would be a good day to watch it.  Despite Christian movies being notoriously poor quality, full of clichés and the kind of contrived or dispassionate acting one expects from low budget filmmaking, this movie impressed even anti-Christ Hollywood.

How?

Gibson, despite his publicly flawed life, shares the passion of the Christ, both in name and deed, by pouring himself entirely into reenacting the capture, mock trial and capital punishment of Jesus.  By all accounts the movie is a masterpiece, and perhaps the only movie about Jesus that rises to the level of being worthy of calling itself Biblical.

Not one for spoiler alerts, if you don’t already know the story then you’ve somehow managed to live this long without hearing the greatest story ever told from the most popular book of all-time.  You might want to catch up.  However, even if you do know the story, the artistic rendering in Gibson’s film will leave you profoundly moved at what Jesus was willing to suffer on your behalf.  If you’re not stirred in your soul to admire what Jesus went through at the hands of evil men to save you from an eternity of suffering and replace it with an eternity of peace and joy among loved ones, knowing that He neither deserved nor had to do it, then you are as spiritually dead as He says you are.

What makes this fake religious, conspiratorial, bloody, painful, and evil act of mankind so good is the One who suffered through it so we wouldn’t.

When asked by a young rich ruler “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with a keen rhetorical question:

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)

The young wealthy man, just like most of his Jewish contemporaries, could not see Jesus was not just their long awaited Messiah, but God in the flesh.  Jesus was offering yet another clue, but spiritual blindness makes it difficult to see.

In fact, none of us can see the truth of God until He opens our eyes.  Gibson’s film is intended to help us get there.

So what makes this Friday so particularly good if it recalls yet another of man’s brutal deeds against even God Himself?

It’s the moment in time we are allowed to see the deep, deep goodness and love of God the Son, Jesus the Christ, alluded to here:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

The God of the Universe sees our spiritual bankruptcy.  He knows our need of saving, and He knows we are powerless to save ourselves.  He also knew that we would conspire and plot to kill even His precious and most innocent only Son, yet somehow uses our own evil act to extend forgiveness and save us from ourselves.

That’s what makes Him the only one who can truly be called good, and that’s what we are called to remember this day each year.

Happy Good Friday New Hampshire.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Originally published April 7, 2023

The post Thank God It’s Good Friday appeared first on Granite Grok.

Jill Biden was singing to the choir the other evening when she spoke at the Human Rights Campaign Dinner, and I have to wonder if everyone there agreed with her claim that parents concerned about age-inappropriate material in school libraries are fascist.

Jill Biden: If you don’t want your kids reading Gender Queer or other sexually explicit gay porn books in school then you are akin to Nazis during World War II. Report here: https://t.co/FQkF6ZpmLL pic.twitter.com/GzEBTGnejK

— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) March 25, 2024

She might be serious; after all, look at what she married. The child-sniffing perv who swam naked daily in front of the female members of his Secret Service detail (as VP) and was credibly accused of doing what Donald Trump said that made Dems lose their minds. Biden actually grabbed a woman by her p**** (as a US Senator), but did he get armies of pussy hat-wearing harpies marching in protest when he ran for president. Nope. They defended his creepy ass. So Jill might be all in on the grooming. Joe was showering with her daughter, Ashley.

How could she possibly feel differently about people who think that’s sick, perverse, and, in most states, illegal? More to the point, she finds those who object offensive, anti-democratic fascists. Nazis. A strange take, but Jill’s brightest idea was marrying a pervert on whose coattails – with a little help from a few last-minute mail-in ballots – she was able to ride her way to Mrs. Mr. President. A guy who has done more fascist things in three years than Trump was falsely accused of in four. Ideas the plagiarizer-in-chief stole from the DNC media narrative mills and made real.

They don’t call it projection because it’s bright. And what does Dr. Jill make of this?

Maia Kobabe, who identifies as non-binary told the Washington Post that her book is aimed at “older teens,” not kindergarten aged kids.

“I originally wrote it for my parents, and then for older teens who were already asking these questions about themselves. I don’t recommend this book for kids!” she said in the interview published last week.

Gender Queer is the magnum Opus of the K-8 grooming class, but the author disagrees with it being available to children. Does that count for anything? Does Mrs. Mr. President need to slow her roll, recalibrate, and (God forbid) apologize for lumping Maia Kobabe with fascists?

How about the parents of “children” who happen to be LGB but object to age-inappropriate sexualized comics and lit in schools and libraries? I guess they’re all fascists, too.

Gay Nazis. Whodathunkit.

The post Jill Biden Just Equated the Author of Gender Queer With Nazis appeared first on Granite Grok.

Another week, another opportunity to get emails from disgruntled Reps who missed one vote. That seems to be the cycle. The folks who’ve been diligent get miffed, while the gross offenders could care less. That’s fine; this is, after all, to alert the people that a handful consistently refuse to represent.

A quick note from the data guy: Rep. Soti was present but declared an ethical conflict and did not vote three times. As you can see, several Reps had excellent records until today. It must have been something serious that kept them away. Several Reps were there all day until near the end, so I assume they had to leave for work or something else important.

Here’s the attendance record for this week (on the left) and the total roll call votes missed all year on the right.

Have compassion for your citizen legislators who have to leave for jobs or other responsibilities when the session runs long (as it has these past few weeks), but know that both sides (majority and minority) must play the game of chess to effect the best possible outcomes.

If you’d like a round-up of yesterday’s House business, we published one this morning.

 

3/28		YTD
30	Sanborn, Laurie (R, Bedford)	197
30	Varney, Peter (R, Alton)	84
30	Mason, James (R, Franklin)	52
30	Harley, Tina (R, Seabrook)	47
30	Brouillard, Jacob (R, Nottingham)	40
30	True, Chris (R, Sandown)	36
30	Phinney, Brandon (R, Rochester)	31
30	Dumais, Russell (R, Gilford)	30
18	Pitre, Joseph (R, Farmington)	67
13	O’Hara, Travis (R, Belmont)	121
12	Trottier, Douglas (R, Belmont)	92
12	Infantine, William (R, Manchester)	37
7	Crawford, Karel (R, Moultonborough)	50
7	Foote, Charles (R, Derry)	26
7	Bernardy, JD (R, South Hampton)	16
6	Panek, Sandra (R, Pelham)	47
6	Testerman, Dave (R, Franklin)	45
6	Lundgren, David (R, Londonderry)	44
6	Beaudoin, Richard (R, Gilford)	36
6	Fedolfi, Jim (R, Hillsborough)	24
6	Brown, Carroll (R, Bristol)	21
6	Plett, Fred (R, Goffstown)	6
5	Piemonte, Tony (R, Sandown)	89
5	Boehm, Ralph (R, Litchfield)	6
3	Hunt, John (R, Rindge)	15
3	Smith, Steven (R, Charlestown)	8
3	Notter, Jeanine (R, Merrimack)	4
3	Soti, Julius (R, Windham)	4
2	Berry, Ross (R, Manchester)	10
2	Layon, Erica (R, Derry)	5
2	Reid, Karen (R, Deering)	2
1	Cole, Brian (R, Manchester)	50
1	Guthrie, Joseph (R, Hampstead)	37
1	Vandecasteele, Susan (R, Salem)	26
1	Dolan, Tom (R, Londonderry)	19
1	Bickford, David (R, New Durham)	13
1	Doucette, Fred (R, Salem)	13
1	Nagel, David (R, Gilmanton)	12
1	Kuttab, Katelyn (R, Windham)	8
1	DeSimone, Debra (R, Atkinson)	7
1	Roy, Terry (R, Deerfield)	4
1	Sytek, John (R, Salem)	4
1	Aylward, Deborah (R, Danbury)	2
1	McConkey, Mark (R, Freedom)	2
1	Potenza, Kelley (R, Rochester)	2
1	Rhodes, Jennifer (R, Winchester)	2
1	Sellers, John (R, Bristol)	2
1	Noble, Kristin (R, Bedford)	1
1	Seidel, Sheila (R, Goffstown)	1
1	Stone, Jonathan (R, Claremont)	1

The post NH House Republican Attendance for the Week of 3-28-2024 appeared first on Granite Grok.

We learned that it took from 9am until 7pm, with an hour or so break for lunch, to get through 43 bills on the regular calendar, 2 off the consent calendar, plus 3 that were taken off the table, and 1 more that was reconsidered. It was a long day and I’ll try to review some highlights.

We learned that today was Table Day! Many bills were either put on the Table, attempted to be Tabled, or Taken off the Table today. Tabling was the motion to do if you wanted something dead after today because, after today, you will no longer be able to remove bills from the table with just a simple majority. Tabling a bill today also killed a bill without going through all the speeches and Parliamentary Inquiries (PIs) – so it saved some time.

We learned that the House was in a forgiving mood as we passed HB1366, with a Roll Call vote of 283-80. This bill annuls criminal convictions, which resulted in a misdemeanor, for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Having a misdemeanor removes some economic barriers for these folks who committed crimes of possession, and the House just thinks it’s time we let bygones be bygones, especially since some claim we’re on the cusp of legalization in our state.

We learned that HB1713 and its amendment passed on a voice vote. This bill requires that a defendant who is charged with or awaiting sentence for an offense punishable by life imprisonment or imprisonment of a maximum term of 15 years or more be present at the return of the verdict and at sentencing after trial, subject to excusal for cause. The bill further permits a court to order the use of reasonable force in carrying out a transport order issued pursuant to this section of an incarcerated defendant who refuses to comply with that order. The bill further makes it a class A felony to knowingly violate this provision. This was a bill created by Former House Speaker Steve Shurtleff (D-Penacook) in response to the murder conviction in the Harmony Montgomery case. The bill was accepted by the House as a late bill (submitted after bill submission deadlines) and fast-tracked through the House. If this bill passes the Senate and gets signed by the Governor, Adam Montgomery may have to face the family and loved ones of the daughter he is convicted of murdering at his May 9th sentencing date.

We learned that a bill prohibiting mandatory masking policies in public schools passed 187-184. HB1093 would prohibit public schools from adopting policies that require students or members of the public to wear a mask while on school property. Protective equipment used for sports or for handling chemicals for scientific or educational purposes was excluded. I think they omitted Halloween festivities at schools, but at least this was a good start.

We learned that HB1592 was Tabled 191Y-186N. This bill was another attack on Education Freedom Accounts, and would have prohibited the use of EFA funds for religious school tuition. This would be contrary to multiple U.S. Supreme Court rulings dating back several decades. These include Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002), Trinity Lutheran v. Comer (2017), Espinoza v. Montana Dept of Revenue (2020), and Carson v. Makin (2022). The opinion in the Carson case sums up these cases: “A neutral benefit program in which public funds flow to religious organizations through the independent choices of private benefit recipients does not offend the Establishment Clause.” Week after week, we see these continued attacks on our successful EFA school choice program…. Because afterall, House Democrats will tell you,“it’s for the kids”.

We learned that parental consent won today. HB1616 passed 190Y-187N. With regard to Medicaid reimbursement for medical and health related services provided to students with disabilities, this bill affirms that written parental consent should be obtained for each new service provided to the child and billed to Medicaid. Proponents believe that an initial consent should not be an open door for all services and billing for the child. Parents have a right to know what is being billed. Democrats wanted to Interim Study this bill, essentially killing it and allowing the continued practice of “blank check” billing and non transparency. I think parents should know if their kids are actually receiving the services that are being billed by providers.

We learned that HB1145 passed 208Y-162N. The House was talkin’ trash as they debated banning the private ownership of landfills. An initial motion to Table failed 180Y (R:178 D:2) to 193N (R:11 D:182). The premise of this bill is to ban private ownership of landfills in New Hampshire in order to get around the US Commerce Clause and allow us to limit – or even eliminate – the importation of out of state trash. It grandfathers in existing landfills, so there will be no impact to what we already do at those facilities anyway. Four of the six landfills in the state are publicly owned. Almost 50% of those facilities’ landfilled trash is from out of state. We only have one new landfill permit currently being considered at the State Department of Environmental Services, and it appears this bill just seeks to shut that down. It’s the one being considered in Dalton. It’s not even clear what would happen to that permitting process if this bill gets signed into law. Proponents claim it’s a better idea for all landfills to be owned by the state, or its political subdivisions, and operated by a contractor. Opponents just don’t like the fascist idea of banning private ownership of anything.

We learned that HB1222 passed with an amendment and a voice vote. Currently, Physician Assistants (PAs) may only practice if they have a signed collaboration agreement with a physician, and basically, this bill eliminates that requirement. These collaboration agreements can be costly; up to $1000/month and in many, cases the physician who signed a collaboration agreement had no relationship with the PA other than requiring the PA to pay for the signature. This bill will make it easier for PAs to practice in NH would help alleviate the shortage of medical personnel, and increase access to medical care.  This bill will make it less expensive and easier for them to say, “Take two aspirins and call me in the morning.”  Just kidding… they do more than that!

We learned that HB1323 passed on a voice vote. This will allow an appropriation to be made to print 5,000 copies of the NH State Constitution for the fourth graders who tour the State House. I’d say civics education is a worthwhile use of tax dollars. As they say, “It’s for the children”!

We also learned that parts of HB1607 passed. This was the “Safe Haven” bill. Current law allows a parent to surrender an infant within seven days of birth directly to a person at a hospital, church, police or fire station, or to an EMT at an agreed location. That is considered a “warm handoff.” This bill, in its entirety, would expand the time for surrender to 61 days and would allow the parent increased anonymity, as the child could be placed in a safe haven baby box at a hospital, fire station, or police station, which is attended 24 hours a day. As drafted, the bill also provided for the exclusion of all evidence of abuse or neglect gathered as a result of the parent surrendering a child in this manner from being used as evidence in a criminal or civil trial. The exclusionary piece was stripped out on a motion to divide the bill into two questions. Sections 1-4 and 6 of the bill passed 372Y-1N and section 5 of the bill, regarding the exclusion of evidence, failed 185Y-188N. House members did not want someone who abused a child after 61 days to get off “scott free” after surrendering a child to the safe haven box. House members who wanted the exclusionary portion to remain in the bill, claimed that saving a babies life should take precedence over prosecuting a parent. We have now left this bill in a box for the Senate to deal with.

We learned that HB1121 passed on a voice vote. This common sense bill allows a wetlands permit exemption for a property owner who wishes to clear storm debris from a stream on their property, especially if the debris is causing a blockage in the stream causing the stream to divert course which threatens property. Recent flooding in my town prompted me to author this bill. I’d be pleased if you called your senator and asked for him/her to support it.

We learned that both wake boating bills were tabled. HB1301 sought to establish a petition process before the NH Department of Safety where 25 people can request a hearing to ban wake surfing on a specific body of water. That was Tabled 196Y-172N. HB1390 was Tabled 190Y-178. That bill added definitions, made various prohibitions and restrictions to wakesports. The changes sought to lessen the impact of the energy distributed by these waves to shoreline, loon nesting spots, and unintentionally to people who are recreating in smaller craft and to protect the water quality of the lake. Opponents of both bills claim that they were too restrictive, would have hurt tourism and most importantly that public waters belong to everyone to enjoy. They were not convinced that wakesports are a cause of water quality damage but that excessive rain and other factors contribute more to shoreline erosion and cyanobacteria blooms. I would imagine these bills will probably come back to the legislature again, like large ripples in the pond.

We learned that both bills designed to increase housing passed. HB1291: increasing the number of Accessory Dwelling Units allowed on a property passed 220Y-143N after a Tabling motion failed 87Y-277N. HB1399 also passed 220Y-140N. That bill allows single family homes to be divided into a duplex. Opponents of both bills said this was a top down, one size fits all zoning change mandated by the state. They felt local control should prevail in these matters. They’re not wrong either.

We learned that HB1683, relative to coverage of circumcision under the state Medicaid plan, was tabled last week 188Y-187N. Today it was taken off the Table 189Y-188N followed by a motion to ITL which failed 185Y-188N. Then a Motion to Reconsider the OTP/A motion passed 188Y-186N followed by the final OTP/A Motion that failed 184Y-191N. After that, it was put back on the Table with a Voice Vote. So you can see how that whole exercise was a total waste of time.

We also learned that HB1353, the bill that would give the Commissioner of the Dept. of Education subpoena power (Tabled last week 293-58), was also attempted to be taken off the Table. The motion to remove from the Table failed 183Y-194N.

We further learned that when Republican attendance dropped to 178 and Democrats were 182, (around 6:05 PM), Rep. David Luneau (D-Hopkinton) seized the opportunity to remove HB546 off the Table. That bill was Tabled back in January (01/03/24) with a vote of 190-187. This bill was relative to the School building aid funding program and requires a minimum of $50,000,000 per fiscal year to be transferred to the school building aid fund, in addition to any debt service payments, for school building aid grants. The Remove From Table motion passed 182Y-179N and an OTP motion then passed 182Y-178N. The breakdown of roll-called votes went like this: Yeas 182(R:1 D:181) Nays (R:177 D:1). It’ll be interesting to see what the Senate Finance Committee does with it.

We learned that HB1711 was pulled off the consent calendar. HB1711 authorizes the state to report mental health data for firearms background check purposes and providing for processes for confiscation of firearms following certain mental health-related court proceedings and for relief from mental health-related firearms disabilities. All the gun groups were against this bill. At first, a Table motion failed 150Y-205N. Then, the committee amendment (0431h) passed on a voice vote, and two other floor amendments failed. Ultimately, the bill passed with the committee amendment, 204Y-149N on a roll call vote. The vote breakdown was Yeas 204 (R:25 D:179) Nays (R:147 D:2).  Proponents said that this language was adopted by language from the NRA and was vetted with our NH Attorney General and NAMI and that it works well without any problems in other states to keep guns out of the hands of people with mental illness. Opponents felt there were too many issues with a “red flag” bill like this and that psych doctors could declare anyone “unfit” and strip them of 2A rights.

We finally learned that at 7 PM, HB1283—the assisted suicide bill—was reconsidered after it passed last week OTP/A 179-176. The reconsideration motion failed 147Y-210N. I think at this point, people just wanted to go home. This bill will now go to the Senate, and we’ll see if they will assist in its demise.

Next week, we get a break, but we’ll be back with more bills and motions on April 11—which will also be Tartan Day! We’re headed to Crossover Day, and we’ll start seeing Senate bills hit the House floor.

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