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THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE

Dear Kent Streeters,
 
Recently, I find that after spending a good part of the weekend putting Happenings together, any words of wisdom or inspiration seem to be few and far between. With so much going on at the State House, my vision becomes a bit myopic – focused less on lofty ideals and more on the mundane details of action alerts. As I sit down to write Perspectives on any given Sunday evening, quite often, to be quite honest, it seems I have simply run out of steam.
 
So, I thought I might turn the tables a bit and ask each of you to reflect inward. What is it that inspires you to do the work we do? What makes you show up time and again on the side of justice, equity, fairness and compassion? What wisdom have you distilled?
 
You may not want to share the answers, but still I think the questions are worth asking.
If you do want to share, I would welcome an opportunity to hear from you. After all, it is our shared inspiration, our shared wisdom, our shared community that allows us to keep our eyes on the prize.

Best,

Louise

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE: MARCH 20
View the House Session priority bills
No House sign ins this week. However, there are many priority bills coming up for floor votes, including HB 460 (anti-voter bill making it more difficult to register), HB 10 (the so-called Parents Bill of Rights Bill that is NH's "Don't Say Gay" bill, a variety of abortion bills, many education bills, landfill siting. Contact your House rep on your priority bills.

View the Senate priority bills
Use this link to sign in to Support/Oppose Senate bills
(Best practice: Sign in no later than 11:59 pm, i.e., just before midnight, the day of the hearing)

MONDAY, MARCH 20
Kent Street Connects
7 to 7:45 pm via Zoom
Register here.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
State House Visibility: House in Session
7:30 to 9 am, State House (SH), meet outside in front. Inside: Reps Hall, 2nd floor SH
Issues: Defending Voting Rights, Public Schools, LGBTQ+ youth

Restore Asylum, Keep Families Together
Visibility Action
6 pm, Manchester
Center of NH - 650 Elm St. for visibility and music,
march 2-3 blocks (about 10mins) for a projection visibility at:
Norris Cotton Federal Building - 275 Chestnut St.
 
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
State House Visibility: House and Senate in Session
8 to 10 am, State House (SH), meet outside in front. Inside: Reps Hall, 2nd floor SH
House Issues: Reproductive Rights
Senate Issues: Medicaid Expansion

FRIDAY, MARCH 24
Visibility: Stand on the Corner
We Won’t Go Back: Bigger Than Roe
4 to 5 pm, Corner of Main St. and Loudon Rd 
*Please note new time: The clocks have jumped an hour ahead and so have we!

STATE HOUSE ADVOCACY
CLICK HERE to read detailed legislative advocacy timeline.

NH HOUSE BILLS
No House Committee Hearings this week.
HOUSE FLOOR SESSION

The House will meet in full session at 9 am on Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23 am.

Click on the button below for a listing of priority bills being voted on. Included are KSC's recommended positions along with the supporting committee report.

We encourage you to contact your own House Rep(s) urging them to vote in support or opposition to particular bills, as you best determine. 
CLICK HERE for bills being voted on in House Session. Contact your State Representatives.
HOUSE ADVOCACY TOOLS:

NH SENATE BILLS
CLICK HERE for bills being heard in Senate Committees. Sign in, testify and/or contact Committee Members.
SENATE FLOOR SESSION
The Senate will meet in full session at 10 am on Thursday, March 23 . View the livestream. 

Click on the button below for a listing of priority bills being voted on. Included are brief descriptions of the bills with KSC's recommended position. We also include advocacy information and tips.

We encourage you to contact your own state Senator urging them to vote in support or opposition to particular bills, as you best determine.
CLICK HERE for bills being voted on in Senate Session. Contact your state Senator.
SENATE ADVOCACY TOOLS:

PRIORITY ACTIONS
EXTREME ANTI-VOTER BILL: OPPOSE HB 460
Eliminating voter affidavits as proof of voter eligibility
BACKGROUND
HB 460 Extreme Anti-Voter Bill Heads to the House Floor this Wednesday, March 22. Eliminates use of affidavits to prove citizenship, age, identify and citizenship for purposes of voter registration.

ACTIONS
1. CALL and EMAIL all of your NH House Rep(s) regardless of whether they are Democrats or Republicans! Find your state representatives contact info here.  Make sure to identify yourself as a constituent and a voter. Keep it simple.

      Sample message (but please use your own words):
  • I am a constituent and a voter calling to ask you to oppose HB460 when it comes up for a vote in the House this week.
  • HB460 is an extreme bill that could cost any voter their right to vote if they are accidentally removed from the voter rolls, and would lead to voters being turned away from the polls if they don't have a birth certificate or passport to register.
  • Please oppose this bill and help us protect every voters right to cast their ballot!
  • IF AND ONLY IF calling a Democrat, stress how it important it is that they be present for the vote on Wednesday.
2. TAKE A STAND for democracy by joining us at the State House 7:30 to 9 am Wednesday morning.

TALKING POINTS
HB 460 talking points.
SO-CALLED "PARENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS" IS ACTUALLY NH'S FORCED OUTING BILL: OPPOSE HB 10

The attacks on LGBTQ+ Kids continue with HB 10 and HB 417 (defining gender affirming care as child abuse).

From out Friends at 603 Equality:
All hands on deck!

BACKGROUND
We're got another big save-the-date: Wednesday March 22nd, we need to show up and tell our state representatives: Vote AGAINST defining gender affirming care as child abuse (HB 417), and AGAINST a bill that could force teachers to out students to their parents before they’re ready (HB 10). If teachers do not reveal this information, they could lose their teaching license, or even be fired.

ACTIONS

1. JOIN VISIBILITY ACTION Wednesday morning, 8 to 9 am, at the State House.
We'll stand in groups with signs and flyers about the bills in multiple places where state representatives are entering the building and outside the entrances to Representatives' Hall, where they vote. This will allow us to have as many opportunities as possible to talk to any Representatives still deciding how to vote. 

2. CONTACT YOUR STATE REPS. Call and/or email your own state representative (find them here) and tell them: it's important they show up on Wednesday and vote against HB 10 and HB 417! 

TALKING POINTS:
Some key reasons to vote against HB 10:

  • Parents have many rights, and school districts have notified them about their rights. Across the country, a small anti-LGBTQ+ minority is using the phrase "parental rights" to strategically pit parents and teachers against each other, and selling a false narrative that teachers are "making kids" gay or transgender.
     
  • The Child Advocate of New Hampshire knows what LGBTQ+ people have been saying: this bill harms children. In her testimony to the House committee (starts at 07:16:00) she talks about children who are abused by their families upon being outed as transgender. These children matter, and need safe and trusted adults. 
     
  • Forcing anyone to come out before they're ready is wrong. Full stop.  
     
  • Schools are filled with professionals who want what is best for their students and want parents to be involved in their child's education. Bills like HB 10 that criminalize teachers and make it seem like teachers are purposely hiding information from parents cause a distrust in the school community that is not warranted or helpful.
Additional Talking Points from AFT NH.
SCHOOL VOUCHERS: AN ATTACK ON OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Run Away Costs, Lack of Transperancy =>>> Bad for Our Kids, Bad for Our Communities, Bad for Taxpayers

BACKGROUND
This Wednesday,  the House will vote in full session on a number of critical bills related to EFAs (school vouchers). Please see the complete list of bills here.

ACTION
Please call your representatives (contact info HERE) and ask them to:
  • vote AGAINST any bill that would expand the EFA program (whether by loosening eligibility requirements or by increasing funding), and 
  • vote FOR any bill that would add accountability to the EFA program and/or would limit it to the students for whom it was originally intended (low income students in public schools who sought an alternative)
TALKING POINTS
One thing to mention if you get into a conversation is that there has not yet been any oversight of the EFA program.  A legislative oversight committee was authorized to monitor the program and file a report with the legislature by Nov. 30 of last year (2022); it still hasn't done so.  And the Legislative Budget Office has been authorized to conduct an audit of the program, but not until November 2023 at the earliest.  Absent any oversight at all, it would be irresponsible to expand the program in any way. Go HERE for more background information.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Stop the bad bills, advance the good bills
 
BACKGROUND
Last week was a HUGE week for reproductive health and rights at the State House.
Wednesday, the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee made recommendation votes on seven reproductive health and rights related bills. All three restrictive bills–HB 346, HB 562, HB 591–were voted “Inexpedient to Legislate” (ITL). These bills will now go to the full House with the committee recommendation to stop these bills.
 
All four proactive bills–HB 88, HB 224, HB 271, and CACR 2–were voted 10-10 on both an “Inexpedient to Legislate” and “Ought to Pass” motion; these four bills will now go to the full House with no committee recommendation. The first vote on the floor will be “Ought to Pass.”
 
In addition to the House Judiciary Committee executive session, the House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee voted in support of “Inexpedient to Legislate” on HB 615, a bill that would mandate an additional, unnecessary audit for providers who participate in the New Hampshire Family Planning Program.
 
ACTION
CALL AND EMAIL your NH State Rep and ask them to support the committee recommendation of “Inexpedient to Legislate” for HB 346, HB 562, HB 591, and HB 615, and to vote “Ought to Pass” on HB 88, HB 224, HB 271, and CACR 2.Find your legislator here:
 https://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/
 
Suggested script:
“Hello Representative. My name is _____ and I am your constituent residing in _____. I support reproductive rights and abortion access. I’m urging you to SUPPORT HB 88, HB 224, HB 271, and CACR 2. I’m urging you to REJECT HB 346, HB 562, and HB 591 in your upcoming vote. Thank you.” If you can’t reach your representative, please leave a message.
 

KSC VISIBILITY
The goal of the KSC Visibility Team is to SHOW UP on behalf of the issues we care about, in support of our legislative champions, and as a means of holding elected officials accountable. We are boots on the ground for progressive legislative advocacy!

ISSUES THIS WEEK: Voting Rights, Public Education, LGBTQ+ Youth, Abortion, Medicaid Expansion, Landfill Siting, Immigration
Wednesday, March 22
 
Restore Asylum, Keep Families Together
Visibility Action, Manchester
6 pm at 650 Elm St. in Manchester 
We will meet in Manchester at: Center of NH - 650 Elm St. for visibility and music and then march 2-3 blocks (about 10mins) for a projection visibility at: Norris Cotton Federal Building - 275 Chestnut St.
 
The Biden Administration is following in Trump's footsteps and continuing a pattern of cruel and inhumane treatment against migrants. They are making plans to reinstate  family detention centers and have proposed new asylum rules that will make it almost impossible for vulnerable people to access their legal right to seek asylum.
 
Everyone deserves to live in safety and peace – no matter their race or country of origin but our government continues to push for policies that terrorize and tear families and communities a part. Now, more than ever our communities are Stronger Together when we welcome migrants into our growing community. Join us to call for an end to this cruel war against migrants and show that NH stands together to invest in a just, fair immigration system that does not discriminate, deport, detain or separate families. 
 
All are welcome! Please share widely with your networks and communities.

KENT STREET CONNECTS
A BIG week at the State House as the House and Senate meet in full sessions to consider bills that could have significant consequences for voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, Abortion, Public Education and Medicaid Expansion.
Find out what YOU can do to reach out to our legislators.
Register here.

NH HOUSE AND SENATE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
Between now and Crossover Day in early April, we have entered a new phase of advocacy. Having focused on signing in on bills and providing testimony, we now must focus on sending emails and making phone calls to our own state reps and senators. We must harness our power as constituents, urging  our legislators to vote yea or nay on those bills that matter matter most.
Come mid-April, once all the bills pass from one chamber to the other, we will be back to signing in and testifying. But for now, it's time to start hammering away on our keyboards and dialing up our phones, making it clear that we pay attention and we vote!

CONTACTING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Whether contacting our Congressional delegation, state senators and/or representatives or Governor Sununu, remember to give your name and home town and stress that you are:
  • A constituent;
  • A voter who votes in every election;
  • Someone who pays attention to your legislators' voting record; and
  • Someone who cares deeply about the issues.

STATE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES
Find your State Senators contact information here. 
Find your State Representatives contact information here.


GOVERNOR SUNUNU
Gov. Chris Sununu
Office of the Governor, State House
107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301
(603)-271-2121
governorsununu@nh.gov

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen  https://shaheen.senate.gov 
Washington, DC  20510  (202) 224-2841

Sen. Maggie Hassan https://hassan.senate.gov    
Washington, DC  20510  (202) 224-3324

Rep. Annie Kuster https://kuster.house.gov/contact/ 
Washington, DC  20510  (202) 225-5206

Rep. Chris Pappas https://pappas.house.gov/contact 
Washington, DC  20510  (202) 225-5456

A FEW WORDS ABOUT HAPPENINGS
KSC Happenings is a weekly, action-based newsletter focusing on State House advocacy.
We aim to provide the tools and information necessary for people to take action on bills of particular importance and concern. Bill priorities and positions are made in consultation with KSC working groups and coalition partners. However, we encourage everyone to be their own final arbiter of which bills to support or oppose. We also provide links to KSC meetings and events.

Please note some changes to our format:
In order to streamline the user experience, we will rely much more heavily on links. Instead of listing all of the bills, we have provided buttons to click; these will take you to Google Docs listing House and Senate bill sign ins. This will allow us to update information throughout the week. It also creates a more printer-friendly resource.

Happenings is intended to be read in conjunction with AFSC NH's State House Watch, which gives both a review of the the prior week in the legislature and an overview of the week to come. We are indebted here at Kent Street to AFSC for this invaluable resource, and are especially grateful to Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindecke for their dedication and determination in making it happen.

You can read this week's State House Watch by going here. 
 
In addition, we highly recommend these news resources as sources of excellent reporting, analysis and commentary: And we recommend subscribing to the Granite State Matters monthly newsletter for a deep dive into into issues impacting Granite State voters, from public schools to property taxes to far right extremism.

We welcome you, the user, to contact us with input and suggestions!! Email us at membership@kentstreetcoalition.org.

JOIN A KSC WORKING GROUP
Kent Street Coalition working groups meet on a regular basis between monthly meetings.  Our current groups include:

KSC and WORKING GROUP STANDING MEETINGS
  • Monthly Meeting (2nd Thursday of every month, 6:30-8:30 pm)
  • Voting Rights
  • Healthcare
  • Climate and Environment
  • Human Rights
  • Education
  • Gun Violence Prevention
  • Visibility
  • Book Group
To join a working group, email membership@kentstreetcoalition.org.
If you are new to KSC, please go to http://kentstreetcoalition.org/.
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