Happy Fourth of July. Excited and looking forward to spending the day celebrating in Andover.
Congratulations to all graduates of 2023. Remember — “Don’t ever let anyone steal your dreams.”

The Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member, “retained” — this means the House Committee decided to hold a bill to give the committee more time to work on it. I am on a subcommittee for combined bills HB314-FN, relative to the expectation of privacy in the collection and use of personal information, and HB255, relative to the expectation of privacy. 

And then I am on the subcommittee for HB362-FN, relative to complaint procedures in cases before the commission for human rights. Chair of the subcommittee for HB396 relative to state recognition of biological sex. These bills will be very interesting. We will have meetings and will bring back a recommendation to the full Judiciary Committee in the fall. 

On June 8, the House voted on budget bills HB1 and HB2 (trailer bill), and passed both bills.  I voted Yes on HB1 and was one of 53 that voted No on HB2. In my opinion, we could do better before voting on a bill by having the time to read the bill passed by the Senate the day before.  

HB2, to say the least, was an omnibus bill. One of the items in the bill was the former HB347, establishing a Superior Court land use review docket, which I had voted against. We already have the Superior Court, and in 2020 the Housing Appeals was established and, in my opinion, it would take away the local rights on zoning. 

For me to vote yes on HB2 would make me a hypocrite. The budget was higher and I could not justify the increases. It’s too easy to spend someone else’s money. Have a great summer. If I can help you in any way please let me know: l.a.21andrus@nullgmail.com; 603 648-2510; 406 Raccoon Hill Road, Salisbury.