From: Diane Lachance
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 3:57 PM
To: 'senatorbragdon@verizon.net'
Subject: Return HB406 to Committee or Kill the Bill

Senator Bragdon,

Again, I thank you for the support you have given homeschoolers through the HB406 process.  Until this morning, I have been on the fence about which version of HB406 I could support. 

As Chris Hamilton mentioned in her letter to you today, there was a meeting of homeschoolers last Tuesday to share thoughts on HB406.  Seasoned homeschoolers, some with 15 years experience in homeschooling and active participation in the legislative issues of homeschooling attended this meeting.  Although these individuals have raised the DCYF concerns with HB406 right along, it didn't seem until last Tuesday that others fully grasped the connection.  I admire and work closely with Chris Hamilton on a number of homeschooling issues/venues.  The hold out for my making a stand on HB406 was that Chris and these seasoned homeschoolers, until last Tuesday, were not seeing eye to eye.  Over the weekend a number of emails questioning the potential exposure to DCYF were posted.  Now there seems to be an agreement among some homeschoolers that this is not the way to go. 

Many homeschoolers support Dawn Lincoln in wanting more homeschool freedoms, but not at the cost of losing vital aspects of the law which were not taken into account.  As you can see, Chris Hamilton has rallied homeschoolers to work out the additional problems.  I do not have time before tomorrow's vote to digest Chris' amendment, and comfortably say that I think it will resolve the problems.  I would prefer to see a larger group of homeschoolers read over the amendment before a vote.  Therefore, I ask that the bill be sent back to committee for more work, or that the bill be killed so that a well thought out bill can be presented.

Sincerely,

Diane Lachance

Homeschooler

Hopkinton, NH