FOLLOWING A BILL — 2021
[on phone, scroll down for bills]
1 – Bills are assigned to various committees and are heard in a public hearing.
(contact appropriate committee & use sign-in form to indicate support or oppose)
2 – Executive session – committee deliberates & votes on bills
3 – Committee recommendation moves on to the House or Senate “floor”.
4 – Bills that pass in the House crossover to Senate and vice versa.
5 – Bills that pass both House & Senate move on to the Governor.
HOUSE HEARING: SIGN-IN
HOUSE HEARING: LIVEFEED
(if speaking, find zoom link on bill docket page)
SENATE HEARING: SIGN-IN
SENATE HEARING: LIVEFEED
(if speaking, find zoom link on Senate Calendar)
Full House & Senate
SB43 An act authorizing an audit of the Rockingham County District 7 state senate race sot that Democrats and Republicans alike can count on fair and accurate elections. SUPPORT!
On Thursday, February 18th, the 603 Alliance hosted a webinar with guest speakers Ken Eyring, Tom Murray, David Strang, James O’Keefe, and Senator Bob Giuda. Over 350 people tuned in to learn about the irregularities that occurred in Windham in the November 2020 election.
WATCH THE REPLAY HERE: www.603alliance.org/windham
SB43 passed NH Senate 24-0.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Please contact your local reps AND House Election Law Committee
Write or call your State Rep: Find your Reps HERE (example below)
Committee Email: HouseElectionLawCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
SUBJECT LINE: SUPPORT SB43 for fair elections
“Dear Representative (your reps name)
I ask that you please vote in favor of SB43 an act authorizing an audit of the Rockingham County District 7 state senate race so that Democrats and Republicans alike can count on fair and accurate elections. This bill passed unanimously out of the Senate. Your vote in favor of this SB43 is now needed.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
(your full name)
(your town of residence)
HB63 Relative to the reversal or forgiveness of emergency order violations. SUPPORT!
[Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee: OTP-A 11-10]
[passed house Feb 24th]
[pending Finance Committee]
committee: Finance – Division I
NOTES:
Would discourage the Executive Branch from enforcing the governor’s emergency orders, annul arrests or criminal convictions or violations of emergency orders, and refund fines paid. This bill would go a long way to help small businesses get back to more normal operations wherein they don’t have to worry about getting harassed by the state for failing to abide by unlawful emergency orders from the governor.
HB532-FN creating an animal records database. OPPOSE!
[passed house floor Feb 24th]
COMMITTEE: Ways & Means
EMAIL: HouseWaysAndMeansCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
AN ACT creating an animal records database.
Oppose this expensive, government database of pet owners.
bill text:
I. Creates a database for animal health records.
II. Authorizes the commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets, and food to transfer money to and from certain funds in order to establish the animal record database and to repay monies transfered from other funds. This bill does not require the commissioner to fully reimburse the other funds.
III. Establishes a fee on the submission of animal health certificates.
IV. Establishes a fee on rabies vaccinations.
V. Requires veterinarians to send a copy of the rabies vaccination certificate to the department of agriculture, markets, and food.
Upcoming Committee Hearings
HCR2 Terminating the state of emergency declared by the governor due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). SUPPORT!
CONTACT: House Legislative Administration Committee
EMAIL: HouseLegislativeAdministration@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES: This concurrent resolution terminates, pursuant to the legislature’s authority under RSA 4:45, II(c), the state of emergency declared by the governor due to COVID-19.
HB439 This bill limits the authority of city councils to make bylaws and ordinances to those they are specifically empowered to make. SUPPORT!
CONTACT: House Municipal & County Government
EMAIL: HouseMunicipalandCountyGovt@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
This bill limits the authority of city councils to make bylaws and ordinances to those they are specifically empowered to make.
Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
HB493 Establishing a criminal penalty for an assault committed against a person who is conveying public health or safety guidance or requirements during a declared state of emergency. Criminal penalty for failure to mask or vaccinate! OPPOSE!
COMMITTEE:HouseCriminal Justice and Public Safety
EMAIL: HouseCriminalJusticeandPublicSafety@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES: Criminal penalty for failure to mask or vaccinate!
bill text:
1 New Paragraph; Second Degree Assault. Amend RSA 631:2 by inserting after paragraph I the following new paragraph:
I-a. A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if such person assaults, threatens to assault, or refuses to comply with another who the actor knows to be:
(a) A person who, as part of his or her employment duties, is relaying directions for health care or safety from his or her supervisor or employer or relaying health or safety guidelines, recommendations, regulations, or rules from a federal, state, or local public health agency or health or safety requirements contained in a state of emergency declared by the federal, state, or local government; and
(b) The act occurs during a state of emergency declared by the governor due to a public health emergency and for a period of 6 months after such declaration.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2022.
HB275 Relative to the governor’s power to initiate a state of emergency and various emergency powers. SUPPORT!
This bill revises the governor’s emergency management powers and requires the legislature or executive council to renew a state of emergency.
HB414 Relative to evacuations under a state of emergency. SUPPORT!
This bill provides that the governor may recommend, but not compel, evacuation under the emergency management powers of RSA 4:45. The bill also provides that emergency services shall not be required for those who choose not to evacuate.
HB417 Relative to the powers of the governor during a renewal of a declared state of emergency. SUPPORT!
This bill terminates a state of emergency called by the governor after 30 days and modifies the procedure for renewal. Any orders issued during the period of a renewal of the state of emergency shall be subject to prior approval by the house of representatives.
HB433 Limiting renewal of states of emergency. SUPPORT!
This bill permits the governor to renew a state of emergency only once, after which time, with limited exception, it must be renewed by a concurrent resolution passed by the legislature.
HB277 AN ACT relative to termination of a state of emergency by the legislature. SUPPORT!
NOTES:
This bill provides that either chamber of the legislature, acting separately, may terminate a state of emergency order by petition.
HB280 Relative to termination of an emergency order issued by the governor. SUPPORT!
NOTES:
This bill provides that the legislature may terminate an emergency order, or any part of an emergency order, by concurrent resolution, adopted by a majority of vote of each chamber.
HB559 AN ACT relative to state of emergency declarations. SUPPORT!
NOTES:
This bill requires the legislature to renew a state of emergency beyond the initial 21-day period.
HB389 AN ACT relative to the establishment of a joint legislative emergency executive order oversight committee during a declared state of emergency. SUPPORT!
NOTES:
This bill provides for establishment of a joint legislative emergency executive order oversight committee upon declaration of a state of emergency. Emergency executive orders issued by the governor during a state of emergency shall expire after 21 days unless their renewal is approved by the committee or a special session of the legislature.
Pending Committee Vote
HB220 Establishing medical freedom in immunizations NO ON THE AMENDMENT; YES ON THE BILL!
NOTES : NO ON THE AMENDMENT; YES ON THE BILL!
141-C:1-a. Medical Freedom. Every person has the inalienable right to bodily integrity, free from any threat or compulsion that the person accepts any medical intervention, including immunization. No person may be discriminated against for refusal to accept an unwanted medical intervention, including immunization.
- Where there is risk, there must be choice.
- Medical ethics are based on informed consent.
(Thanks for these talking points Laura Condon)
HB221 Making the state vaccine registry an opt-in program SUPPORT!
NOTES:
- This bill doesn’t “change the law” it simply clarifies it. The registry is already voluntary.
- The rules are not in line with legislative intent of voluntary.
- Consent must be actively given, not simply presumed.
- Registry is just a database, not actual vaccines.
- Not a debate about whether to get a vaccine or not. The issue is who keeps your records…you and your doctor/pharmacist/school nurse or The State?
- My doctor knows what’s best for me. The State is not my doctor.
- In the 22 years this law has been on the books, there has not been an active Registry, yet NH DHHS brags that NH has some of the highest rates of vaccination in the country! Registry not needed for high vaccination rates.
- Some vaccines fail…doesn’t track the failures.
- Should not be tricking people.
- People who decline just one vaccine, maybe a flu shot think they aren’t in the registry, but not true. Rules define “vaccination event” to include refusal.
- Refusers aren’t then told they need to also opt-out of the registry.
- NH Constitution Bill of Rights Art. 2b. right to privacy.
- NH believes in the rights of privacy.
- Doctors, pharmacists, schools, insurance companies, and patients all have vaccine records. A state registry is duplication of those records, already required by state law.
- Since this is voluntary, those who want the state to keep a record of their vaccinations, or an elderly parent’s, or child’s vaccinations, they can opt-in. Easy peasy for them!
Talking points contributed by Laura Condon, NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB146 Requiring health care providers to furnish upon request a list of ingredients contained in an injectable medication that is recommended or administered. SUPPORT!
NOTES:
AN ACT requiring health care providers to furnish upon request a list of ingredients contained in an injectable medication that is recommended or administered.
SB155-FN Codifying provisions included in select emergency orders issued by the governor in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. OPPOSE!
COMMITTEE: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
EMAILS: (click to the committee page to find a simpler ’email all’ link) Sharon.Carson@leg.state.nh.us;John.Reagan111@gmail.com;Kevin.Cavanaugh@leg.state.nh.us;Denise.Ricciardi@leg.state.nh.us;Suzanne.Prentiss@leg.state.nh.us;cameron.lapine@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
OPPOSE! This bill would codify emergency orders into state law, remove legislative oversight, and make these runaway powers and emergency orders permanent.
Provides for pharmacy technicians to inject babies as young as three years old with any and all vaccines including COVID injections that only have FDA authorization.
This is so offensive that little children would be used in grab and jab vaccine sales without the benefit of a pediatrician or family doctor to administer care when vaccine reactions and serious injuries occur. Pharmacists have customers, not patients. Children need doctors, not drug salesmen.The largest percentage of adverse events occur in children. 36.28% of all reported injuries and deaths occur in those under the age of 18 years. It is without conscience that this age demographic would be directed away from the care of a doctor who provides evaluation and follow up and continued care over a long period of time and is in a position to evaluate evidence of harm in a way that a “pharmacy technician” never could do.
This bill puts children at great risk of injury and death and should be strongly opposed.
*These talking points provided by Laura Condon, NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB492 Requiring maintenance of the COVID-19 dashboard. OPPOSE!
COMMITTEE: Health Human Svcs & Elderly Affairs
EMAIL: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
OPPOSE. Vaccination is a private medical procedure that should not be made public in charts by age, race, town and eligibility category.
- DHHS and university system of NH shall maintain a COVID-19 dashboard website/information clearinghouse
- tracks schools and local communities, nursing homes, prisons, and congregate living settings
- track vaccination metrics by age, race, town, and eligibility
- allows for cross-referencing of geographic location, age, race, and eligibility
- updated daily and available to the public 24-hours a day, 7 days a week
- establishes a Legislative Committee to study health disparities
- committee will be four representatives (2 minority) and two senators (1 minority)
- committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2021
- effective upon its passage
HB572 Relative to pharmacist administration of vaccines and allowing a licensed advanced pharmacy technician to administer vaccines.
COMMITTEE: Health Human Svcs & Elderly Affairs
EMAIL: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES: OPPOSE!
1. Pharmacy flu shots should not be allowed to be given to “the general public” (any age), they should be for age 18 and up in a pharmacy. Babies need the care of doctors.
2. Paragraph IV requires that the pharmacist “Record the vaccination in the state vaccine registry”, but makes no mention of such action being dependent upon patient consent…so it imposes a requirement not allowed by current law.
Notes from: Laura Condon NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB300 Relative to drivers education SUPPORT!
COMMITTEE: House Transportation
EMAIL: HouseTransportationCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
Bill Sponsor Rep Lang says:
- “This bill restores Parental rights, and removes the State Mandate for Driver’s Education.
- Allowing parents to once again teach thier own children the rules of the road and practical driving.
- Drivers education, due to the increasing costs (now $600-750, has become a huge disadvantage and hurdle to the middle and lower class families.
- Increasing the economic distance between the haves and the have nots.
- DMV will still do a written and practical tests to weed out the kids who don’t know the rules of the road or can’t drive. So there is no safety issue.”
HB611-FN Abolishing fluoridation of water SUPPORT!
COMMITTEE: House Resources Recreation & Development
EMAIL COMMITTEE: HouseResourcesRecreationandDevelopment@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
No one should be forced to ingest a drug they don’t want through the drinking water, taking away their right to informed consent. Please share cases of dental fluorosis, bone deterioration, and concerns about the neurotoxic and neurodevelopmental effects.
Our Water (some info available on this website)
HB592 Requiring bond from pharmaceutical companies providing vaccines. SUPPORT!
COMMITTEE: House Commerce & Consumer Affairs
EMAIL: HouseCommerceCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
This bill establishes a requirement for pharmaceutical companies providing vaccines for administration in the state to post a bond for the reimbursement or payment of the costs related to illness and death due to the vaccine. The disbursements shall be made by the commissioner of the department of health and human services pursuant to a claim filed by a physician on behalf of a victim.
HB601 -FN relative to the privacy of personal information retained by a health or social service agency and prohibiting the sharing of such information between such agencies.
EMAIL: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES: SUPPORT
HB20FN Establishing the Richard “Dick” Hinch education freedom account program. SUPPORT!
COMMITTEE: House Education
EMAIL: HouseEducationCommittee@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
If you have kids in school or know kids who are suffering right now because of remote learning, honestly the personal stories are the best to share.
If not, since HB 20 covers things like tutoring, you can certainly make the case that tutoring is needed but many don’t get it because of the cost involved. The tutoring itself would help not just the kids, but the public school too when test scores are revealed.
HB20 would have a positive impact on public schools too. What was dubbed The Massachusetts Miracle over a decade ago, students in Massachusetts were scoring at the top on national tests. Their students in public schools were able to compete with students in the highest performing countries like Singapore on international tests like the TIMSS test. (Test of math and science given every 4 years) They invested in providing more choice through Charters and tutoring. Tutoring services would be a cost included if HB20 were to pass. Students who are suffering academically would finally get the personalized instruction they need. This would elevate literacy and academic outcomes. That not only helps the student but would help the public school when proficiency scores are released.
HB131 Relative to reporting health care associated infections OPPOSE!
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs
EMAIL: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES:
“It’s intended to make the tracking of vaccination mandatory, starting with influenza vaccination. “Measures” is new language intended to include vaccinations as an infection control “measure”. This is a bill aimed at mandating the “tracking and reporting” of vaccination starting with healthcare workers and patients/residents, reporting this information and data as determined by federal government agencies for federal metrics. This is not a bill that serves a local/NH need. This bill should be STRONGLY OPPOSED.” — Laura Condon, NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB157 Repealing the state health assessment and state health improvement plan council.
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs
EMAIL: HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us
NOTES ON THIS TOPIC: WATCHING
OUT OF COMMITTEE
HB387 Relative to rabies vaccinations for dogs. OPPOSE!
NOTES: The bill requires a rabies antibody test 30 days post vaccination for the initial rabies shot. This burdens pet owners with a second vet visit and lab test. Likely most pets will show positive titers at 30 days. The testing is unnecessary. However the concern is that non-responders could be subject to removal from the home and indefinite quarantine. A possible benefit of the bill is that a medically exempt pet would not be subject to quarantine if they were titer positive at the time of exemption.
Notes from: Laura Condon NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB322 Requiring a color photo of a dog, cat, or ferret on a rabies vaccination certificate. OPPOSE!
NOTES: OPPOSE as burdensome and unnecessary. There would be added costs for re-doing rabies certificates to accomodate a picture. Not clear whose responsibility to provide a picture. Each pet already has an ID number associated with rabies vaccination. Not needed.
Notes courtesy of Laura Condon NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB290 Relative to policies required for health facilities and special health care service licenses. SUPPORT
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee: ITL 18-3
NOTES ON THIS TOPIC:
Exempts certain health facilities that exclusively provide services to persons making direct payment from requirements on written policies for providing services.
HB187 Relative to the emergency powers of the commissioner of HHS. SUPPORT!
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee: OTP-A 19-2
Passed House Feb. 24th
NOTES ON THIS TOPIC:
This bill will start reigning in the power of the DHHS commissioner during a state of emergency.
FAILED BILLS
HB367 Relative to animal health certificates and quarantine requirements. OPPOSE!
House Environment & Agriculture Committee – Retained 19-0
NOTES: OPPOSE as unnecessary and burdensome
Pet adoptions from out of state are already well regulated. This would increase the quarantine from 48 hours to at least 7 days in a licensed facility separated from other animals. This is extreme and unnecessary stress on rescue pets already suffering from stress. This would be a deterrent to pet adoption for furry friends who need a loving home. Notes from: Laura Condon NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC
HB246 Establishing a protective order for vulnerable adults OPPOSE!
[failed house floor]
NOTES: This bill allows a vulnerable adult or guardian of a vulnerable adult to seek a protective order for neglect. This bill allows personal property, firearms, to be seized prior to the commission of a crime or the conviction by the courts, violating various NH Constitution articles, including Part 1 Article 15.
HB604-FN Expanding the New Hampshire vaccine association to include adult vaccines. OPPOSE!
Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs Committee – FAILED; RETAINED
NOTES:
Talking points from Laura Condon NH Director of Advocacy for NVIC: “When speaking, please state your full name, town you are from, and that you are OPPOSED to HB604-FN. Here are some talking points. Please speak to just a few you are comfortable speaking to or express your own concerns. Pro tip: Rep. Pearson should be referred to as Chairman Pearson. Please do NOT read these talking points. Please use them to put into your own words.
- This bill has an amendment (2021-0032h) that will more than double the cost of the original bill, calls for a report of a fake cost analysis, prohibits doctors and pharmacists from opting out of this government program, and calls for an unworkable effective date.
- This bill will not provide vaccines for you if you are age 65 or older, and covered by Medicare. Your doctor and pharmacist will still have to purchase their own vaccines for you.
- This bill will not provide vaccines to the poor, on Medicaid. Your doctor and pharmacist will still have to purchase their own vaccines for you.
- This bill will not provide vaccines for you if you are uninsured. Your doctor and pharmacists will still have to purchase their own vaccine inventory for you.
- Yet this bill will add a minimum of $848,000 the first year to fund 9 new DHHS staff and to pay for the State Vaccine Registry. This amount can be increased at any time by DHHS.
- The board of the NH Vaccine Association, of which DHHS has 3 seats, may vote itself any amount of “start up money for the next two years” above and beyond the $848,000.
- Doctors and pharmacists would be required to maintain two separate inventories of vaccines with separate refrigerators and freezers to keep separate the “free” supply of vaccines from DHHS from the vaccines they have purchased themselves. There is no mechanism or program to maintain or monitor separate inventories and to protect the “free” supply from theft and misuse in the vast number of adults not covered by this program.
- This bill would create abuse of the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) contract, a contract intended only for the purchase of vaccines for needy children, based on Section 1928 of the federal Social Security Act that limits this vaccine purchase program to pediatric vaccines only. This violation of federal law would put the NH child vaccine program in jeopardy.
- This bill would strip you of your right to legal and financial recourse that you are currently entited to for disability, blindness, and death that may result from a dangerous or defective vaccine.
- This bill is likely to increase the costs of vaccines to doctors and pharmacists as it will hurt their ability to maintain volume discount purchase programs. No one is currently paying market prices for vaccine inventory.
- Doctors and pharmacists may be less likely to provide vaccines for those age 65 and older when existing discounts are lost. As a result, less people will be vaccinated.
- While good intentioned, this bill is truly a solution in search of a problem as private industry (doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists) are already purchasing vaccines cost effectively without adding over a million dollars in administrative costs every year and vaccines are readily available for adults at the doctors, at the hospital, at clinics, at corner drug stores, and even at the grocery store!
- This bill was not a request of DHHS or the NH Vaccine Association. In this time of the COVID pandemic with DHHS staff working around the clock for months, it is unreasonable and unfair to even ask them to take on a program of this type at this time.
HB314 Relative to homestead food operation licensure SUPPORT!
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services & Elderly Affairs
NOTES ON THIS TOPIC:
This bill exempts homestead (home kitchen) food operations that sell direct to consumer from state licensure and removes the $20,000 maximum annual gross sales for such operations. Removes “potentially hazardous food” from definition of homestead food operations and expands definition to include drinks and some meat products.