Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope that you are staying safe and healthy, and that you had a restful holiday season. Following the start of the New Hampshire legislative session, this is our first weekly legislative update of 2022.
With last year’s assaults on public education, reproductive rights, racial justice and more, we are preparing for some challenging fights ahead, and we can’t do it without you! Last week, we were thrilled to see three priority bills pass out of the House that will advance immigrant rights, healthcare equity, and LGBTQ rights. We will keep you posted on how to support these bills moving forward. (See “Highlights from Last Week.”)
See Rights & Democracy’s New Hampshire legislative priorities for 2022.
Below, you will find a list of bills we support and bills we oppose that will be heard this week, organized by day, with details on committee, location and time. If you cannot attend a committee hearing in person, you can record your written support.
If you know anyone else who would like to receive these weekly updates, please invite them to sign up here. In future weeks, we look forward to collaborating with RAD leaders Sebastian Fuentes and David Bates to produce these updates.
Until next week and in solidarity,
Asma
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[highlight style=”green”]Top Actions This Week[/highlight]
Sign in to register your support or opposition on these three RAD priority bills this week, and testify in writing and in person if you are able!
- Housing Justice: Support the Limiting Evictions And Stop Escalating homelessness (LEASE) Act (HB1133)
- Climate Justice: Support the Civilian Climate Corps bill (HB1419-A)
- HEAL Together / Racial Justice: oppose the “divisive concepts ban for colleges” bill (HB1313) and support repealing the “divisive concepts” ban (SB304)
[highlight style=”yellow”]TIPS FOR TAKING ACTION[/highlight]
Sign in as soon as you can to register your position on a bill. Verbal testimony must be given in person this session, but you if you cannot attend, you can register your position online up to a week out from a hearing. Registration is cut off 30 minutes before a hearing. Make sure to email committee members to let them know why you support or oppose a bill, otherwise they will only see your position. After signing in support of a bill, the confirmation page will list the email address where you can submit written testimony.
Senate – Written testimony/Signing in:
Register your position and/or submit testimony on a Senate bill here.
Find the Senate Calendar here (meeting links are in the Calendar Notice pdf).
House – Written testimony/Signing in:
Register your position and/or submit testimony on a House bill here.
Find the House Calendar here.
Testifying in person:
Go to the room assigned for the committee hearing early. There will be a form for you to sign your name and who you are representing. You may sign in as yourself if you are not representing an organization. The higher your name is on the list, the earlier you get to speak. You will be called on when they open the hearing to the public.
Call and email your representatives directly:
Find your House Representative(s) here, and your Senator here.
Don’t know your district? Use this helpful map.
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[highlight style=”green”]All Upcoming Priority Bills[/highlight]
[highlight style=”yellow”]TUESDAY, JANUARY 11[/highlight]
Education, Room 205-207, LOB
- 2pm, *HB 1313, relative to rights to freedom from discrimination in higher education (OPPOSE). This bill aims to bring divisive concepts to colleges.
Science, Technology and Energy, Room 306-308, LOB
- 10:30am, *HB 1419-A, relative to establishing a New Hampshire civilian climate corps advisory commission (SUPPORT). This bill supports climate justice.
- 2pm, HB 1601-FN, relative to funding of the NHSaves program (SUPPORT). This bill would amend the amount of RGGI allowance revenues that are rebated to retail electricity ratepayers.
Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs, Room 210-211, LOB
- 2pm, HB 1390, relative to access to language translation services in telemedicine (SUPPORT). This bill directs licensed health care facilities to provide meaningful language access to limited-English proficient speakers and deaf or heard of hearing individuals when services are provided through telemedicine.
[highlight style=”yellow”]WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12[/highlight]
House Judiciary, Room 206-208, LOB
- 1:30pm, *HB 1133, prohibiting the termination of a lease during the sale of real property (SUPPORT).
- 2:30pm, HB 1216-FN, repealing the housing appeals board (OPPOSE).
- 3pm, HB 1200, relative to notice of rent increases in residential rental property (SUPPORT). This bill requires at least 45 days notice by a landlord in advance of a proposed rent increase.
Senate Judiciary State House Room 100
- 1:45pm, *SB304, relative to discrimination in public workplaces and education (SUPPORT). This bill would protect educators and public employees from being targeted for honest teaching about oppression.
Senate Health and Human Services LOB 101
- 9am, SB 279, establishing a study committee on harm reduction and overdose prevention programs (SUPPORT).
[highlight style=”yellow”]COMING NEXT WEEK [/highlight]
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19
House Education
- 9am, HB 1632, relative to civil rights education in public elementary and secondary schools (OPPOSE). adds instructional requirements for civil rights and acts of discriminatory injustice to the course of instruction in schools concerning national and state history and government.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20
House Education
- 11:15am, HB 1255, relative to teachers’ loyalty (OPPOSE). Expands the divisive concepts bill from last session to include more topics that teachers cannot teach.
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[highlight style=”green”]Highlights from Last Week[/highlight]
We were thrilled to see the following three bills pass out of the House!
HB 579 – requiring notice to the public before immigration checkpoints are conducted.
HB 103 – establishing a dental benefit under the state Medicare program.
HB 238 – prohibiting people from claiming “panic defense” if they harm a person from the LGBTQ community.
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[highlight style=”green”]Mark Your Calendar[/highlight]
Wednesday, January 12, 6-7:30pm
Heal Together NH Monthly Gathering | RSVP
Saturday, January 15, 11:30am-1:30pm
Leadership for Honest Education: School Board Candidate Training | RSVP
Thursday, January 20, 6- 7:30pm
NH Grassroots Lobbying Training | RSVP