You can influence the outcome on important issues coming before the state legislature.
November News from Senator Jay Kahn
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Dear Friends,
I hope you are all well and have found ways to honor Martin Luther King on this important holiday.
This past week the legislative session got underway. The legislative process is moving quickly and your help and advocacy and both welcome and essential. Below I have specified some controversial bills being heard over the upcoming weeks and I'd like you to join me in support of them. Thank you all for your great work on SB 304, repealing and replacing anti-discrimination/divisive concepts statutes. The total count on SB 304 registrations was 1809, with 1332 in favor, nearly 3/4 in favor, 74%
Upcoming Senate Education Committee Hearings
I want to alert you to a couple of hearings schedule for Senate Education Committee. This Tuesday, the 18th at 9 am, the Committee will take up SB 235, granting sole authority to local school boards for remote learning and counting remote instruction days toward the number of school days required by state law. This is an interesting juxtaposition to the Board of Education action on remote learning last week; if you need a summary, see article here ([link removed]) . And consider this, is it better for schools to be open using substitute teachers and study halls and count that as in-person attendance, or to have a qualified teacher provide remote instruction when schools determine that it is in the best interest of the students and teachers to stay healthy and hold class via remote instruction? The
punitive nature of the Board of Education’s action to not count remote learning towards days of attendance wrestles control of instruction from school districts.
Following the same procedure as for the Divisive Concepts testimony, we need public education advocates to sign-in support, write committee members and provide in-person testimony. Information you’ll need includes:
Hearing date: January 18, 2022, 9 am, Legislative Office Building, Room 101
Committee: Senate Education Committee
Bill Number: SB 235 ([link removed])
If you do not wish to speak on the legislation but wish to have your position registered in the official record of the bill you may do so using this link ([link removed]) . If you would like to submit emailed testimony to the entire Committee you may use the following link ([link removed]) . In person testimony is always the most effective way to communicate, leaving your written comments at that time.
Also, please add to your calendars SB 432 - repealing school voucher (EFA) program:
Hearing date: February 1, 2022, 9 A.M., State House, Room 100
Committee: Senate Education Committee
Bill Number: SB 43 ([link removed]) 2 ([link removed])
People can begin registering in-favor support now.
Upcoming Senate Finance Committee Hearings
The Senate Finance Committee will hold hearings on 3 of my bills on January 25th, beginning at 1 pm. All three of these bills hold significance to Cheshire County. Please register your support here ([link removed]) to testify at the hearing. Or send written testimony to the committee, which you can find the addressees here ([link removed]) . Below are outlines of the three hearings.
An appropriation for the body-dash camera fund
Hearing Date: January 25, 2022
Committee: Finance Committee
Bill number: SB 387 ([link removed])
This bill will provide 50% of the upfront costs for every police force in the state to acquire body or dash cameras and establish a uniform standard for law enforcement in NH, as recommended by the Governors Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency Commission.
An appropriation to match required local fund match to federal disaster relief funding
Hearing Date: January 25, 2022
Committee: Finance Committee
Bill number: SB 402 ([link removed])
Following the flooding storms in July 2021, Cheshire County received two Presidential disaster declarations. The state filed 37 claims. Federal funds cover 75% of total funding. The state share could be covered by local government. This bill splits the local share between state funds and local governments, as was done with disaster declarations in 2005, 2006 and 2009.
An appropriation to increase rates paid to homeless shelters
Hearing Date: January 25, 2022
Committee: Finance Committee
Bill number: SB 415 ([link removed])
Current state reimbursements to local shelters are only 25% of cost. This appropriation would raise state funding to near 50% of total, relieving the pressure to fund raise for the difference. There is no better use of American Recovery Act funds.
Repealing Divisive Concepts Statutes
Following the 4 hour hearing on SB 304, relative to repealing the divisive concept statutes signed into law by Governor Sununu in the budget bill, I issued the following statement:
"The consequences of divisive concepts legislation passed last year by Governor Sununu and the Republican legislature, whether consciously or unconsciously, are having a chilling effect on teachers and public employers, interfering with the education of students and improvement of public services, and represents another loss of local control. We don’t need an ambiguous law that threatens teachers and public employees and drags NH through the press as a hyper-fearful state where bounties are placed on successful complaints against teachers leading to their dismissal. That won’t fix our teacher shortage problems nor any of the State’s workforce shortages. There’s a lot of ground to be gained by repealing the anti-discrimination/divisive concepts statutes and starting over with a dialogue about critical race theory, ways to address current issues of bias, and how to become more inclusive and accepting of differences. In light of the overwhelming testimony in support SB304, I hope our
Republican colleagues will take this opportunity to join with Democrats to undo the damage done by their divisive concepts legislation."
Protecting Public Schools
The Keene Sentinel recently published my opinion editorial on Protecting Public Schools. I've submitted legislation to repeal the school voucher for private and religious school program, SB 432, to improve accountability of private schools accepting public funds, SB 351, and to study teacher shortages, SB236. These topics are discussed more fully in my op. ed ([link removed]) .
Kahn Healthcare bills
On January 26, the Senate Executive Department and Administration committee will consider three bills I've introduced with significance to having sufficient healthcare professionals in NH. Registering your support and sharing either written and/or in person testimony will be very helpful.
SB 222 ([link removed]) - permitting licensing boards to conduct remote meetings - many healthcare licensing meetings have had to be canceled during the pandemic because of the inability to conduct remote meetings.
SB 382 ([link removed]) - relative to licensure requirements for telehealth services - this bill enables NH licensed physicians and advanced practician nurses to prescribe treatment remotely.
SB 397 ([link removed]) - enacting the mental health counseling compact - this bill would enable NH to be the first New England state to enter into this new multistate licensure compact. this advantage would give NH access to professionally licensed mental health clinicians looking to relocate to New England.
Kahn Energy Aggregation Bill to Assist Counties
Tomorrow at 9:30 A.M., the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hear SB 265, allowing countries to allow towns to participate in its electricity aggregation purchases. Cheshire County is a leader on this initiative and this is a minor tweak to authorization provided by HB 315 last year. Again, registering your support with the Committee can be done here ([link removed]) .
Tracking Kahn Bills
I've introduced 20 bills for this legislative session. We've set up a bill tracking file ([link removed]) which shows the information you need to register your support.
Wishing you all much happiness and good health in the new year. Feel free to contact me about your state legislative interests.
Thank you,
[link removed]
Jay Kahn,
Senator, District 10
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Friends of Jay Kahn
P.O. Box 433
Keene, NH O3431
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