Here are highlights from bills up for hearing in house committees last week.

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee

I have long been frustrated that HSAs and FSAs would cover the purchase of birth control, condoms, bandaids, gauze, ibuprofen, thermometers…I scoured the list thinking it must be a mistake. This was the one item I consistently needed. It was not until 2020, that these products were reclassified as medical, making them tax deductible. It seems logical that women in correctional facilities would also be provided with what is considered medically necessary, but they have not.

House Bill 421 would require feminine hygiene products to be provided to prisoners who menstruate in state and county correctional facilities.

NH State Rep. and reproductive health educator Renée Monteil submitted a written statement, in which she wrote:

There are serious health risks as people start to use whatever may be handy or start to fashion something to absorb the bleeding. Whether its dirty cloth or even toilet paper, such risks include, yet are not limited to, toxic shock syndrome, multiple infections, infertility and even hysterectomy...

Menstrual products are categorically a medical necessity and should never be considered a luxury item. Incarcerated individuals need to have a quantity that meets their needs as well as products that meet industry standards. This is not just an issue of dignity but also one of real medical concern.

Learn more

House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee

Federal laws prohibit discrimination in the workplace; however, at-will employment makes it almost unenforceable. As therapeutic cannabis because more common, testing could become a way to fire or not hire people with medical conditions. I've been forced to discuss my medical condition at almost every job interview since high school. "Do you have a valid driver's license?" I'm told employers ask this, because they want to make sure I'm reliable. But that silly little question means that the decision to offer me a position is at least partially based on how well my explanation of epilepsy addressed the hiring manager's misconceptions and prejudices. Forcing someone to choose between medical care and providing for their family isn't a fair choice. I think we can do better.

House Bill 82 would prohibit an employer from refusing to hire, or terminating the employment of a qualified patient of the New Hampshire therapeutic cannabis program solely on the basis of a positive drug test,

In her testimony, NH State Rep. Jodi Newell said:

When I look at this issue in the way that cannabis is treated a little differently than other therapeutic pharmaceuticals and things like that. I can't help but think that it stems from a stigma around the use of cannabis…. There are a lot of people who cannabis use returns them to normal – to functioning.

House Education Committee

HB-464 and HB-367 would expand school voucher eligibility.

To date, nearly 90% of these public funds has been disbursed to students who were already being home schooled or attending a private school. 

Read what else Terri O'Rorke had to say about this last week.

I am getting tired of all the beer cans being tossed along the side of the road in my neighborhood. A couple weekends ago I went out along North Lincoln Street with a bucket and filled it up with beer cans in no time at all. Evidence suggests that most of these cans are from people are throwing them out their car window. 

On Facebook, the scofflaw has been dubbed the "Bud Light Bandit," although I think there is more that one culprit, at least one of who seems to prefer 25 oz cans of "Twisted Tea."

Some neighbors have been complaining about this problem to their City Councilor, which happens to be me. 

And so I have brought the issue to the City Council and it will be discussed at a meeting of the Municipal Services, Facilities, and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday, January 25 at 6:00 PM City Hall. There will be opportunity for public comment, if you have ideas on how best this issue could be addressed.

On Thursday night the Keene City Council accepted the Report of Keene's Ad Hoc Committee on Housing Stability. Some of the backstory to this report can be found in Part 1 of this multi-part blog post. Here in Part 2, I'll start to look at some of what's in the report.

But first, I'd like to acknowledge and thank the members of the Ad Hoc Committee for there diligent work in looking deeply and compassionately at the issues surrounding homelessness and putting forth the recommendations listed in the report. As listed in the report, these members are:

• George Hansel, Mayor, City of Keene
• Bryan Lake, City Councilor, City of Keene
• Natalie Darcy, Human Services Manager, City of Keene
• Stephen Bragdon, Bragdon, Baron & Kossayda
• Craig Henderson, Southwest Community Services
• Doug Iosue, Cheshire County Department of Corrections
• Joshua Meehan, Keene Housing
• Stacie Pickford, Homeless Advocate
• Jennifer Seher, New Hampshire Care Collaborative

City Manager Elizabeth Dragon and Assistant City Manager Rebecca Landry were also vital to this work, and so were many members of the public, going back to the work of groups like Keene Mutual Aid and the Monadnock Interfaith Project who built a movement to demand action on homelessness in our city. Jodi Newell's work as an organizer was also critical to that effort.

The report works toward three broad, desired outcomes:

• Homeless Support and Transition to Permanent Housing
• Increase in Available Housing
• Regional Engagement in Collaborative Solutions

The phrase "Regional Engagement in Collaborative Solutions" sounds a bit like government-speak, but its actually important. There are a lot of agencies in the region, both public and private, that are out there doing important work, engaging with many of the same clientele but not necessarily in strong communication with each other or all pulling in the same direction. 

There is a lot of ground to be gained by helping these agencies work better together. For example, since this report has been released, already staff from the city and social service agencies has begun working with the county jail to ensure inmates are connected with services upon their release, so that they are less likely to be without a stable roof over their head as they are working to rebuild a life for themselves. 

Unfortunately, there is only so much that even highly coordinated social service agencies are able do when our broader society is faced with a structural problem like a housing shortage. That's why its so important to figure out how to build more places for people to live.

I was heartened to see broad recognition of the need to increase available housing stock in this report, including support for multifamily housing and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). However, I was a little disappointed that the report limited its ideas to changes to land use code and private sector incentives, really didn't have much useful to say about supporting innovative ways to fund anything. 

The Monadnock Interfaith Project has been working hard to develop support for the idea of a housing trust fund, but that idea didn't make the report. Its fascinating to me that the system we have can furnish a one-time jackpot of federal tax money to large private developers that will "incentivize" them to build more affordable units, but "build more and better public housing on a sustainable basis" doesn't really seem to be part of the discussion.

One of the committee members, Jennifer Seher, did bring to the table some ideas about implementing something called the Collaborative Approach to Public Good Investments (CAPGI) model, which provides a multi-stakeholder approach to funding, but that didn't seem to get a whole lot of traction with city staff. I like where the idea is going, although it needs more development.

There is quite a bit more to this report that is still to be discussed..... including camping, safe parking areas, and bathrooms. Stay tuned for that in Part 3.

Doris “Granny D” Haddock nee Rollins, was born in Laconia, New Hampshire on January 24, 1910 and became nationally known for her political activism. She became quite vocal in her efforts to bring awareness for campaign finance reform, eventually taking that activism to the streets. 

On January 1, 1999, Granny D began her walk in Pasadena, California with the goal of walking across the country to raise support and awareness for campaign finance reform. She was 88 years old.

It took Granny D roughly fourteen months, walking about ten miles each day, to accomplish her goal, giving speeches along the way. She had walked more than 3,200 miles advocating for campaign finance reform all the way. On February 29, 2000, now 90 years old, Granny D arrived in Washington, D.C to cheers from a crowd of over 2,000 people. 

Nearly two months later, on April 21, 2000, she and 31 other people were arrested during a peaceful assembly at the Capitol. They were arrested while reading the Declaration of Independence and charged with demonstrating in the Capitol building.

Granny D pled guilty, claimed campaign finance reform as the reason for the demonstration and made the following statement to the judge; “Your Honor, the old woman who stands before you was arrested for reading the Declaration of Independence in America's Capitol Building. I did not raise my voice to do so and I blocked no hall. I was reading from the Declaration of Independence to make the point that we must declare our independence from the corrupting bonds of big money in our election campaigns. In my 90 years, this is the first time I have been arrested. I risk my good name --for I do indeed care what my neighbors think about me. But, Your Honor, some of us do not have much power, except to put our bodies in the way of an injustice--to picket, to walk, or to just stand in the way. It will not change the world overnight, but it is all we can do. Your Honor, to the business at hand: the old woman who stands before you was arrested for reading the Declaration of Independence in America's Capitol Building. I did not raise my voice to do so and I blocked no hall. But if it is a crime to read the Declaration of Independence in our great hall, then I am guilty.”

Granny D and the other demonstrators were sentenced to time served and a $10 administrative fee. 

Doris “Granny D” Haddock passed away on March 9, 2010 in Dublin, New Hampshire. She was 100 years old and is a New Hampshire treasure. 

On Tues., January 24, Granny D’s birthday, the “Voter Owned Election” bill, HB324 is scheduled for a hearing. This legislation will help to ensure every vote is counted and everyone has the opportunity to participate. 

You can let the committee know that you support this bill by CLICKING HERE: 

• fill in your name, town, state and e-mail
• select the date, Jan. 24
• select the House Election Law Committee
• Select the bills --HB 324
• indicate who you represent (self) and that you SUPPORT the bill!
• (optional-- you can include a written statement in support).
• [To be official, this must be done by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 24th!]

 Voter-Owned Elections One-Pager HERE.

I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting Granny D at my daughter’s 2001 graduation from Franklin Pierce College (now University) where she was the main speaker. She was wearing her trademark hat!

Rep. Jodi Newell (D-Keene) has introduced a bill to remove drug testing and analyzing equipment from the definition of drug paraphernalia in the controlled drug act. This will enable the distribution of, for example, test strips that can be used for the detection of fentanyl, to assure that it has not been mixed in with other drugs that someone may be taking. This is an important means of harm reduction that will help prevent deaths by overdose.

As Jodi says:

The central point is that the inclusion of testing & analyzing equipment as drug paraphernalia is a deterrent to carrying it.... When individuals are stopped or questioned by law enforcement, the drug paraphernalia categorization allows for an independent possession charge or reasonable suspicion that allows for search, detainment, etc. This serves as a deterrent to carrying something (like fentanyl test strips) that could very well save your life of someone else’s.

Watch Jodi's testimony as she introduces HB 287, her first bill, before the House Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

THEY’RE BAAAAAACK!!

What’s back? Why, school vouchers.

These vouchers are available to students whose family has an annual income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, which translates into $90,000 for a family of four. These vouchers can be used as tuition for home schooling, and religious and private schools. So far 87% has gone to religious schools. The average voucher is about $4,800, with varying amounts dependent on certain characteristics of the student.

Hearings will take place on Thursday, January 19 before the House Education Committee on proposed bills HB464 and HB367. These two bills are looking to expand school voucher eligibility. 

HB464 would expand the program to include students in districts where the public school has been designated as “persistently dangerous”, students eligible for free or reduced price meals, students with a parent in active duty in the military service or National Guard, students with a documented approved manifest educational hardship, children with disabilities, are homeless, migratory, in foster care, English language learners, students who are bullied and students who live within the boundaries of a “low performing” public school, which is based on standardized testing or graduation rates. 

HB367 would expand the program by raising the income eligibility level to 500% of the poverty level which translates into $150,000 for a family of four.

To date, nearly 90% of these public funds has been disbursed to students who were already being home schooled or attending a private school. Only 694 students left the public school system for private or home schooling. Which means that $22.8 million could/should have been spent in property poor districts and/or low income areas. THAT is what would have helped thousands of students in those school districts.

We have no idea if this program is operating in a fair manner. Where is the oversight? Is there any? Why is 88% of the vouchers going to children in religious schools? Do we know if any students were turned away from private schools or alternative education providers because of race, religion, LGBTQ identity or other discrimination? 

Perhaps, a study with convincing and valid conclusions needs to be done before expanding a program where less than 700 students state wide availed themselves of. 

If you would like to voice your opposition to these two bills before the end of the day Thursday, Jan. 19, sign in on the on-line portal. You will need to do this twice, once for each bill - and note that they are being heard by the House Education Committee. You DO NOT have to submit testimony in order to oppose these bills. 

UPDATE: The Keene School Board has voted to restore funding for the special education positions that had been proposed to be cut. Thanks to all who advocated for this change! 

The Keene School Board faces some imposing challenges in formulating this year’s budget proposal, with the end of federal Covid relief money and increased operating costs, largely due to inflation.  Nonetheless, they recognize the importance of increasing compensation for teachers and tutors to try to attract educators to fill the many vacancies that have been left open in the system. 

The School Board is proposing compensation increases for teachers over the next four years of 3.7%, 2.6%, 3.0%, and 2.3%.  For tutors, who provide special education services to individual students, they are proposing total compensation increases of 7.5%, 7.2%, and 4.1% over the next three years, as well as an increased contribution to health insurance for tutors working 30 hours/week or more.

Keene residents attending the meeting expressed their gratitude for the hard work the Board continues to do, but also expressed their profound frustration with the Board’s proposal to cut special education positions at Franklin, Fuller, and Symonds Schools. 

The meeting was packed, and the many special educators in attendance impressed on the School Board the need to look beyond the numbers, beyond the ratios, and beyond the formulas to consider the full experience of each student and each teacher in our schools. Keene does not use “weighted ratios” when calculating special educators’ caseloads, i.e., the precise needs of each child are not taken into account. 

The needs of some children are considerably greater than others, and when educators give those children the attention they need and deserve it makes it much more difficult for them to provide the same level of care and attention to other students.  Our teachers are committed to giving each of our children the educational experience they deserve, and the current formula for determining student to teacher ratios does not take this into account.

School Board chair George Downing pointed to the compensation increases as evidence of the Board’s effort to acknowledge the exceptional work of our teachers and attract more educators to our schools, but some in attendance pointed out that attracting and retaining teachers is not just about compensation – it is also about the culture of the schools and the teachers’ ability to believe that they are being given a real chance to fulfill their mission to serve every child.  This cannot be achieved by increasing the demands on their finite time and energy, no matter how dedicated they are.

Due to a minor error in calculation, the final numbers on the budget – and their impact on tax rates – were not available tonight.  The board will need to revise the budget to account for the error and will presumably have a corrected version available to the public very soon.  The end result will be a modest increase in total operating costs, accompanied by reasonable increases to provide deserved compensation increases for teachers and tutors.

At a time when Republicans in the House are proposing two new bills (HB 367 and HB 464) that will increase public funds diverted to school vouchers by an “indeterminable” amount, it is vital that the community stand behind our teachers and our public schools.

The Reverend Dana McLean Greeley was my wife's great uncle. I never knew the man but I am quite fond of his many decedents. 

Rev. Greeley was head of the Unitarian Universalist Association during the 1960s, and in that role played an important part in bringing white support to the cause of civil rights. 

In 1965, Unitarian Universalist ministers were among those who answered a call from Dr. Martin Luther King for participants from northern white churches to participate in voting rights marches between Selma and Montgomery Alabama. One of the UU ministers, Rev. James Reeb, was assaulted and beaten to death by segregationists at that time.

It was following Rev. Reeb's murder that Rev. Greeley went down to Selma in his role as head of the UU church. There he participated in organizing the memorial service for James Reeb and in negotiating with law enforcement for the peaceful passage of marchers in the streets. The actions in Selma, including the martyrdom of Reeb, were crucial in building public support for the Voting Rights Act, which was passed by Congress later that year.

After Selma, Rev. Greeley became far more involved in the civil rights movement and built a strong relationship with Dr. King that lasted until King was assassinated in 1968.

In 1985, one year before his death, Rev. Greeley was interviewed for Eyes on the Prize, the seminal documentary of the civil right era. The full interview video can be found hosted by the library website of Washington University in St. Louis, but I have excerpted below some of what he had to say about his relationship with and admiration for Dr. King. 

There has been a lot of apprehension and misinformation going around about Keene's Downtown Infrastructure Improvement and Reconstruction Project. The City has put out a new video that I think does a good job explaining the project being proposed, the process that got us to this point, and the next steps forward. 

I like this project because it addresses several drawbacks with our current downtown, starting with the ridiculous and wasteful traffic pattern we have around central square. Right now, we have a situation that combines the difficulty of merging in a traffic circle with the delay of waiting at a stop light. Its the worst of both worlds.

What the new design shows us is that our traffic pattern could be far more efficient if, instead of having that intersection be both a circle and a stoplight, we picked one or the other. A redesigned intersection would be more efficient in terms of: 

• Driver time saved
• Reduced impact of automobile noise and exhaust on users of the downtown space
• Less pavement needs to be dedicated to car traffic, freeing up that space for more people-centric uses

That last one is key. Right now, our main intersection downtown is so inefficient that entire lanes of asphalt north of the square can be turned into a pedestrian plaza and traffic would still get out of the city center faster. 

If you want to make your voice heard in support of this project (or against, even) come to the public informational meeting at Heberton Hall at 5:00 PM on Monday, January 30. 

An electric vehicle (EV) uses one or more electric motors to drive the car. It can be powered independently by a battery system, using solar panels or by changing fuel to electricity. Another way is to use a collector system using electricity from extravehicular sources. EV’s are believed to be the technology that could decarbonize road and highway transportation, which accounts for 16% of global emissions. 

There are many modes of EV transportation now including rail and road vehicles, nautical and electric aircraft and spacecraft. There’s a “Moonbike” that is part bike, part snowmobile, in addition to trucks, cars and motorcycles. The auto industry has been looking into electrification plans in order to comply with policy regulations while keeping a competitive position in a changing market. In 2021 quite a few automakers proclaimed their goal of going all electric in the future. This could mean a larger range of models to choose from along with more competitive prices. 

This has all led to a huge growth in the electric vehicle industry and the need for nationwide EV charging stations. In 2021, the availability of these stations increased by nearly 40%. 

Here in New Hampshire, Senate Bill 52, a proposal to jump start investment in electric vehicle infrastructure, is scheduled for a hearing before the Transportation Committee next week. Thanks to Clean Energy – NH you can find the text of SB52 here.

Call or email your representatives to let them know you support this critical step to keep our state competitive as EV adoption accelerates here in New England and nationwide.

You can find your Senator and their contact information here and your House member(s) here.

EV info sourced from www.iea.org/reports/electric-vehicles