Democrats were able to bring forth sensible legislation and outright kill or significantly modify legislation that hurt NH families and created gerrymandered congressional districts.
Dental Benefits for Medicaid Recipients
After years of work, House Democrats sent a bill to give dental benefits to adult Medicaid recipients to the Governor’s desk. Making available comprehensive dental care to Granite Staters is great public policy, saving our constituents from needless suffering and decreasing taxpayer costs associated with unnecessary emergency room visits. HB 103 was a House Democratic priority to best serve our constituents.
Property Tax Relief
The original version of the late House Democratic Leader Renny Cushing’s Property Tax Relief Act of 2022 permanently provided 7.5% state funding for municipal retirement benefits and passed the House with unanimous Democratic support, was subsequently tabled in the Senate. A House/Senate compromise only provides one-time relief, but it is a step in the right direction. Passage of HB 1221 will benefit our constituents next year. Properly funding our municipalities and cutting property taxes is a top priority of House Democrats
Gerrymandering
The New Hampshire Supreme Court released a Congressional redistricting plan that was drafted to assure districts remain constitutional following the 2020 U.S. Census after Governor Sununu vetoed both Congressional redistricting plans passed by the GOP legislature. Throughout the redistricting process, House Democrats have advocated for the same ‘least change’ approach that the Special Master incorporated in drafting the Congressional maps. If the GOP majority had simply been willing to work with Democrats, we could have had this map signed into law months ago without any Court involvement.
Women’s Health
Because of the sustained advocacy of Granite Staters and the hard work of a unified Democratic caucus in both the House and Senate, we are in the first, but certainly not last, steps in righting the wrongs created the legislative majority last year. HB 1609 more clearly defines the ultrasound mandate and creates a fatal fetal anomaly exemption.
LGBTQ+
Legislation that would require teachers and administrators to ‘out’ LGBTQ+ students’ sexuality to parents was defeated by the narrowest of vote margins. A former school counselor, Representative Sue Mullen (D-Bedford) said she had the privilege of assisting students and families during the most difficult times of their lives. HB 1431 would rob students of the critical support they need to feel safe being themselves in the classroom, a place they spend an overwhelming majority of their young lives.
Background Checks
On its final session day House Democrats attempted to re-introduce a bill to close loopholes on firearm background checks in New Hampshire (HB 1668) and were blocked in lockstep by the House majority. The bill, introduced earlier this year, was also previously killed by the majority. House Democrats have consistently tried to act, only to be blocked in the legislature and by Governor Sununu who vetoed legislation establishing universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, and sensible waiting periods for firearm sales.