Happy April! I have positive and exciting news to share with you. On March 10 we held our first House Session at Representatives Hall in the State House since 2020. Sessions were also held on March 15, 16, 17, and 31.
I was passionate about sitting in my assigned chair and being a part of history. There is so much history in our State House. If you have not seen the State House, I suggest that you call 603 271-2154 and take a guided tour, or you can do a self-guided tour anytime Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. It is a great place for a child to learn some New Hampshire history.
The following are a scant number of the bills passed on March 10.
One of the bills voted on by the full House was CACR 32 relating to independence. Providing that the state peaceably declares independence from the United States and proceeds as a sovereign nation. The House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 20-0 that this bill was Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL). One of the questions was that this bill was not constitutional.
The first vote was to Table and the results were yea 162 and nay 170. The second vote was ITL. The vote was 323 yea and 13 nay and to ITL the bill was adopted. I voted yea on both votes. A couple of the reasons I voted to ITL was the question of constitutionality; and is something of this nature feasible?
HB 1151-FN, prohibiting the display of a deadly weapon at a parade, funeral procession, picket line, march, rally vigil, or demonstration. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee vote on this bill was 13-6 to ITL.
Inexpedient to Legislate was adopted by the House on a roll call vote of 192 yea and 141 nay. I voted yea to ITL. New Hampshire is a “Live Free or Die” state, and the gun owners have been carrying guns for years at events without incident and in my opinion this law was not needed.
CACR 21, relating to registers of probate. Providing that eliminating the office of register of probate and all references to such office. The Judiciary Committee (this is the Committee I am on) voted 20-1 for Ought to Pass.
Was adopted by a House vote of 294 yea and 143 nay. I voted yea as several years ago the Legislature reformed the court system and established electronic filings for probate court matters. This made the registrar of probate office no longer needed.
There is so much going on in our Country and one of the negatives is inflation. I believe the State and Federal governments temporarily need to do such things as reduce gas taxes and open and approve our oil pipelines. In my opinion we need to be self-sufficient.
I will say I was surprised how easily money was spent in, for example, the Salisbury Town Meeting and at the Merrimack Valley School District meetings. The reason I am mentioning this is with inflation and the town and school’s increase in budgets, property taxes will probably increase, and who can afford more in property taxes?
Let me give an example. In the Merrimack Valley School District in which are the towns of Boscawen, Loudon, Penacook, Salisbury, and Webster, we have over 11,000 voters. Yet at the annual meeting on March 4, a total of 239 voters with a vote of 183 yea and 56 nay passed a $43,778,504 budget, and this did not include other monied warrant articles. This was an increase of the budget over the current budget.
By the time you read this article I hope and pray that the war in Ukraine has ended and that the people of Ukraine can return to their country. The atrocities happening to the people of that country has to be stopped. No country has a right to inflict its idea of taking over another country and causing damage to the country and its citizens.
Be safe, and have a great spring.