We learned that it was a really good day for gun rights, school choice, property rights preservation, and saying NO to things like carbon taxes and green energy schemes. Republicans were truly in the majority today, and we accomplished some very good things!
We learned that the House agreed with the revenue estimates established for the next biennium budget by the Ways and Means Committee. Their plan passed with a resounding YES on OTP by a voice vote.
We learned that the Reconsideration motion for HB498 – The Fish and Game bill that was to require Fish and Game Officers to obtain search warrants when they search someone’s car or boat, failed by 256-117. That bill was voted on the last House session, and there was a motion made to reconsider the vote. That bill still stands as an ITL, and no changes to that part of the fish and game statute will happen. The 4th amendment lost.
We learned that the House passed HB31 (196-176), which repeals the prohibition or sale of blackjacks, slung shots (yes – that is what they are called), and metallic knuckles. A continued ban violates the right to self-defense. Courts have ruled that hand-held weapons like these can be, and are, used in self-defense, so it is unconstitutional to ban them. Seeing as these things can be just as damaging as baseball bats, wrenches, and other similar commonly used items that are not banned or illegal, it made sense to repeal the ban. Of course, Democrats like Rep. David Meuse (D-Portsmouth) are now very worried that horrific things will happen and NH will become a den of unfettered violence.
We learned that it was a good day to protect 2nd amendment rights from the anti-gun crowd. HB32 having to do with possession or discharge of a gun in a safe school zone, died 199-174. HB59 having to do with background checks on commercial firearms sales, and the non-existent “gun show loophole” died 197-175. HB78– repealing the prohibition of our state from enforcing federal statutes, regulations, or Presidential Executive Orders, was killed 200-173. HB106 – relative to extreme risk protection orders (i.e. red flag laws) was killed 198-172. While Democrats whined over the need for Red Flag laws and what other states have put into place, Rep. Terry Roy (R- Deerfield) stated, “You don’t lose your rights because of what you MIGHT do” and “I don’t care what other states do because this is NH.”
We learned that dimethyltryptamine (DMT) will remain on the NH-controlled drug list despite its use for religious reasons. HB216 died with a solid 274-97 vote. House members obviously weren’t thrilled with the prospect of having unintended consequences occur from full-on legalization of this hallucinogenic/psychedelic substance.
We learned that the House passed HB624 (220-152), which would require law enforcement to provide 24 hours’ notice about where and when they will conduct immigration checkpoints. Doing so kind of defeats the purpose of conducting these security measures with regard to illegal immigration and border control, but then again, 4th amendment rights are also to be considered. Again, the 4th amendment lost. We’ll see what the Senate thinks.
We learned that Education Freedom Accounts were under attack but were protected and expanded by the Republican majority. HB367 passed by a slim 187-184. This allows for the qualifying family income threshold to be raised from 300% to 350% of the federal poverty level, allowing for more students to participate in the program. HB440 was passed 191-185, which would add funding of EFA’s to the Education Trust Fund uses. HB464 was passed 192-184, and that bill expands eligibility of certain groups of students regardless of the income of their parents. So kids in foster care, kids with disabilities, kids who are homeless, kids who are bullied in school, and kids with other issues, can now take advantage of the EFA program. It was felt that the most vulnerable students should not be forced to stay in public schools which do not adequately serve them. Of course, Democrats who cater to the teacher’s unions were upset at the passage of these measures, even though this really was “for the children.”
We learned that landlords’ and property owners’ rights were protected by Republicans today. Several bills having to do with limiting what property owners and landlords can and cannot do were killed today. HB112 regarding tenants’ notification of the property sale was ITL’d by a voice vote after the Ought To Pass (OTP) failed 199-175. HB117 was passed 211-157, and that had to do with the termination of tenancy once a lease is up. HB401 was ITL’d after the OTP failed 213-154. That bill dictated when a property owner could renovate or rehabilitate a property that had tenants. It also discouraged renovation or rehabilitation by making it difficult for property owners to do so. HB469 died by voice vote after the OTP motion failed 206-165. That bill would have forced property owners to take Section 8 tenants.
We learned that HB154 passed 192-180, and this bill changes the manner in which public health ordinances are locally adopted. It simply requires majority approval of any new public health ordinance by the town legislative body. So for instance, if a mask mandate is adopted by the state, and ergo their appointed town health officers, a municipality can choose not to adopt it. Funny thing was that in this instance, the Democrats became quite concerned about government “overreach.” That is weird since that never seemed to bother them before.
We learned that Democrats wanted to ban gasoline-powered vehicles in NH with their vote on HB92 requiring the adoption of “innovative” vehicle emissions standards pursuant to section 177 of the federal Clean Air Act. Luckily, the Republican majority killed that with a vote of 194-171 and ended up ITL’ing the whole mess after the OTP (minus the failed amendment) ran out of gas and failed 331-40.
We learned that we had the votes to kill a carbon tax bill, HB372. It would have wasted time with a commission study on carbon pricing mechanisms. The OTP motion on this bill died 188-163, and it subsequently was ITL’d with a voice vote that the speaker determined represented the repeat vote of 188-163. More humor at the end of the day came from our petite Rep. Notter (R-Merrimack) when she delivered her floor speech and declared, “I’ll be short.” Indeed she is, and she was…but what she had to say was spot on!
We learned that it was a very long day, and we averaged getting through 3-4 bills in an hour. This is becoming the norm with bills coming to the House floor with no Committee recommendation, endless roll call votes, and House members who, for some reason, enjoy speaking at length when they should probably understand that they are saying really won’t change anyone’s voting position on a bill.
We learned again the importance of showing up and staying in one’s seat until you are told to go eat or until after the third reading when we can go home. Again we are reminded: When Republicans show up, we win.