Thank you for taking the time each week to contact committee members and your legislators. By doing your part, you are making a real difference for housing, healthcare, racial justice, and more in the Granite State.
Last week, RAD priority bill HB 1463 was killed in a close 11-10 party line vote. This bill would update the requirements for issuing driver’s licenses and increase immigrants’ rights and safety as they navigate in New Hampshire. The fight is not over; supporters will have a chance to overturn the committee’s recommendation when the bill comes to a full House vote.
This week, you can take action to impact outcomes on several RAD priority bills, in particular, HB 103, HB 1232, and HB 1408.
HB 103, up for a committee vote on Tuesday, will expand NH Medicaid to cover preventative dental care for low income citizens, rather than just emergency care. See Top Actions This Week for more on how to support this bill.
The full House will meet on Thursday to vote on a number of bills. Please urge your legislators to support HB 1232, which reduces the penalty for a first offense drug possession and repeals certain mandatory minimums, and HB 1408, which would require landlords to refund application fees to people seeking housing who are not selected. The committee recommendation was split on the latter bill and you can have a real impact on the final decision.
We also ask you to call on your legislators to oppose HB 1216, which would make it harder to develop workforce housing by repealing the Housing Appeals board. It appears this bill has a real chance of being killed.
See Rights & Democracy’s 2022 NH legislative priorities
Find your representative here, and see below for the bill and hearing information you need to take action! Invite others to sign up here for these weekly updates.
Until next week, and in solidarity,
David Bates
Sebastian Fuentes
Asma Elhuni, Movement Politics Director, Rights & Democracy
Sign in to register your support or opposition on RAD priority bills, contact your legislators, and/or testify in writing and in person!
[highlight style=”gray”]HEALTHCARE JUSTICE[/highlight]
Support HB 103: On Tuesday, March 8th, the House Finance committee will vote on HB 103. This bill would expand State Medicaid to cover preventative dental care, such as cleanings, for low income citizens, rather than just emergency room tooth extractions. To support this bill, you can write to members of the House Finance Committee, individually or collectively, using the links here.
[highlight style=”gray”]PUBLIC HEALTH[/highlight]
Oppose HB 1271 and HB 1379: On Monday, March 7th, the House Health committee will be voting on two bills that seek to limit the NH Department of Health and Human Services’ authority to require immunizations for children (HB 1379) and workers in healthcare settings (HB 1271). To oppose these bills, you can write to members of the House Health Committee, individually or collectively, using the links here.
[highlight style=”gray”]HOUSING JUSTICE[/highlight]
Support HB 1408: On Thursday, March 10th, the full House of Representatives will meet to vote on bills including HB 1408, which would require landlords to refund application fees to those seeking housing who are not selected. This would prevent landlords from taking advantage of people impacted by New Hampshire’s housing shortage and profiting off of high application fees. It would also prevent people seeking housing from having to spend down their savings in order to find a place to live.
You can contact your Representative(s) and ask them to support passage of HB 1408 by finding their contact information here.
Prior to the full House session on Thursday, March 10th, contact your Representatives to let them know that you:
Support HB 1232, which reduces the penalty for first offense drug possession and repealing certain mandatory minimum sentences.
Oppose HB 1216, which would make it harder to develop workforce housing by repealing the Housing Appeals Board.
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Tuesday, March 8th, 5 – 7:30pm
Tuesday Phonebank for Justice
Wednesday, March 9th, 6 – 7:30pm
HEAL Together NH Monthly Call
Wednesday, March 16th, 6 – 7pm
NH Healthcare Justice Meeting
Beginning Sunday, April 10th, 1 – 3pm
Race Class Academy Series
NEA Action Alert: NH Students Deserve a COMPLETE Education – Stop HB1671 | Sign here
Tips for Testifying
In person: Go early 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.
Online: If you cannot attend a hearing in person, you can register your position online up to a week out. (Registration is cut off 30 minutes before a hearing.) After signing in support of a bill, the confirmation page will list the email address where you can submit written testimony. Email committee members to let them know why you support or oppose a bill.
Helpful Links
Senate
- 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).
- Find your Senator here.
House
- Register your position and/or submit testimony on a House bill here.
- Find the House Calendar here.
- Find your Representative(s) here.
Don’t know your district? Use this map.