Dear Friends,
We can do hard things! Last week, my daughter Phoebe ran in the Boston Marathon for the first-time, and I was so proud to cheer her on. She worked diligently, building endurance over many months, and her hard work paid off when she crossed the finish line.
The Legislative Session can sometimes feel like a marathon. When the Session starts in January, the race begins, and it doesn't stop until June.
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As of April 11, 2024, “Crossover” officially took place - the halfway point for the Legislative Session. Bills from each chamber that have completed the process successfully “crossover” to the next chamber. As a member of the Senate, we are now reviewing and holding public hearings on House Bills. The marathon continues...
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Farm to School - One of my favorite bills from this session is HB1678, the Farm to School Lunch Table bill. Considering the role of the agriculture community here in District 5, this bill has a special meaning. HB 1678 is a two-year pilot program aimed at encouraging schools to purchase food from local New Hampshire and New England producers. This program incentivizes these purchases, and its overall goal is to connect more and more NH school cafeterias with fresh, locally produced foods to serve their populations.
School Vouchers - Unfortunately, efforts to continue to expand the Education Freedom Accounts without ANY guardrails continues. House Bill 1665 raises the eligibility threshold from 350% of the federal poverty level for a family of 4 from 350% to 500% with no means testing from year to year. The Senate version, SB 442 would raise the eligibility threshold from 350% of the federal poverty for a family of 4 from 350% to 400%, in addition it would reduce the administrative costs paid to the Children’s Scholarship Fund. We are in the third year of this programs operation and are expected to increase spending from $14.7 million to over $20 million.
Medical Assistance in Dying - HB1283 Medical Assistance in Dying has passed the full House of Representatives and comes to Senate Health and Human Services this week. This bi-partisan effort matches the law passed in Vermont Act 39 which provides a legal framework for terminally ill adults to receive medical assistance in dying by self-administering prescribed medication. Patients would only be eligible if they had terminal diagnosis with less than 6 months to live, are mentally capacity to go through the exam and consent process, have required to be part of the program, have two signed witness declarations, only one of which can be a member of your family and can administer the medication by themselves. This legislation has gained a lot of attention and I expect a rigorous debate.
I am the prime sponsor of 14 additional bills. Here is where they stand at this time:
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“This is the closest that we’ve come in a long time and we have an opportunity here to allow folks who are terminally ill (to make decisions) about how they want the end of their life to take place,” Prentiss said. “I think that’s a really personal decision and I think we should let them make that with their doctor.”
Valley News, April 22, 2024
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Senator Sue Prentiss, D-Lebanon, voted against the bill saying it would be handcuffing the judicial system. She says she’s in favor of harsh sentences but that it should be up to judges.
WCAX, March 7, 2024
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"But Sen. Suzanne Prentiss, D-Lebanon, said a state Department of Education official testified that the standard used in this bill was 'unclear in its origin, seemed subjective' and would be difficult to enforce.
'This creates a level of surveillance and gives another undue burden on teachers, students and schools,' Prentiss said."
Union Leader, April 8, 2024
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Honoring a Retiring Emergency Services / Communications Professional – After 40 years in emergency dispatch services, Tom Andross hung up his headset and retired as the Director of Communications for the Grafton County Sheriff's Office. In addition to helping thousands of people connect with emergency services when they were in need, Tom served on countless committees and boards, including as a founder of the New Hampshire Emergency Dispatchers Association. I had the pleasure of working with him when I was a paramedic in the North Country, and I know that he will be missed greatly. The Senate honored him with a resolution that I was delighted to present at his retirement dinner in Woodstock. Thank you, Tom, for your many years of service!
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Campaign season is beginning, and it was great to see so many enthusiastic Democrats at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's McIntyre-Shaheen Dinner. We heard from our federal delegation about the work they are doing in DC, as well as from our Senate Minority Leader Donna Soucy and House Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm about the wins we are having despite being in the minority in Concord and how we are going to win back the legislature in November 2024. I am supporting Cinde Warmington for Governor, and she rallied the crowd with her vision for a New Hampshire where everyone can thrive. It was great to see my colleague Senator Becky Whitley who has announced that she is running for Congress, as well as Karen Liot Hill, another former Mayor of Lebanon like myself, who is running for Executive Council. We have a lot of work ahead of us between now and November, and I know that - just like my daughter Phoebe - we can do hard things!
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I was honored to be named a 2024 Vanguard Award recipient by the American Ambulance Association. To be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with women in EMS dedicated to improving systems of care has been my life's work!
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It is a pleasure to serve in the New Hampshire Senate and continue fighting for women, children, babies, and working families throughout District 5 and the Granite State. As we enter the second half of the Legislative Session, I am taking inspiration from my daughter Phoebe: we can do hard things! Thank you for your support as I work to be a "Senator for All of Us."
Best wishes,
Sue
Senator Sue Prentiss
New Hampshire State Senate, District 5
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