NH 2007 Legislative Session

Status of bills of interest to homeschoolers

last updated 1/2/08 at 12:00 PM

Bills that became law

HB87 - relative to the exceptions to compulsory school attendance.

Analysis: This bill inserts clarifications to the exceptions to the compulsory school attendance statute.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/16/07 - Hearing, 2:00 PM
• 1/23/07 - Executive Session, 2:45 PM
• 1/23/07 - Committee votes 14-0 OTP
• Rep. Kimberley S Casey for Education:
  This bill clarifies language with regard to compulsory attendance and out of state placement in approved schools.
• 1/31/07 - adopted by House, voice vote
• 2/22/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 2/27/07 - Hearing, 9:30 AM
• 3/28/07 - Committee votes 3-0 OTP
• 4/5/07 - Senate votes to table bill
• 6/7/07 - Senate votes to amend bill, {1690}
• 6/7/07 - Senate votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 6/13/07 - House concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/27/07 - Enrolled in House
• 6/27/07 - Enrolled in Senate
• 7/17/07 - Signed by Governor

HB126 - relative to the definition of "school."

Analysis: This bill revises the definitions of standard school, elementary school, high school, and the number of days of school. This bill is a request of the department of education.

• 1/17/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 10:30 AM
• 2/6/07 - Committee Report: OTP 14-3
• Rep. J. Timothy Dunn for Education:
  This bill is a request of the Department of Education. The state school board took action relating to school standards by building more flexibility into the length of the school year. The school year can now be computed in hours to allow a district more leeway in scheduling. The changes occur in RSA 189:1 and RSA 189:2, both having to do with the length of the school year.
• 2/15/07 - House voted OTP on a voice vote
• 2/22/07 - Senate Education Committee
• 3/27/07 - Hearing SH 103, 8:50 AM
• 3/28/07 - Committee votes 3-0 OTP/AM
• 4/5/07 - Senate votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 5/16/07 - House concurs with Senate amendment
• 5/31/07 - Enrolled by Senate
• 5/31/07 - Enrolled by House
• 6/11/07 - Signed by Governor

SB18-FN - raising the age of required attendance of children in school.

Analysis: This bill raises from 16 to 18 the age for compulsory school attendance and provides a procedure for a pupil who is at least 16 years of age to obtain an attendance waiver from school.

• 1/4/07 - Senate Education Committee
• 1/20/07 - Hearing 8:30AM, SH 103
• 3/8/07 - Committee votes 4-2 OTP/AM
• 3/15/07 - Senate votes 17-7 OTP/AM
• 3/28/07 - House Education Committee
• 4/18/07 - Hearing LOB 205-207, 10:00 AM
• 5/2/07 - Committee work session LOB 207, 10:00 AM
• 5/8/07 - Executive session LOB 207, 11:15 AM
• 5/10/07 - Committee votes 12-6 OTP
• MAJORITY: OUGHT TO PASS. MINORITY: INEXPEDIENT TO LEGISLATE.
  Rep. J. Timothy Dunn for the Majority of Education:
  In current practice, a student can leave school at 16 simply by meeting with a principal and getting signed approval from a parent or guardian. With SB 18, students need a plan for completing their education in order to leave the traditional classroom before age 18. The plan can include work-study, night school, GED prep, internships, apprenticeships, independent study, or placement in a vocational or alternative learning program. Plans are developed by the student, a parent or guardian, a guidance counselor, and the principal. Under RSA 193:5, a superintendent can still exempt a student from compulsory attendance "if facts warrant" and if "the welfare of the child will be best served," and the bill exempts homeschoolers. Raising the legal age for school attendance is a missing and necessary piece in the state's ongoing effort to lower drop out rates in New Hampshire. Knowing the demands of today's society, we cannot send the message that it is acceptable to leave high school without a diploma. Higher completion rates lower social costs. These students are not new to our system; they are already in our school budgets. The state currently spends $23 million for programs for at-risk students and DOE has budgeted an additional $4.5 million for new or expanded programs. One and a half million is budgeted to accompany SB 101, providing additional tuition and transportation aid for extended programs at regional vocational schools. The bill has widespread support in the education and business community (including BIA, NHRMA, Auto Dealers, Law Enforcement, NEA/AFT). Vote 12-6.
  Rep. David W. Hess for the Minority of Education:
  The committee minority believe SB 18 as proposed is not ready for enactment. Currently, a student can drop out at age 16 only if the parents, after consultation with the school principal, agree. This bill takes away these parental rights and vests that authority with the school district superintendent. The minority believes these parental rights in making this decision about one's own children should be protected. The minority also believes this bill imposes an unnecessary new mandate on our local schools without providing either the funding to pay for it or the infrastructure and capacity needed to implement its complex requirements. This bill will keep an additional 1100 students in our high schools. Twenty six percent of these dropouts are special education students; an estimated 30 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Thus, over half of these students are the very ones that require the greatest resources and the most intensive supervision and instruction. Yet the state is unwilling to commit the resources and funds needed to provide these services. The minority strongly believes that the local property tax payers will wind up paying the extra millions, if not tens of millions of dollars needed to implement this legislation. Finally, mandating is not the New Hampshire way. Certainly a "one size fits all" mandate to all of our local school districts is not warranted nor appropriate when the school dropout rate here in New Hampshire is already dropping dramatically under existing practices. Over the past four years, the cumulative high school dropout rate (the percentage of entering 9th graders who fail to graduate) has declined from over 15 percent to just over 12 percent, a 20 percent reduction. Fifteen of our high schools, small and large, north and south, in rich districts and poor, have cumulative dropout rates of less than 5 percent. Rather than mandate a uniform, bureaucratic overlay across the state to address this legitimate concern, the minority believe the Department of Education should use these successful dropout programs as models to be studied and evaluated in less successful high schools. Use proven models that work to solve this problem, not yet another untried, unfunded mandate. The minority would have preferred to retain the bill.
• 5/16/07 - House rejects floor amendment by Rep Kurk
• 5/16/07 - House votes 187-130 OTP
• 5/16/07 - House Finance Committee
• 5/22/07 - Committee work session LOB 210-211, 1:00 PM
• 5/23/07 - Committee work session LOB 210-211, 1:00 PM
• 5/24/07 - Committee work session LOB 210-211, 1:00 PM
• 5/29/07 - Exective session LOB 210-211, 10:00 AM
• 5/30/07 - Committee votes 13-12 OTP
• Rep. Marjorie K. Smith for the Majority of Finance:
  This bill raises the school leaving age to 18 while at the same time attempting to systematize a wide variety of program alternatives which can be utilized in a plan developed by the student, a parent or guardian, a guidance counselor and the principal. There is no funding in this bill, because the budget and other bills do provide additional funding. The Committee notes the economic benefit to the individual and the community directly related to an increase in the number of our citizens who earn a high school diploma. This bill is widely supported by the business community as well as law enforcement and social service agencies. The year's delay in implementation will give school districts time to assess the resources already in place and develop procedures to make sure every child is in the right place to do the best he or she can do to prepare to play a useful role in society. Vote 13-12.
  Rep. Kenneth L. Weyler for the Minority of Finance:
  The narrow margin by which this bill passed is reflective of real concerns. The minority feels it is an unfunded mandate on local districts and could lead to large cost increases. Even though most of the bill has a 2009 deadline, the school districts have already passed next year's budgets, so there is only one year to make the changes required for compliance. Many districts have created drop out prevention programs. It is more appropriate to analyze these programs and find which ones are most successful and worthy of state support. Forcing unwilling students to remain in classrooms where their activities are often disruptive is a negative for the other students. We are not sure this bill will treat that problem.
• 6/6/07 - House rejects minority committee amendment
• 6/6/07 - House rejects amendment by Rep Itse
• 6/6/07 - House votes 201-156 OTP
• 6/13/07 - Enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 - Enrolled by Senate
• 6/26/07 - Signed by Governor

SB101 - relative to payment of costs for certain students attending alternative education programs.

Analysis: This bill permits "at risk" students to attend an alternative education program at a regional vocational education center and requires the department of education to pay tuition and transportation costs for such attendance

• 1/4/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 1/20/07 - Hearing 9:15 AM
• 3/21/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP
• 3/29/07 – Senate adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 3/29/07 - Senate Finance Committee (SH 100)
• 4/4/07 – Committee votes 7-0 OTP
• 4/12/07 – Senate adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 4/18/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 5/1/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 5/3/07 – Committee votes 12-2 OTP
• Rep. Nancy F. Stiles for Education: This bill provides an additional opportunity for every student in New Hampshire who may be at risk of dropping out of school to access alternative education programming at a regional vocational education center or associated high school, regardless of where they live. School districts will receive reimbursements for the transportation and tuition for these identified “at risk” students. Expenses will come from the Department of Education’s current budget. Programming will be developed during FY 2007-2008 to accommodate these needs and students can begin access as early as 2008.
• 5/16/07 – House adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 5/16/07 – House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 5/22/07 – Division II Work Session 1:00 PM
• 5/23/07 – Division II Work Session 1:00 PM
• 5/24/07 – Division II Work Session 10:00 AM
• 5/29/07 – Committee votes OTP 18-7
• Rep. Linda T. Foster for Finance: This bill provides statewide access to alternate education for high school students at risk of dropping out. Tuition and transportation currently provides state reimbursement to regional vocational centers for 75% of the tuition of students coming from other high schools. It also pays $.08 per mile to the sending districts for these students. SB 101 makes state tuition and transportation support available to students attending regional alternative education programs in either the vocational centers or an associate high school using the same formulas. This bill will assure that every 16 & 17 year old at risk of dropping out will be able to attend an alternative program, regardless of the size of their local school and the local opportunities available. It will also allow students in danger of dropping out to attend regional alternative & credit recovery programs, even if they elect not to participate in vocational courses. Whether a student is at risk and whether they will take part in an alternative education program located off site will be determined by the district.
• 6/6/07 – House adopt committee report on a voice vote
• 6/13/07 – Enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Enrolled by Senate
• 6/25/07 – Signed by Governor

HB213 - relative to the availability of school nutrition program funds for charter school and nonpublic schools.

Analysis: This bill allows charter schools, approved nonpublic schools, and residential facilities for children to apply for reimbursement for approved school meals.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/6/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 – Committee votes 16-0 OTP
• Rep. Nancy F Stiles for Education: This housekeeping bill provides the necessary language to allow the department to disburse money to all the eligible programs included in HB 1249, Chapter 127 known as the breakfast and wellness bill passed last session.
• 3/21/07 – House adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 3/22/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/4/07 – Hearing 9:00 AM
• 5/9/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP
• 5/17/07 – Senate adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 5/31/07 – Enrolled by Senate
• 5/31/07 – Enrolled by House
• 6/11/07 – Signed by Governor

HB396 - establishing a commission to study autism spectrum disorders in New Hampshire.

Analysis: This bill establishes a commission to study autism spectrum disorders in New Hampshire.

• 1/4/07 - House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee (LOB 205)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 2/13/07 - Executive Session 3:00 PM
• 2/13/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OTP/AM
• Rep. Suzanne S Butcher for Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs: Autism is affecting increasing numbers of New Hampshire families (CDC now estimates 1 in 150 children), posing enormous challenges to our society, our schools, our economy, and our service systems. This bill establishes a commission to “examine and make recommendations regarding the care, treatment, and quality of life of children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and their families,” with a report due July 1, 2008. The amendment adds to the commission a family member appointed by the Governor.
• 2/21/07 – House adopts committee amendment
• 2/21/07 – House adopts committee report
• 3/22/07 – Senate Health and Human Services (SH 103)
• 4/5/07 – Hearing 11:15 AM
• 5/29/07 – Committee votes 2-0 OTP
• 5/31/07 – Senate adopts committee report on a voice vote
• 6/7/07 – Enrolled by Senate
• 6/7/07 – Enrolled by House
• 6/18/07 – Signed by the Governor

HB661-FN-A - establishing an executive planning commission on special education.

Analysis: This bill establishes an executive planning commission on special education and appropriates $50,000 from the general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/20/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 2/22/07 – Committee votes 11-4 OTP
• Rep. Nancy F Stiles for the Majority of Education: This bill is the first of six and the only early bill coming forth this session from a committee charged to review New Hampshire’s special education statutes. HB661-FN-A repeals RSA 189-C:21 and 189-C:22 and replaces them with a planning commission to be established for one year to identify the personnel shortages that affect the capacity of schools to provide educational services to children with highly challenging needs or low-incidence (uncommon) disabilities. There is nothing in the current RSA 186-C:21 that isn’t covered in federal law so there will be no negative effect on students or the local districts. The commission is to address opportunities and resources to support the local school districts in developing scientifically based student specific supports to assist the schools in eliminating out of district private or public placements, all of which have high human and financial costs. The commission will also address the pre-service and in-service educational opportunities for professionals, paraprofessionals and administrative personnel in our college and university system and identify how they might identify the emerging special education needs and provide support to the local districts in evaluating or plan design. The strategic plan is to be reported to the General Court and the Governor by October 1, 2008. The study committee that worked over the past ten months with five subcommittees and came to consensus on the final draft of this bill included representation from six legislators, three having a background in special education, the Department of Education, the Special Education Directors Association as well as active directors, consultants, parents, homeschools, charter schools, Disabilities Rights Center, school board members, legal representation of students and parents of students with disabilities, Parent Information Center, members of the State Advisory Committee (SAC) and presentations from the Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Dept. of Corrections and South Eastern Regional Education Service Center (SERESC).
• Rep. Paul Ingbretson for the Minority of Education: Though presented as a bill to create a commission, this bill actually of itself changes five points of New Hampshire law related to developmentally disabled children. The removed statutes are actually part of federal requirements, yet reasons for their removal were not forthcoming
• 3/6/07 – House adopts committee majority report on a voice vote
• 3/6/07 – House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 3/14/07 – Division II Work Session 3:03 PM
• 3/19/07 – Division II Work Session 9:35 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 22-0 OTP
• Rep. Linda T Foster for Finance: The cost, scope, and delivery of services associated with special education continue to be of major importance to school districts throughout our state. The committee believes that the $50,000 appropriation will allow this important executive commission to retain consultants and to fund other expenses which are necessary to accomplish its mission. The reporting date for this commission shall be October 1, 2008. Any unexpended funds as of June 30, 2008 shall lapse to the general fund.
• 4/11/07 – House adopts committee report
• 4/12/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/24/07 – Hearing 9:20 AM, recessed
• 5/1/07 – Hearing 8:30 AM, reconvened
• 5/3/07 – Committee votes 3-1 OTP/AM
• 5/24/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment
• 5/24/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 6/13/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/27/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill Amendment
• 6/27/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill Amendment
• 6/27/07 – Enrolled by House
• 6/27/07 – Enrolled by Senate
• 7/16/07 – Signed by Governor

SB93-FN - relative to insurance coverage for children's early intervention therapy services.

Analysis: This bill requires insurance coverage for the costs of early intervention services for children from birth to 36 months.

· 1/4/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee (LOB 102)

· 2/20/07 – Hearing 11:15 AM

· 2/20/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP

· 3/8/07 – Senate adopts committee report

· 3/8/07 - Senate Finance Committee (SH 100)

· 3/21/07 – Hearing 10:15 AM

· 3/21/07 – Committee votes 7-0 OTP

· 3/29/07 – Senate votes 23-1 to adopt committee report

· 4/5/07 – House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)

· 4/24/07 – Hearing 11:00 AM

· 5/1/07 – Subcommittee work session 2:30

· 5/8/07 – Subcommitee work seession 2:30

· 5/9/07 – Committee votes 11-8 OTP/AM

o Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond for the Majority of Commerce: This bill mandates health insurance coverage for the fixed amount of $3200 annually toward the costs of early childhood intervention services for children age birth to 3 years. In this state, these services are already covered by Anthem, the state employees’ health plan, and Medicaid/Healthy Kids; this will require other insurers to do the same. Early childhood intervention, such as occupational, physical, and speech-language therapies for developmental disabilities and/or delays, mitigate, improve, and often cure these situations at a critical age, forestalling more extensive and expensive medical or educational intervention at a later age, and best prepare a child for entering school. The finite cost to insurers will put minimal pressure on premiums, while providing substantial benefits to these children, their families, and our educational and social systems.

o Rep. John B. Hunt for the Minority of Commerce: The bi-partisan minority of the committee felt this mandate would add the already burdensome cost of health insurance here in New Hampshire. This bill assumes there will be future savings projections that were unsubstantiated. This bill was originally introduced in the Senate who decided to send it to the insurance department for a financial review. The 3rd party company estimated that there could be long term societal savings but there certainly would be an immediate impact on premiums. The report further states that to reduce the impact of this bill some employers and individuals will accept higher deductibles and co-payments to offset the increased premiums. Finally the report states that this legislation will only effect 50% of New Hampshire health plans and that the benefits can be positive only if it “is focused on children who truly need early intervention.” Unfortunately no study can guarantee that!

· 5/16/07 – House adopts committee majority amendment

· 5/16/07 – House adopts committee majority report

· 5/16/07 – House Finance Committee (LOB 209)

· 5/22/07 – Division III Work Session 1:00 PM

· 5/23/07 – Division III Work Session 1:00 PM

· 5/29/07 – Committee votes 16-8 OTP

o Rep. Martha McLeod for the Majority of Finance: The committee found no fiscal impact on the state's general fund from this bill. These services are already covered under the State Employees Health Plan and other major health plans. Early Intervention Services offer significant future savings to both the state and private providers.

o Rep. Fran Wendelboe for the Minority of Finance: The minority believes that SB 93 puts an unfair mandate on insurance companies that will be passed down onto our citizens and business community. The fiscal note states that there will be an increase of approximately $200,000 in insurance tax revenue to the state. This increase in tax represents a premium increase on individuals and companies of approximately $19,000,000 (nineteen million dollars). It has been shown that for every increase in health care premiums there is an offsetting decrease in people who stay insured, either because they drop the coverage or their employers cease providing coverage. Insurance mandates work against encouraging new insurers to our market and increase the cost of coverage. While the majority argues that the state "makes money" on this, the minority believes that we must weigh the consequences to the individuals and businesses bearing the burden of this new mandate and tax increase

· 6/6/07 – House adopts committee majority report

· 6/13/07 – Senate concurs with House amendment

· 6/27/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/27/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 7/16/07 – Bill signed by Governor

SB195 - relative to unemployment benefits for persons needed to care for family members who are disabled.

Analysis: This bill allows individuals who need to care for disabled family members to collect unemployment compensation benefits. This bill was requested by the department of employment security.

· 1/4/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee (LOB 102)

· 3/6/07 – Hearing 10:55 AM

· 3/8/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP/AM

· 3/15/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment and report

· 3/28/07 – House Labor, Industrial & Rehabilitative Services (LOB 307)

· 4/17/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM

· 5/8/07 – Committee votes 17-2 OTP

o Rep. Franklin C. Bishop for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: This bill allows individuals who need to care for disabled family members, who are certified by a licensed physician of the need of full time care, to be eligible for part time benefits.

· 5/16/07 – House adopts committee report

· 5/31/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 5/31/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 6/11/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB790 - relative to dependent coverage for health insurance.

Analysis: This bill expands the definition of dependent young adults to those who are less than 26 years of age for purposes of insurance coverage.

· 1/31/07 – House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)

· 3/5/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM

· 3/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM

· 3/19/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM

· 3/22/07 – Committee votes 8-7 OTP/AM

o Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond for the Majority of Commerce: This bill expands health coverage in family plans to young adults by defining a dependant as one under 26, who is unmarried; has no dependents of his or her own; is a resident of New Hampshire or is enrolled as a full-time student at an institution of higher education. Young adults (18-25) as a group have a high percentage of uninsured while being one of the healthiest and least costly to the health care system. This measure would provide continued coverage to many in state who attend college part time and work part time. By keeping this group insured and in the system, costs overall will be kept down and accounted for; and help encourage this age group to stay in New Hampshire. This bill also includes the intent of HB 78.

o Rep. John B Hunt for the Minority of Commerce: This bill represents an insurance coverage mandate that will add significant cost exposure to the business community, which is already struggling to pay health care costs, and may jeopardize existing coverage that dependents up to age 18 presently enjoy today. Employers will be required to continue to pay for family policies for a longer period of time, up to 7 years, or may be forced to make the very difficult economic decision to either require more or all of the premium to be paid by their employers. HB 790 may also have damaging effects on the individual market, which is presently growing and vibrant. The minority considers this bill to be the largest single mandate on business in the past 20 years.

· 3/27/07 – House adopts committee majority amendment on a voice vote

· 3/27/07 – House adopts committee majority report on a vote of 222-135

· 3/27/05 – House Finance Committee (LOB 209)

· 4/2/07 – Division III work session 9:00 AM

· 4/2/07 – Committee votes 15-8 OTP

o Rep. Bonnie G Mitchell for Finance: This bill expands the definition of dependent young adults to those who are less than 26 years of age for purposes of health insurance coverage. There are no direct public funding consequences of HB 790. The state employee's health plan is self-insured and not subject to this legislation. The NH Insurance Department estimates that while the number is difficult to determine it would possibly be in the area of 4,000 lives and involves a cost increase (not premium) of less than 1%. This legislation would have the impact of extending health insurance to the NH population that has the highest percent of uninsured with no fiscal impact to the State. This is not a mandate, but an excellent idea. Insurers and employers will benefit by having a larger and healthier pool from which to draw. Employers still have the option of offering the coverage.

· 4/11/07 – House votes 231-118 to adopt committee report

· 4/12/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection (LOB 102)

· 4/24/07 – Hearing 10:25 AM

· 5/3/07 – Committee votes 4-2 OTP/AM

· 5/10/07 – Senate votes 13-10 to adopt committee amendment and report

· 5/31/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment

· 6/13/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/14/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 6/21/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 7/17/07 – Bill signed by Governor

SB168 - establishing tuition waivers for foster children.

Analysis: This bill establishes tuition waivers for foster children at any public postsecondary institution.

· 2/8/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)

· 3/8/07 – Hearing 8:30 AM

· 3/9/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP/AM

· 3/15/07 – Senate votes to adopt committee amendment and report

· 3/28/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)

· 5/2/07 – House Children and Family Law (LOB 206)

· 5/8/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM

· 5/15/07 – Committee votes 14-0 OTP/AM

o Rep. Jane B. Johnson for Children and Family Law: This bill as amended establishes tuition waivers for foster children at any public postsecondary institution in the state of New Hampshire. The postsecondary education commission is tasked with establishing eligibility, rules, creation of application form and deadline, and provisions for continuing eligibility. No more than 20 tuition waivers shall be granted to those children with greatest financial need. The Division of Children, Youth and Families shall submit an annual report to the Health and Human Services Oversight Committee and the House Children and Family Law Committee detailing the status of the tuition waiver program.

· 5/31/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report

· 6/13/07 – Senate concurs with House amendment

· 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 7/17/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB99 - relative to the youth employment law.

Analysis: This bill:

I. Prohibits youths 16 or 17 years of age who do not have high school diplomas from working certain hours.

II. Assesses or increases certain penalties for violations of the youth employment law.

• .1/4/07 – House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee (LOB 307)
• 1/17/07 – Hearing 1:30 PM
• 2/7/07 – Full committee work session 1:30 PM
• 2/7/07 – Committee votes 16-1 OTP/AM
• Rep. Randolph N S Holden for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: The bill was amended to exempt 16 and 17 year old adolescents who earned a high school diploma or GED from youth employment laws.
• 2/21/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 3/22/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection
• 4/3/07 – Hearing 10:35 AM
• 5/3/07 – Committee votes 3-1 OTP
• 5/10/07 – Senate votes to adopt committee report
• 5/16/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 5/24/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 6/11/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB46-FN-A-L - making an appropriation to fund kindergarten programs in the Merrimack, Hampstead, Goffstown, Fremont, and Timberlane regional school districts.

Analysis: This bill makes an appropriation from the education trust fund to the department of education to fund a grant of $1,200 per pupil for resident kindergarten pupils in the Merrimack, Hampstead, Goffstown, Fremont, and Timberlane regional school districts.

• 1/4/07 – House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 1/25/07 – Hearing 10:15 AM
• 1/31/07 – Division II Work Session 2:00 PM
• 2/16/07 – Committee executive session 1:00 PM
• 3/2/07 – Committee votes 19-2 OTP/AM
• Rep. Stephen B Stepanek for Finance: The state now takes three years to include students in its count for the purpose of state aid. Currently the state is providing $1,600.00 per kindergarten student in aid to the towns. The state many years ago agreed to fund $1,200.00 per student during the three year period they were waiting for their kindergarten students to be counted by the state. This agreement has been extended many times over the years. It was the belief of the committee that we should continue this policy to assist towns who commit to add kindergarten and not penalize them because the state takes three years to identify these new students.
• 3/21/07 – House adopts committee amendment and recommits to Finance Committee
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 24-0 OTP/AM
• Rep. Robert A Foose for Finance: The state now takes three years to include students in its count for the purpose of state aid. The state agreed to fund $1,200 per student during the three year period while waiting for the kindergarten students to be counted by the state. This agreement has been extended may times over the years. It is the belief of the committee that we should continue this policy to assist towns who commit to school kindergarten.
• 3/27/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 4/12/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/24/07 – Hearing 8:30 AM
• 5/2/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP/AM
• 5/10/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment and report
• 5/31/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/7/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/13/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 7/3/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB86 - establishing a committee to study educational and social services programs that serve families with children 6 years old and younger.

Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study educational and social services programs that serve families with children 6 years old and younger.

• 1/4/07 – House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 1/24/07 – Hearing 11:00 AM
• 2/7/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OTP
• Rep. Anne C Grassie for Children and Family Law: The committee established by this bill will study program governance, mission, funding, eligibility criteria and participation, location and service area and methods of accountability. The intent is to ensure a more effective use of resources.
• 2/15/07 – House adopts committee report
• 2/22/07 – Senate Health and Human Services (SH 103)
• 4/10/07 – Hearing 11:00 AM
• 5/2/07 – Committee votes 3-0 OTP/AM
• 5/10/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment and report
• 5/31/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/7/07 – Bill enrolled by House and Senate
• 6/18/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB167 - relative to areas of assessment required under the statewide improvement and assessment program.

Analysis: This bill adds civics and economics to the required areas of assessment in the statewide improvement and assessment program, and specifies that the assessment shall be conducted in grades 3 through 8 and one grade in high school.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/31/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 2/6/07 - Executive session 2:30 PM LOB 207
• 2/6/07 - Committee votes 18-0 OTP
• Rep. J. Timothy Dunn for Education: This bill is a request of the Department of Education. As a result of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Frameworks, current statutes need to be updated. Specific changes occur in RSA 193-C:5 adding civics and economics to the list of tested areas as well as some grammatical changes. Also changed is RSA 193-C:6. This change reflects current testing in grades 3 through 8 and one year in high school.
• 2/15/07 - House adopts committee report
• 2/22/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 3/27/07 – Hearing 9:10 AM
• 3/28/07 – Committee votes 3-0 OPT
• 4/5/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 4/12/07 – Bill enrolled by House and Senate
• 4/20/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB446 - relative to criminal threatening in a safe school zone.

Analysis: This bill adds criminal threatening to the definition of an act of theft, destruction, or violence within the safe school zones statute.

• 1/4/07 – House Criminal Justice and Public Safety (LOB 204)
• 2/6/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 2/16/07 – Subcommitee Work Session 12:00 PM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 17-0 OTP/AM
• 3/27/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 4/12/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/15/07 – Hearing 2:45 PM
• 5/17/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP
• 5/24/07 – Senate votes 24-0 to adopt committee report
• 6/6/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 6/18/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB556 - relative to school emergency response plans.

Analysis: This bill requires public and nonpublic schools to develop and implement a site-specific emergency response plan which is based on and conforms to the Incident Command System and the National Incident Management System.

• 1/4/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/15/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 12-6 OTP
• Rep. Barbara E Shaw for the Majority of Education The committee recognizes the importance for every public and nonpublic school in the state to have in place a site-specific emergency response plan. Many already have plans, but some do not. This bill provides the opportunity for assistance to the school districts for support in the development, implementation and review of an emergency response plan, as may be needed.
• Rep. Sharon M Carson for the Minority of Education: This bill requires that every school district across this state implement an Incident Command System and the National Incident Management System to address a variety of potential disasters that could affect any given school. A minority of the committee agrees school districts should have disaster preparedness plans, but to reference two specific programs with no financial assistance creates an unfunded mandate, a violation of Article 28a of the New Hampshire State Constitution.
• 3/27/07 – House votes 213-142 to adopt committee report
• 4/12/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/24/07 – Hearing 9:00 AM
• 5/9/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP
• 5/17/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 5/31/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate and House
• 6/11/07 – Bill signed by Governor

SB78 - relative to the placement of twins or other multiples in the same classroom.

Analysis: This bill allows a parent or guardian of twins or other multiples to request a classroom placement for the children.

• 1/4/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 1/30/07 – Hearing 9:30 AM
• 3/15/07 – Committee votes 6-0 OTP/AM
• 2/22/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment
• 2/22/07 – Senate adopts Estabrook floor amendment
• 2/22/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 3/28/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 4/18/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM LOB 205-207
• 5/1/07 – Committee votes 16-0 OTP/AM
• 5/16/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 6/13/07 – Senate concurs with House amendment
• 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled in House and Senate
• 7/13/07 – Bill signed by Governor

SCR2 - urging Congress to amend the No Child Left Behind Act.

Analysis: This senate concurrent resolution urges the United States Congress to amend the No Child Left Behind Act.

• 1/4/07 – Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 2/6/07 – Hearing 9:15 AM
• 3/21/07 – Committee votes 3-1 OTP/AM
• 3/29/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment on a voice vote
• 3/29/07 – Senate votes 20-4 to adopt committee report
• 4/5/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 4/25/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 5/1/07 – Committee votes 10-6 OPT
• Rep. Emma L. Rous for the Majority of Education: This resolution urges the US Congress to amend the No Child Left Behind Act as it comes up for reauthorization this year, in accordance with the National Conference of State Legislature’s task force report, a report created with bipartisan representation from the NH General Court. While NCLB’s goal of raising achievement is admirable and NH has made every effort to comply with the program, the resolution asks for flexibility for states in promoting and evaluating the growth of each child. It also urges Congress to request a GAO evaluation of the costs to states and local districts of full NCLB compliance, including reaching 100% proficiency for every student. An important critique of NCLB is that it is a minimally funded mandate that violates the 10th amendment of the US Constitution by assuming powers that belong to the states.
• Rep. Sharon M. Carson for the Minority of Education: The minority believes it serves no purpose passing SCR 2 other than to make a statement of dissatisfaction. NCLB program is currently under review and changes are being contemplated by the United States Congress. The program has vastly improved school performance across the country and experience has shown that in the re-authorization some changes should be and shall be made. The continuing problem in New Hampshire seems to be a lack of communication between New Hampshire Department of Education and school districts across the state.
• 5/16/07 – House votes 205-125 to adopt committee report

SB47 - making a supplemental appropriation for school building aid.

Analysis: This bill makes a supplemental appropriation of $2,252,356 to the department of education for school building aid for the 2007 fiscal year. This bill is a request of the department of education.

• 1/4/07 – Senate Finance Committee (SH 100)
• 2/7/07 – Hearing 10:30 AM
• 2/7/07 – Committee votes 6-1 OTP
• 2/15/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 3/28/07 – House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 4/18/07 – Hearing 10:30 AM
• 4/18/07 – Division II Work Session 1:00 PM
• 5/3/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OPT/AM
• Rep. Kenneth L. Weyler for Finance: School construction aid for FY 2007 was budgeted at $40,735,039. There was a shortfall of $2,252,356 due to three circumstances. The first was the increasing use of capital appreciation bonds by many of the districts. This financing method results in payments beginning earlier than customary. The second reason was districts choosing ten year bonding over twenty year. The third reason was legislation changing the formula on multi-district/state cost sharing. This change allowed districts that had long term tuition contracts to be treated as if they were a multi-town district. This latter affected Manchester, Conway, and Sanborn Regional. The bill was amended to reduce the amount to that stated above and also to allow a third payment for FY 2007 for the districts affected. Future legislation will make the amounts for construction aid more predictable.
• 5/16/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 6/13/07 – Senate concurs with House amendment
• 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 7/3/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB406 - relative to access to state child support enforcement records.

Analysis: This bill lists the persons permitted to access the department of health and human services repository of information relative to child support.

• 1/4/07 – House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/20/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 17-0 OTP
• Rep. Daniel C Itse for Children and Family Law: Federal rules will require that child support records be shared with other divisions of Health and Human Services in order to ensure that government support is not being paid for persons who are receiving private support from their non-custodial parents. If the child support records are not allowed to be shared between divisions and their contracted agents, New Hampshire will not be eligible for the federally cost shared portions of Temporary Aid to Needy Families, child and family services, foster care, state Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. The inter-divisional sharing of the information shall remain confidential and be used only for the administration of the various departments. Additional statutory safeguards regarding confidentiality are in place for each of these departments, some of which carry criminal penalties.
• 3/27/07 – House adopts committee report
• 4/5/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/8/07 – Hearing 2:00 PM
• 5/29/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP
• 5/31/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 6/7/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/13/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 6/28/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB444 - relative to parental rights in abuse and neglect cases.

This bill requires the court to provide written findings of its decision following a custody hearing requested by the non-accused parent in an abuse and neglect proceeding. The bill also requires the department of health and human services to notify the parent of his or her right to request a custody hearing.

• 1/4/07 – House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/20/07 – Hearing 11:15 AM
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 17-0 OTP/AM
• Rep. Edward P Moran for Children and Family Law: This bill requires the court to provide written findings of its decision following a custody hearing requested by the non-accused parent in an abuse and neglect proceeding. The bill also requires the department of health and human services to notify the parent of his or her right to request a custody hearing at the earliest opportunity.
• 3/27/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 4/12/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/8/07 – Hearing 3:00 PM
• 5/29/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP
• 5/31/07 – Senate adopts committee report
• 6/7/07 – Bill enrolled by House and Senate
• 6/18/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB292 - relative to consideration of the preference of a mature minor in the modification of parental rights and responsibilities.

Analysis: This bill provides that, in the modification of parental rights and responsibilities, if the court finds that a minor child is of sufficient maturity to make a sound judgment, the court may give substantial weight to the child’s preference as to the parent with whom the child wants to live.

• 1/4/07 – House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/13/07 – Hearing 1:15 PM
• 2/22/07 – Committee votes 15-0 OTP/AM
• Rep. Carolyn M Gargasz for Children and Family Law: This bill makes consistent the wording in the statute regarding the ability of the court to consider the wishes of a mature minor.
• 3/6/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report
• 3/22/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee
• 4/17/07 – Hearing 3:15 PM
• 4/25/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP/AM
• 5/3/07 – Senate adopts committee amendment and report
• 5/16/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/6/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/7/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment
• 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 6/15/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB184 - repealing the parental notification law.

Analysis: This bill repeals the law regarding parental notification prior to abortion.

• 1/4/07 – House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)
• 2/8/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM Representative’s Hall
• 2/15/07 – Committee votes 12-5 OTP
• Rep. Bette R Lasky for the Majority of Judiciary: This bill seeks to repeal RSA 132:24-28 first enacted by HB 763, Chapter 173, Laws of 2003 and scheduled to become effective December 31, 2003. Before the effective date, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and 3 other plaintiffs brought suit in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to have the new law declared unconstitutional and prevent it from being enforced. Since then, three courts, the United States Supreme Court, the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal District Court for the District of New Hampshire have all found that RSA 132:24-28 is unconstitutional. The law has never been in effect because the State has been permanently enjoined from implementing it. The Judiciary Committee feels that this legislature should repeal this law and that no more legal or judicial resources should be expended. An unconstitutional law should not be the foundation for any further legislative action. The committee believes that the best course now is to repeal the existing law and allow this legislature, if it should so desire, to bring forth a new bill that is built on consensus, rather than demands from the courts, and that will protect a woman’s right to safe and sound reproductive health.
• Rep. David J Bettencourt for the Minority of Judiciary: Proponents of the repeal cited two reasons to repeal the parental notification statute: 1. The constitutional question raised by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of a “health emergency” when there is no time to notify a parent; and 2. If it is not repealed, it is wrong for a judge to write language to address the constitutional amendment. The Supreme Court ruled that the lower courts erred in ruling N.H.’s parental notification law wholly unconstitutional. The Court upheld the N.H. statute, but remanded the question on an emergency health exception back to the lower court. Emergency health exceptions in states required to keep data account for less than 1% of teen abortions. An amendment was presented that addressed both of these concerns. The language defining an “emergency health exception” in the amendment has already been tested by the U.S. Supreme Court in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 112 S.Ct. 2791 (1992) – a challenge of the Pennsylvania law. The Court, in upholding Casey’s “emergency health exception” observed “the Pennsylvania legislature in crafting this language clearly demonstrates they know how to define an emergency health exception.” There is a judicial bypass in the N.H. statute for mature teens or those in abusive situations. The proposed amendment also clarifies 24/7 access to a judge in the bypass process as well as assures confidentiality.
• 3/7/07 – House rejects Wendelboe floor amendment
• 3/7/07 – House rejects Kurk floor amendment
• 3/7/07 – House rejects Tahir motion to lay bill on table
• 3/7/07 – House votes 226-130 to adopt committee report
• 3/7/07 – House rejects Rowe motion to print debate
• 3/21/07 – House accepts McKinney motion to limit debate on reconsideration
• 3/21/07 – House rejects 141-217 Gionet motion to reconsider
• 4/18/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee (LOB 305)
• 5/29/07 – Hearing 1:30 PM LOB 305-307
• 5/31/07 – Committee votes 3-2 OTP
• 6/7/07 – Senate rejects 9-15 Roberge floor amendment
• 6/7/07 – Senate votes 15-9 to adopt committee report
• 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House
• 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate
• 6/29/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB519 - requiring children 12 years of age or under to wear personal flotation devices.

Analysis: This bill extends the age where children are required to wear a personal flotation device from 5 to 12 years of age.

• 1/4/07 – House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/16/07 – Hearing 11:30 AM LOB 104
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 13-6 OTP/AM
• Rep. Mary E Walz for the Majority of Children and Family Law: This bill raises from five to twelve the age when children are required to wear personal flotation devices, also known as life jackets, any time they are outside an enclosed cabin on a moving boat or other vessel. Boats with a three foot high enclosed side rail are exempted. This bill passed the House last year.
• Rep. Edward P Moran for the Minority of Children and Family Law: New Hampshire Marine Patrol Statistics over the past eight years showed no children ages 12 and under drowned in boating related incidents (the object of this bill). Those 12 and under who did drown did so while swimming or as a result of falling off a dock or an embankment (not included in the bill). Some drowned with flotation devices on. Further evidence indicated that 2 of the 3 major categories of flotation devices would not prevent unconscious people from having their heads submerged, and that the most supportive was also the most constricting and expensive. The minority felt the statistics spoke eloquently about the level of responsibility shown by adult boaters for the children in their charge, and wondered if a perfect record of responsibility can’t prevent legislative intrusion, what is required to be left alone? This seems a good example of where the citizenry who elect us are managing their affairs quite well, but the legislature, in its paternalistic wisdom feels compelled to coerce.
• 3/27/07 – House votes 301-39 to adopt committee amendment
• 3/27/07 – House votes 204-235 to adopt committee report
• 4/18/07 – Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee (SH 103)
• 5/16/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 5/24/07 – Committee votes 6-0 OTP
• 5/31/07 – Senate votes to adopt committee report
• 6/7/07 – Bill enrolled by House and Senate
• 6/18/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB152 - relative to public access to meeting minutes.

Analysis: This bill requires minutes of meetings under the right-to-know law to be available for public inspection 5 business days after the public meeting. Current law requires such minutes to be available within 144 hours of the public meeting.

· 1/4/07 – House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)

· 1/30/07 – Hearing 10:30 AM

· 2/13/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:45 PM

· 3/12/07 – Committee votes 16-0 OTP/AM

o Rep. Maureen C Mooney for Judiciary: This bill will specifically clarify the amount of time in which the minutes of public meetings are due for public inspection. The bill modifies the deadline to “not more that 5 business days” after a meeting, and explicitly defines a business day. The decision for 5 business days was the result of much discussion. However, the committee concluded that finalized minutes after 5 business days will ensure they are ready for the next meeting of the public body.

· 3/21/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report

· 3/29/07 - Senate Public and Municipal Affairs Commiteee (LOB 101)

· 4/24/07 – Hearing 8:40 AM

· 4/26/07 – Committee votes 5-0 OTP

· 5/3/07 – Senate adopts committee report

· 5/16/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 5/17/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 6/1/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB249 - relative to preliminary objections to rules made by the joint legislative committee on administrative rules, and relative to extending the study committee on the rules process.

Analysis: This bill clarifies the procedure for the joint legislative committee on administrative rules to make a preliminary objection and send the proposed rule to the standing policy committees for review. This bill also extends the study committee on the rules process established in 2006, 145:10.

· 1/4/07 – House Executive Departments and Administration (LOB 306)

· 2/7/07 – Hearing 9:30 AM

· 2/16/07 – Committee votes 15-0 OPT/AM

o Rep. Ken Hawkins for Executive Departments and Administration: This bill extends the on the administrative rules process study committee until November 1, 2008. We must vote every two years to extend the study committee. We also eliminated some language that was redundant. The Joint legislative Committee on Administrative Rules may send a copy of their objection to a new rule to the appropriate policy committee.

· 3/6/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report

· 3/22/07 – Senate Executive Departments and Administration (SH 103)

· 4/19/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM

· 4/19/07 – Committee votes 3-0 OTP

· 4/26/07 – Senate adopts Burling floor amendment

· 4/16/07 – Senate adopts committee report

· 5/16/07 – House concurs with Senate amendment

· 5/31/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate and House

· 6/11/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB306 - establishing a task force on work and family.

Analysis: This bill establishes a task force on work and family.

· 1/4/07 – House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services (LOB 307)

· 2/22/07 – Hearing 1:15 07

· 3/14/07 – Committee votes 13-4 OTP/AM

o Rep. Jeffrey P Goley for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: The purpose of the task force in this bill is to identify the multiple barriers that keep New Hampshire workers from achieving economic security and maximizing their contributions to the state’s economy as well as attending to family responsibilities. The task force shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations on or before November 1, 2007.

· 3/21/07 – House adopts committee amendment and report

· 3/29/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection (LOB 102)

· 4/17/07 – Hearing 11:15 AM

· 5/17/07 – Committee votes 4-0 OTP/AM

· 5/24/07 – Senate votes to adopt committee amendment and report

· 6/7/07 – House non-Concurs with Senate amendment

· 6/18/07 – Committee of Conference meeting 10:00 AM LOB 307

· 6/21/07 – Committee report filed, House amendment filed

· 6/27/07 – Senate adopts House amendment, committee report

· 6/27/07 – House votes 190-91 to adopt amendment, committee report

· 6/27/07 – Senate and House adopt Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/27/07 – Bill enrolled by House and Senate

· 7/18/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB514-FN-L - relative to the applicable minimum wage for hourly employees.

Analysis: This bill raises the minimum wage for hourly employees.

· 1/4/07 – House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services (LOB 307)

· 2/22/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM

· 3/20/07 – Committee votes 15-2 OTP

o Rep. Sally H Kelly for Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services: The minimum wage for New Hampshire citizens has not increased in nine years and in that time, education costs healthcare costs and housing costs have all increased. A strong bi-partisan committee supports the bill vote.

· 4/4/07 – House votes 286-69 to adopt committee report

· 4/5/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection Committee (LOB 102)

· 4/10/07 – Hearing 10:15 AM

· 4/19/07 – Committee votes 6-0 OTP

· 4/26/07 – Senate rejects 6-18 Kenney floor amendment

· 4/26/07 – Senate votes 19-5 to accept committee report

· 4/26/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 5/1/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 5/3/07 – Bill signed by Governor

HB536-FN-L - relative to the regulation of martial arts schools.

Analysis: This bill establishes a separate chapter regulating martial arts schools and removes them from the chapter regulating health clubs.

· 1/4/07 – House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)

· 3/15/07 – Hearing 10:30 AM

· 3/20/07 – Committee votes 15-2 OTP

o Rep. Stephen P Spratt for Commerce: This bill takes martial arts out of the health club statute and creates its own statute. In so doing the bill retains much of the health club language while expanding the options for martial arts students.

· 3/27/07 – House adopts committee report

· 4/12/07 – Senate Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection (LOB 102)

· 5/22/07 – Hearing 10:50 AM

· 5/22/07 – Committee votes 6-0 OTP

· 5/31/07 – Senate votes to adopt committee report

· 6/7/07 – Senate adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/13/07 – House adopts Enrolled Bill amendment

· 6/13/07 – Bill enrolled by House

· 6/14/07 – Bill enrolled by Senate

· 7/3/07 – Bill signed by Governor

Bills that were retained in committee

CACR2 - the supreme court shall determine the constitutionality of judicial acts and the legislature shall determine the constitutionality of legislative acts.

Analysis: This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution defines judicial and legislative acts as they are defined in the case of Merrill v. Sherburne 1 N.H. 199 (1818), and provides that the supreme court shall have final authority on the constitutionality of judicial acts and the general court shall have final authority on the constitutionality of legislative acts.

• 1/4/07 - House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)
• 2/6/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/20/07 - Retained in committee
• 10/23/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 11/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/15/07 - Continued executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 15-5 ITL

o Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
Rep. Bette R Lasky for the Majority of Judiciary:
The majority of the committee found this proposed constitutional amendment inexpedient to legislate in the belief that such an amendment would upset the balance of power between the legislature and the judiciary. The protection of the rights of the minority and the give and take of these two branches of government, which has worked for hundreds of years, need not be changed.
Rep. Gregory M Sorg for the Minority of Judiciary:
CACR 2 would bring the Supreme Court back to constitutional legitimacy by writing into the Constitution the distinction between adjudicatory and legislative acts drawn by Justice Levi Woodbury in the 1818 Supreme Court case Merrill v. Sherburne, the first case to come before the court under the separation of powers provision, Article 37 of Part I. By so doing, it would restore the original understanding of the boundaries of the separation of powers, reflected in that case, whereby the judiciary was constituted the final authority of the constitutionality of adjudicatory acts and the legislature was constituted the final authority on the constitutionality of legislative acts. It has only been in recent times, since its 1983 decision in State v. LaFrance, that the court – bolstered by the recent insertion of Article 72-a into the Constitution, which removed the only effective check upon its ambitions - has laid claim to final, unreviewable authority, binding on the legislature, to refuse to enforce on constitutional grounds acts of a purely legislative character. By reason that the court has an inherent institutional bias in favor of resolution of separation of powers issues that enhance judicial power at the expense of legislative, this sweeping, anti-historical assertion of authority has resulted in judicial intrusions into the legislature’s exclusively granted constitutional authority to establish state policy to such an extent that the court acts today as a virtual third chamber of the legislature, with veto power over the other two, exercisable by whichever three persons happen to comprise a majority of the court at any given time. One can only hope that the legislative branch will eventually tire of having its hard fought-for policy choices repeatedly subordinated to those illegitimately imposed by the judicial, and take action to restore the separation of powers and checks and balances between them.

• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

CACR6 - Providing that: the state may meet its funding obligations under Article 83 by providing aid only to those communities that, in the reasonable judgment of the general court, are in need of such aid.

Analysis: This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution provides that the state may meet its funding obligations under Article 83 by providing aid only to those communities that, in the reasonable judgment of the legislature, are in need of such aid.

• 1/4/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 2/6/07 - Hearing 11:00 AM
• 2/7/07 - Division II Work Session 11:30 AM
• 2/16/07 - Executive Session 1:00 PM
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/11/07 - Division II work session 11:00 AM
• 10/30/07 - Division II work session 10:00 AM
• 11/9/07 – Committee votes 14-9 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Marjorie K Smith for Finance:
  Since this CACR was introduced, certain components of the proposed amendment have been enacted into law and the committee concluded that the remaining components did not help to resolve any outstanding issue.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

CACR14 - state aid to public schools cannot decrease unless the number of students decreases.

Analysis: This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution provides that total state aid to public education cannot decrease unless there is a decrease in the number of students attending the public school system.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Executive sesssion 9:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 6/12/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM LOB 205
• 9/25/07 - Subcommittee work session 11:15 AM
• 11/8/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 11-3 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. J. Timothy Dunn for Education:
  This amendment would do two things: first, it would require the state to pay state aid for education at the current level unless the student population decreased, and second, it would allow targeting. Because of the current status of education funding, and because discussion of education funding CACRs was “indefinitely postponed,” the committee voted to ITL.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, roll call vote

HB79 - relative to the safety of school bus stops

Analysis: This bill requires a superintendent, upon the request of a parent, to review the safety of a school bus stop location

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/23/07 - Hearing, 2:00 PM
• 2/6/07 - Executive session 2:30 PM
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/18/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 11/8/07 - Committee executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 12-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Barbara E Shaw for Education:
  The committee is in agreement with the ITL recommendation of its subcommittee. School bus issues arise locally, and policies and procedures exist within the local districts to deal with safety issues as needed. An appeal process is already in place. State agency resources are available when needed
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB145 - establishing an education funding study committee.

This bill establishes an education funding study committee.

• 1/4/07 - House Ways and Means Committee (LOB 202)
• 2/1/07 - Hearing 1:30 PM
• 2/16/07 - Executive Session 2:30 PM
• 2/16/07 - Retained in committee
• 5/17/07 - Committee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/12/07 - Subcommittee work session 2:00 PM
• 6/26/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 6/26/07 - Property tax subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/26/07 - Income tax subcommittee work session 11:00 AM
• 6/26/07 - Casino tax subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 6/28/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 6/28/07 - Full committee work session 1:00 PM
• 8/14/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 8/14/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 8/14/07 - Income tax subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 8/14/07 - Casino tax subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 8/21/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/4/07 - Sales tax subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 9/4/07 - Full committee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/11/07 - Casino and video gambling subcommittee work session
• 9/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/20/07 - Gambling subcommittee work session 9?30 AM
• 10/8/07 - Casino and gambling subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 10/16/07 - Casino and gambling subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 10/23/07 - Casino and gambling subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 10/30/07 - Casino and gambling subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 11/13/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/16/07 – Committee votes 16-2 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Michael G Marsh for Ways and Means:
  This bill seeks to establish an education funding study committee, to consider a number of possible revenue sources to fund public education. Among the sources to be studied are an income tax, several variations of a sales tax, and a tax on legalized gambling. The committee was asked to consider the amount of revenue that could be raised, the economic consequences of each revenue source on the state, and the constitutionality of each tax. In its work on this retained bill, the committee believes it has arrived at a sufficiently good understanding of each possible tax so that a study committee to gain further knowledge is no longer necessary. Accordingly, it recommends that HB 145 be found Inexpedient to Legislate.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB181 - establishing a tuition voucher program for New Hampshire national guard members and making an appropriation therefor.

Analysis: This bill establishes a tuition voucher program for New Hampshire national guard members to attend degree or certificate programs at state postsecondary institutions. The bill makes an appropriation for purposes of this program. This bill was requested by the committee to study state programs for national guard members established by 2006, 66 (SB 344).

• 1/4/07 - House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee (LOB 303)
• 2/1/07 - Hearing 10:30 AM
• 2/8/07 - Executive session 11:00 AM
• 2/8/07 - Committee votes 14-0 OTP/AM ( see report )
• 2/21/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 2/21/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 3/16/07 - Division II work session 1:30 PM
• 3/19/07 - Division II work session 9:32 AM
• 3/22/07 - Executive session 9:32 AM
• 4/5/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/18/07 - Division II work session 10:00 AM
• 9/25/07 - Division II work session 11:00 AM
• 10/30/07 - Division II executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/13/07 – Committee votes 15-1 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Robert A Foose for Finance:
  The committee received a recommendation from the Deputy Adjutant General that consideration of this bill be deferred until the next biennium because of a delay in developing an appropriate support structure. The delay was caused in part because of the General's staff's service in Afghanistan.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB211 - requiring that first-time driver's license applicants be informed of and examined on laws relating to blind pedestrians.

Analysis: This bill requires that first-time driver's license applicants be informed of and examined on laws relating to blind pedestrians.

• 1/4/07 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 11:00 AM
• 2/13/07 - Executive session 1:00 PM
• 3/20/07 - Retained in committee
• 4/24/07 - Full committee work session 1:00 PM
• 5/15/07 - Subcommittee work session 11:00 AM
• 10/23/07 - Exective session 10:00 AM
• 11/5/07 – Committee votes 13-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Sherman A Packard for Transportation: The bill as amended requires the Department of Safety to inform the applicant for a new or renewal driver’s license of the safety issues surrounding blind pedestrians. The committee felt that it is important that the driving public be continually aware of the problems with handicapped people.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB330 - establishing a task force to study the feasibility of supplying laptop computers to all 7th grade children in the state.

Analysis: This bill establishes a task force to study the feasibility of supplying laptop computers to all 7th grade children in the state.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Retained in committee
• 6/25/07 - Subcommittee work session 2:00 PM
• 10/10/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:30 AM
• 11/8/07 - Committee executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 14-1 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education:
  The committee agrees that supplying laptop computers to certain school students warrants further study and recommends ought to pass with amendment
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB352 - relative to trust funds for public school educational enhancement

Analysis: This bill permits school districts to establish a trust fund to accept private funds to enhance public education.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 1:30 PM
• 3/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/18/07 - Subcommittee work session
• 11/8/07 - Executive session
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 16-1 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Kimberley S Casey for Education:
  This amended bill modified the law intended to allow local public school districts to establish endowment funds. It is enabling legislation. It was retained for further work by the committee, in consultation with the department of education and the attorney general’s office. The amendment reflects that work and provides for districts to establish trust funds using standard procedures and terminology.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, roll call vote

HB373 - relative to unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor.

Analysis: This bill changes the prohibition on intoxication by a minor to a prohibition on consumption of any alcoholic beverage by a minor. This bill also directs the proceeds of sales of forfeited alcoholic beverages to the municipality in which the offense was committed.

• 1/4/07 - House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee (LOB 204)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 10:30 AM
• 3/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 4/25/07 - Full committee work session 10:35 AM
• 10/11/07 - Subcommittee work session 12:00 PM
• 11/1/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/2/07 – Committee votes 15-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. John E Tholl for Criminal Justice and Public Safety:
  This bill, as amended, provides that anyone under the age of 21 who has in his or her possession or has consumed an alcoholic beverage shall be guilty of a violation. It further allows the court to impose a fine, or in lieu of any portion or all of the fine, impose community service. It also permits the court to order treatment and services. The committee is well aware of the tragic consequences of underage consumption of alcoholic beverages on our youth and society in general. The committee was unanimous in approving this legislation with the amendment to prevent the tragedies that result from underage drinking, the loss of life, the injuries, and the criminal acts that but for the consumption of alcoholic beverages would not have occurred as well as the damage done to youthful maturing bodies and brains of our youth.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB432 - relative to age requirements for cocktail lounges

Analysis: This bill raises the minimum age at which a person may be in a cocktail lounge without a parent, legal guardian, or adult spouse from 18 to 21.

• 1/4/07 - House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)
• 2/16/07 - Hearing 1:45 PM
• 3/14/07 - Subcommittee work session
• 3/15/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/18/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/2/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/9/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/25/07 - Hearing on amendment 10:30 AM
• 10/25/07 - Subcommittee work session 11:00 AM
• 10/30/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 - Executive session continued 10:00 AM
• 11/13/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. John B Hunt for Commerce:
  As introduced, this will bill would bar anyone under the age of 21 from entering the cocktail lounge area of a restaurant. Given that many restaurants use these areas for over flow of their restaurants, this legislation would cause many families to wait for a table. The amendment replaces the entire bill and will create a new type of liquor license for establishments that do not want to serve food. Under current laws, only private clubs are exempt from the current food requirement which is that a restaurant must sell at least $75,000 worth of food a year or that their liquor sales are only 50% of their revenue. HB 432 would create a Tavern license that would be $24,000 per year and would require the owner to have liability insurance. The owners must also be at least 25 years of age and no one under the age of 21 would be allowed to enter. The bill also allows for smaller taverns of fewer than 50 seats with a license fee of $12,000. Under current law, restaurants with a cocktail license may stop serving food at 9:00 p.m. and it is difficult to restrict access to underage drinkers when they are already seated. The committee feels that now is the time to address the disparities in our law and will allow better enforcement of underage drinking. Finally under current law any city or town may request to the liquor commission to not issue these new licenses in their community.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB502-FN-A-L - allowing foster families to receive subsidies for foster children attending postsecondary educational facilities and establishing a scholarship fund for foster children.

Analysis: This bill requires the commissioner of the department of health and human services to adopt rules authorizing continuing foster care and support services to youths in state-supervised foster care when they reach majority while they are enrolled in a postsecondary educational program. This bill also establishes a foster care scholarship endowment for foster children.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/16/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM LOB 104
• 2/22/07 - Executive Session
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 6/26/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 8/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:15 PM
• 8/29/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:15 PM LOB 205
• 9/13/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/4/07 - Subcommittee work session 2:00 PM
• 10/9/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 11/1/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:30 AM
• 11/1/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/6/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/6/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Beth R Arsenault for Children and Family Law:
  This bill extends medicaid coverage to students through age 20 who are attending post secondary schools and who were in foster care on their 18th birthday. The bill also establishes a study committee to examine other state programs that extend support services to former foster children such as extending health care benefits to age 21 for those who are attending collegereport not yet available on-line
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB537-FN-L - establishing a task force on homeless teenagers.

Analysis: This bill establishes a task force to study the issue of homeless teenagers.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 2:45 PM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 11:00 AM
• 3/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 6/28/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 8/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 8/28/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/11/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/27/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 10/18/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 10/24/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 PM
• 11/1/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/6/07 - Executive session continued 10:00 AM
• 11/6/07 – Committee votes 17-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Barbara Hull Richardson for Children and Family Law:
  This bill enables legislators and representatives of various agencies involved with homeless teenagers to solicit information and testimony from youth and young adults who are or have been homeless. Task force members will study the educational, social and financial needs of teenagers leaving the foster care system and special education system and identify the type and adequacy of available transition services and make recommendations for proposed legislation.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

HB578-FN - providing a definition of an adequate education and establishing an adequacy board.

Analysis: This bill outlines the components of an adequate education and provides for funding based on average teacher salaries and established teacher-pupil ratios. This bill also establishes an adequacy board to collect teacher salary information to determine adequate education funding.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/6/07 - Hearing 11:15 AM
• 3/22/07 - Executive session 9:00 AM
• 3/23/07 - Retained in committee
• 11/8/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education:
  The committee voted to recommend inexpedient to legislate on all of the adequacy bills except HB 927, which will incorporate all adequacy concerns and issues. The committee did look at, and consider, all of the bills but felt it would be easier to operate under one bill, rather than seven. All of the adequacy bills, however, have been considered by the definition and costing committees and will continue to be discussed as the state legislature works toward defining and funding an adequate education.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

HB584-FN - raising the age of minority for juvenile delinquency proceedings from 17 to 18 years of age.

Analysis: This bill changes the age of minority for the purpose of juvenile delinquency proceedings from 17 to 18.

• 1/4/07 - House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee
• 2/15/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 3/6/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 11:00 AM
• 3/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 5/3/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 5/15/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:15 PM
• 5/24/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 6/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 8/28/07 - Subcommitee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/19/07 - Subcommitee work session 1:00 PM
• 9/25/07 - Subcommitee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/17/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/6/07 – Committee votes 18-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Mary E Walz for Children and Family Law:
  Except for major crimes, this bill will allow 17 year old children charged with a crime to be treated as juveniles; they will be treated the same as children under the age of 17. They will have their cases heard in juvenile courts and be incarcerated at YDC. If they are charged with a major crime, they will, as all juveniles, continue to be eligible to be certified as an adult and have their cases heard in the adult court system. In anticipation of this law, the state built enough capacity into the new YDC facilities to accommodate 17 year olds. In passing this law, New Hampshire will join the majority of states in treating 17 year olds as juveniles. Under current law, 17 year old children find themselves in a legal limbo. They cannot drop out of school. They cannot enter into a contract and thus cannot rent an apartment. There are limitations on when and where they can work. The committee also heard extensive testimony about the immaturity of 17 year olds brains and how that impacts their ability to make judgments. The services these children need are available through the juvenile system. Furthermore, studies show that incarcerating these children in the juvenile system lowers the recidivism rate.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB656-FN - relative to the issuance of identification cards to individuals who lack the ability to obtain a nondriver's picture identification card.

Analysis: This bill establishes special identification cards for individuals who lack the ability to obtain a nondriver's picture identification card.

• 1/31/07 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 3/14/07 - Hearing 9:15 AM
• 3/15/07 - Executive session 9:02 AM
• 3/15/07 - Retained in committee
• 4/24/07 - Full committee work session 1:00 PM
• 5/15/07 - Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/23/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/5/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Peter F Bergin for Transportation:
  The committee voted ITL as the content of this bill was folded into HB 901. Please see the report on HB 190
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB677-FN – relative to special education procedural safeguards and the dispute resolution process.

Analysis: This bill revises portions of the dispute resolution and due process hearing process in special education cases.

• 1/31/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/5/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 3/13/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/9/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 9/18/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/22/07 – Subcommittee work session 12:00 PM
• 10/30/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 – Committee votes 15-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Nancy F Stiles for Education:
  This bill was one of the Special Education bills retained last session. The proposed changes in that bill have been addressed in HB 766.
• 1/2/08 – Scheduled for House vote, consent calendar

HB678 - revising the special education program approval and monitoring process.

Analysis: This bill revises the special education program approval and monitoring process.

• 1/31/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/5/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 3/13/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/9/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 5/1/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 5/9/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/5/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 6/26/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 9/10/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 9/18/07 – Subcommittee work session 2:00 PM LOB 203
• 10/29/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:30 AM
• 10/30/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 – Committee votes 13-2 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Claire D Clarke for Education:
  The amendment replacing the bill creates a study committee on financial responsibility for “mapping” and maintaining cochlear implants for school children. A cochlear implant is an “in body” device that is surgically implanted under general anesthesia and takes one to four weeks (sometimes longer for children) to heal. Since it is a relatively new technology for the hearing impaired, there is question whether it is a medical or educational obligation since insurance companies presently cover it. A study committee should be formed to clarify the specifics pertaining thereto.
• 1/2/08 – Scheduled for House vote

HB679-FN-L - relative to delivery of special education services.

Analysis: This bill revises the procedures for delivery of special education services by school districts and other agencies.

• 1/31/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/5/07 – Hearing 2:00 PM
• 3/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 3/13/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/9/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 5/2/07 – Subcommittee work session 3:00 PM
• 6/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 10/30/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/13/07 – Committee votes 13-2 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 3 – December 20, 2007
  Rep. Nancy F Stiles for the Majority of Education:
  This bill is the result of two years of work by more than fifty people. All vested interests have been represented in support of re-writing NH’s Special Education statutes to bring them into compliance with federal law. This bill, in compliance with IDEA 2004, provides opportunities for students with disabilities to excel to their greatest potential in the least restrictive environment. The five bills retained last year (HB 677, 678, 679, 765 and 766) were organized according to services provided. After subcommittees reported at the end of October, the bills were consolidated into two bills: HB 766 updates special education statute (RSA 186-C) and HB 679 concerns other statutes affected by special education (RSA 169, 193, and 194). For clarity and simplicity, the bills now follow the order of current statutes. HB 679 is the second bill to come from the two year study of the Special Education statutes and addresses the RSAs that affect situations for students with disabilities in need of special education that are not included in the RSA 186-Cs. In our effort to re-write New Hampshire’s Special Education statutes we addressed all the affected RSAs to make sure there was no conflict within our own statutes. Our overall effort in the re-write, in addition to meeting the federal law, was to make the statutes clear and well organized so that money spent by the local districts could be spent on services to students rather than on litigation. Because the language in RSA 169 deals with extenuating circumstances of children (CHINS and delinquency,) we sought legal expertise from representatives of advocates for children with disabilities and advocates for school administrators. The various legal experts worked together to develop the appropriate language to meet the educational needs of these students with extenuating circumstances. As it came forward to committee there was a question to insure privacy rights so we sought the legal knowledge of a committee member to clarify the language. During the executive session questions arose about the use of the words “believes” and “suspects”. In referencing federal law and regulations, we find that “believes” is used three times in the IDEA statute and five times in the regulations. “Suspects” is used twice in IDEA statute and seven times in the regulations. In NH’s current RSAs, “suspects” is used one hundred fifty times and “believes” more than five hundred times. You will find the words “believes” and “suspects” in current NH education law.
  Rep. David W. Hess for the Minority of Education:
  This bill has defects which should have been corrected in committee, but weren’t. This bill also suffered from a breakdown in process. First, the bill triggers notification to a school district if “the arresting or prosecuting agency, or juvenile probation or parole officer suspects that a [juvenile delinquent] has a disability,” and requires a court to order a juvenile in delinquent or CHINS proceedings to consult with counsel if it “believes” the juvenile has a disability. These words are undefined and have no settled meaning in the law. Moreover, nothing should be initiated on mere suspicion, particularly if the suspicion is held by individuals who have no particular knowledge or experience with the condition they are empowered to report. Second, this bill deletes the descriptive limiting adjective “educationally” wherever it modified the word “disabled.” Using the term “educationally” reminds the reader that a disability does not warrant the actions required by the statute unless it is an educational disability. The references to RSA 186-C do not, in the opinion of the minority, cure this deficiency, and there are substantial reasons for continuing the use of unique New Hampshire terms in our statutes rather than mimicking federal laws and regulations. Finally, over half the statutory provisions amended, or otherwise addressed, in this bill are properly within the jurisdiction of the other House committees. Those are the provisions dealing with delinquency (RSA Chapter 169-B), neglect and abuse (RSA Chapter 169-C) and CHINS (RSA Chapter 169-D). At the very least, this bill, if passed by the House, should be referred to the committees primarily responsible for those statutes as second committees.
• 1/2/08 – Scheduled for House vote

HB752-FN - relative to per pupil funding for charter school pupils.

Analysis: This bill specifies that, for each pupil, a charter school shall receive the greater of the inflation-adjusted tuition rate or the per pupil amount received for a public school pupil by the school district in the municipality in which the charter school pupil resides.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 2:30 PM
• 2/22/07 - Executive Session 9:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Committee votes 12-1 OTP/AM
• Rep. Claire D Clarke for Education:
  Charter schools have had a considerable amount of problems since their inception. This bill increases the funding for charter schools as they have been receiving only one third of what the average district spends per pupil. This bill raises the charter school per pupil aid for FY2008 (next year) from $3,708 to $4,000. The total cost to the state in the first year is $120,000 additional funding for charter schools. As in current practice, future increases will be determined by the CPI. This bill gives a specific amount that will ensure equalized funds for charter schools. Vote 12-1.
• 3/7/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 3/7/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 3/14/07 - Div II Work Session, 3:05 PM
• 3/19/07 - Div II Work Session, 9:37 AM
• 4/2/07 - Executive Session, 11:07 AM
• 4/2/07 - Committee votes to retain the bill
• 10/30/07 - Division II Work Session 9:45 AM
• 10/30/07 - Division II Executive Session 10:00 AM
• 11/9/07 – Committee votes ITL 17-6
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Daniel A Eaton for Finance: While well intended, this bill would establish an arbitrary funding figure for students attending public charter schools that would increase expenditures in excess of two million dollars. The committee felt that while there are currently two commissions operating, one studying charter schools overall and the other costing education for all public education, HB 752 would be premature at this time.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, roll call

HB765-FN - relative to procedures for determination of special education costs, payment liability, and rate setting.

Analysis: This bill makes various changes to the procedures for determining special education costs, rate setting, and payment liability.

• 1/31/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/14/07 – Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/15/07 – Subcommittee work session 8:30 AM
• 3/16/07 – Subcommittee work session 12:00 PM
• 3/20/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/9/07 – Full committee work session 10:03 AM
• 5/8/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 6/5/07 – Subcommittee work session 3:00 PM
• 6/19/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 10/10/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:30 AM
• 10/17/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/23/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 10/30/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/8/07 – Committee votes 17-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education:
  The issues of student residency and financial liability proved too complex to solve within the context of the special education bills, and the committee recommends a separate study committee to address this issue.
• 1/2/08 – Scheduled for House vote, consent calendar

HB766-FN - making changes to the laws relating to special education.

Analysis: This bill makes numerous changes in the statutes relating to RSA 186-C on special education.

• 1/31/07 – House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/8/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/15/07 – Subcommittee work session
• 3/20/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/9/07 – Full committee work session 10:04
• 5/2/07 – Subcommittee work session 3:00 PM
• 6/12/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:30 PM
• 9/18/07 – Subcommittee work session 1:00 PM
• 10/11/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:30 PM
• 10/30/07 – Full committee work session10:00 AM
• 11/1/07 – Full committee work session 10:00 AM
• 11/13/07 – Committee votes 12-3 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 3 – December 20, 2007
  Rep. Nancy F Stiles for the Majority of Education:
  This bill is the result of two years of work by more than fifty people. All vested interests have been represented in support of re-writing NH’s Special Education statutes to bring them into compliance with federal law. This bill, in compliance with IDEA 2004, provides opportunities for students with disabilities to excel to their greatest potential in the least restrictive environment. The five bills retained last year (HB 677, 678, 679, 765 and 766) were organized according to services provided. After subcommittees reported at the end of October, the bills were consolidated into two bills: HB 766 updates special education statute (RSA 186-C) and HB 679 concerns other statutes affected by special education (RSA 169, 193, and 194). For clarity and simplicity, the bills now follow the order of current statutes. This was a comprehensive study on the complex issues of special education to bring NH law into compliance with IDEA 2004. Within the House Committee there were questions about changing the language “educationally disabled child” to “child with a disability”. This bill uses the language of the federal statute, “child with a disability” (clearly defined in RSA 186-C:2, I) “who because of such impairment, needs special education or special education and related services” and carries this reference through all the special education statutes. This language mirrors the federal language with the exception that “acquired brain injury” was added because physicians tell us there are times when children, due to a fall or other circumstances, have sustained a brain injury that requires special education or related services. The bills retained last session had four major areas of disagreement: short-term objectives and benchmarks, expert witness fees, mapping of cochlear implants, and program approval and monitoring. 1) The short-term objectives and benchmarks were required for all special education students until this past August and are still required for children who take alternate assessments. Parents tell us benchmarks are helpful to support the educational process at home. To empower the local IEP team, this bill uses the short-term objectives and benchmarks as a fall back position unless the IEP team and in particular the parent determines they are not necessary. 2) Expert witness fees provide a level playing field for parents when they are in court with a due process hearing. A judge can determine if the expert witness was necessary for the parent to prevail and can award all, some, or none of those costs. This bill as amended provides the caveat that only when the court determines the school district has not acted in good faith can an award be considered. 3) Mapping of cochlear implants is done by an audiologist to make adjustments to an external processor so a child can hear, and allows the student to remain within the school district rather than possibly be placed out of district. Mapping is currently allowed through insurance policies and through Medicaid but the subcommittee felt it needed further study and has proposed a study committee through one of the other retained special education bills (HB 678). 4) The bill lays out the steps for program approval and monitoring by the Department of Education and consequences for non-compliance. In addition to bringing NH into compliance with IDEA 2004, the bill includes added opportunities for parent involvement in their child’s education, no expanded programming for the local district, incentives for local school districts at their own choosing to establish the capacity to offer programming in district which has the potential to save tax payer money from out-of –district placement, and strengthens accountability through the department of education.
  Rep. David W. Hess for the Minority of Education:
  House Bill 766, as it comes to the House, is a massive, omnibus, 26-page revision of our special education laws which was compiled from four separate bills several days before the Education Committee voted on it. Prior to that, these bills were separately heard in public hearings, separately worked on in individual subcommittees, and separately considered by the full Education Committee in work sessions. While these bills were generally presented as vehicles to merely make technical changes and update our statutory language to mirror federal special education laws and regulations, in many instances this bill imposes requirements and obligations which exceed federal law, and introduces ambiguous, unclear, undefined terms, all at unknown additional cost to our local school districts. For example, the statute replaces the phrases, “educationally disabled” and “educationally related services” with the generic phrases, “child with a disability” and “related services,” and deletes the qualifying adjective “educational” at various other places. The ambiguity generated by such deletions invites future litigation and substantially risks expanding the scope of services our local school districts must provide and/or pay for. The bill empowers the Department of Education to enter into an Interagency Agreement with the Department of Health & Human Services for special education without expressly indicating whether they are administrative rules subject to RSA 541:A. It refers to a right of appeal from certain department decisions but fails to establish an appeal process. It newly empowers the Commissioner of Education unilaterally to issue orders including “compensatory education,” but does not define that term. The bill exceeds federal law by requiring that all individual education programs (IEP) include short-term objectives and landmarks, and by requiring local school districts to provide extended school time beyond the standard school day and school year whenever a child’s IEP team decides it is necessary while repealing the standards and criteria to be used in making that decision, which exist in current law. It also appears to exceed federal law in the proposed definition of a “Child with a Disability.” This bill refers to “an emotional disturbance” while the federal IDEA refers to “serious emotional disturbance.” Similarly the proposed definition in the bill includes “acquired brain injury” while no such provision exists in federal law. These are merely a few examples of the ambiguities and provisions which expand beyond federal law and regulations created and imposed by this bill—again, at unknown additional expense to our local school districts, and ultimately our local taxpayers.

• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

HB778-FN-A-L - relative to a preeminent scholastic educational foundation.

Analysis: This bill defines preeminent scholastic educational foundation. This bill also repeals the statewide enhanced education tax and the distribution of adequation education grants.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 2/22/07 - Executive session 9:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 11/8/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education:
  The committee voted to recommend ITL on all of the adequacy bills except HB 927, which will incorporate all adequacy concerns and issues. The committee did look at, and consider, all of the bills but felt it would be easier to operate under one bill, rather than seven. All of the adequacy bills, however, have been considered by the definition and costing committees and will continue to be discussed as the state legislature works toward defining and funding an adequate education.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

HB789-FN-A-L - providing supplemental education grants for certain school districts.

Analysis: This bill provides supplemental education grants to eligible school districts and makes an appropriation to the supplemental education grant fund.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Executive session 9:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Retained in committee
• 11/8/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education: The committee voted to recommend ITL on all of the adequacy bills except HB 927, which will incorporate all adequacy concerns and issues. The committee did look at, and consider, all of the bills but felt it would be easier to operate under one bill, rather than seven. All of the adequacy bills, however, have been considered by the definition and costing committees and will continue to be discussed as the state legislature works toward defining and funding an adequate education.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled

HB861-FN - allowing certain members of the United States armed forces and their dependents to attend public postsecondary institutions at the in-state resident tuition rate.

Analysis: This bill allows active duty members and dependents of active duty members of the United States armed forces who are stationed in New Hampshire or living in New Hampshire with duty stations in contiguous states to attend public postsecondary institutions at the in-state resident tuition rate.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/16/07 - Hearing 11:30 AM
• 2/22/07 - Executive session 9:00 AM
• 2/22/07 - Committee votes 7-4 OTP/AM ( see report )
• 3/6/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 3/6/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 3/14/07 - Division II work session 3:06 PM
• 3/19/07 - Division II work session 9:38 AM
• 3/22/07 - Executive session 9:51 AM
• 4/5/07 - Retained in committee
• 9/18/07 - Division II Work session 10:00 AM
• 9/25/07 - Division II work session 11:00 AM
• 10/30/07 - Division II executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/13/07 – Committee votes 19-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Robert A Foose for Finance:
  The committee received assurances from both the university system and the community college system that the two institutions would take prompt action to handle this request administratively. Prior to the final vote of the full committee, both systems completed the necessary policy changes to accomplish the intent of the bill.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB887-FN - allowing certain members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free at public postsecondary institutions.

Analysis: This bill allows members of the United States armed forces, including the reserve component, and veterans who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, to take courses tuition free at public postsecondary institutions.

• 1/31/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 1:45 PM
• 3/9/07 - Division II work session 2:30 PM LOB 212
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 9:30 AM
• 9/18/07 - Division II work session 10:00 AM
• 9/25/07 - Division II work session 11:00 AM
• 10/20/07 - Division II executive session 10:00 AM
• 10/30/07 - Committee votes 22-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Kenneth H Gould for Finance:
  The committee heard several bills dealing with tuition assistance for military and their dependents. There is a need to do more research on people helped and people who fall through the cracks. The problem has been partially solved by the University of New Hampshire through its own change in policy. Other remedies will be forthcoming in the next session if necessary
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB888-FN-A - relative to instructional and operational costs of providing an adequate education.

Analysis: This bill provides that the state shall fund certain educational costs related to instruction including classroom teachers, classroom textbooks and materials, professional development, building aid, technical resources, and the state's share of special education costs.

• 1/31/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 2:00 PM
• 2/22/07 - Executive session 9:00 AM
• 2/2207 - Retained in committee
• 11/8/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 11/19/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Scott A Merrick for Education:
  The committee voted to recommend ITL on all of the adequacy bills except HB 927, which will incorporate all adequacy concerns and issues. The committee did look at, and consider, all of the bills but felt it would be easier to operate under one bill, rather than seven. All of the adequacy bills, however, have been considered by the definition and costing committees and will continue to be discussed as the state legislature works toward defining and funding an adequate education.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

HB901 - relative to requirements for non-driver identification cards.

Analysis: This bill specifies materials that the department of safety shall accept in order to issue a non-driver identification card.

• 1/31/07 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 3/20/07 - Hearing 3:00 PM
• 3/21/07 – Retained in committee
• 4/24/07 – Full committee work session 1:00 PM
• 5/15/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/5/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 6/26/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 9/20/07 – Subcommittee work session 10:00 AM
• 10/23/07 – Committee votes 13-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 2 – December 13, 2007
  Rep. Peter F Bergin for Transportation:
  There were several bills addressing non-drivers identification. Several were consolidated into HB 901. The bill as amended will make it possible for person without a physical home to get a non-drivers identification card. It establishes several criteria for the Department of Safety to verify this. These are people who are homeless, state prison inmates who are released and need an identification card to start a new life. Also, foster children, abused and neglected children, delinquent children who reach maturity and are in need of identification.
• 1/2/08 – House vote scheduled, consent calendar

Bills that were laid on the table

HB504-FN - relative to registration requirements for certain criminal offenders under age 21.

Analysis: Please see bill for complete description.

• 1/4/07 - House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee (LOB 204)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/15/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 10:30 AM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 18-0 OTP/AM ( see report )
• 3/27/07 - House votes OTP/AM on voice vote
• 4/12/07 - Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/1/07 - Hearing 3:20 PM
• 5/17/07 - Committee votes 4-1 OTP/AM
• 5/24/07 - Senate votes 0-24 to reject committee report
• 5/24/07 - Senate votes to lay bill on table on a voice vote

Bills that were re-referred

HB304 - relative to the criteria under which guardianship over a minor is granted.

Analysis: This bill provides that the court shall not grant guardianship that results in a change of legal residence for purposes of school attendance unless the court finds that the parents are unfit to care for the child.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 2:15 PM
• 3/20/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:30 AM
• 3/22/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:30 AM
• 3/22/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/22/07 - Committee votes 17-0 OTP/AM ( see report )
• 3/27/07 - House votes OTP/AM
• 4/12/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 5/8/07 - Hearing 8:30 AM
• 5/29/07 - Committee votes 5-0 to re-refer to committee
• 5/31/07 - Senate votes to re-refer on a voice vote

HB463 - relative to the awarding parental rights and responsibilities to a stepparent or grandparent.

Analysis: This bill removes the reference to awarding parental rights and responsibilities to a stepparent or grandparent in a proceeding under RSA 461-A.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 1:15 PM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 11:00 AM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 16-0 OTP ( see report )
• 3/27/07 - House votes OTP on a voice vote
• 4/12/07 - Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/22/07 - Hearing 2:00 PM
• 5/29/07 - Committee votes 5-0 to re-refer
• 5/31/07 - Senate votes to re-refer on an voice vote

Bills that did not pass the legislature

HB60 - relative to the definition of an adequate education.

Analysis: This bill revises the criteria for an adequate public education and replaces the word "equitable" with "adequate" in reference to education.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/23/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 12-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23, March 23, 2007
  Rep. Barbara E Shaw for Education:
  The committee deemed that this bill had good criteria to include, but was not specific enough to meet the court's specifications for a definition of an adequate education.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB68 - relative to the terminology used to describe public education.

Analysis: This bill replaces references to "equitable education" with "adequate education."

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/6/07 – Hearing 10:15 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23, March 23, 2007
  Rep. Judith E Day for Education: This bill replaced the references to “equitable education” with “adequate education” in the relevant statutes. The same word replacements have been incorporated into other adequacy bills. Therefore, the committee felt that this bill did not need to be retained.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB78 – relative to health insurance coverage for certain unmarried children.

Analysis: This bill extends insurance coverage to certain unmarried children 24 years of age or younger.

• 1/4/07 – House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)
• 3/15/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/19/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 17-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23, March 23, 2007
  Rep. Jill Shaffer Hammond for Commerce:
  The purpose of this bill, to extend insurance coverage to unmarried children 24 years of age and younger, has been rolled into HB 790
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB82 - relative to communications outside meetings under the right-to-know law.

Analysis: This bill clarifies communications outside a meeting for the purposes of RSA 91-A.

• 1/4/07 - House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)
• 1/17/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 2/13/07 - Subcommittee Work Session 1:00 PM
• 3/6/07 – Subcommittee Work Session 11:00 AM
• 3/14/07 – Subcommittee Work Session 4:00 PM
• 3/20/07 – Subcommittee Work Session 9:00 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 16-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Maureen C Mooney for Judiciary:
  This bill relates to inserting a separate section within the Right to Know Law relative to communications outside of meetings. This is a very important issue with regard to a quorum of members of a public body communicating on matters of public concern. The committee modified the language of HB 82 and incorporated it into the adopted amendment to HB 377.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB95-L - including charter school pupils in the average daily membership in residence in the pupil's district of residence.

Analysis: This bill requires that pupils electing to attend an approved charter school shall be included in the average daily membership in residence of the district in which they legally reside. This bill is a request of the department of education.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/23/07 - Hearing, 1:30:00 PM
• 3/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Committee votes 16-6 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 21, March 16, 2007
  Rep. Kimberley S Casey for Education:
  This bill, requested by the Department of Education, keeps charter school pupils in each district’s ADMR (average daily membership in residence) for data analysis purposes. The amendment clarifies that charter pupils are not counted in ADMR for funding in districts where the state pays the charter schools directly.
• 3/21/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 3/22/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/10/07 - Hearing 8:30 AM
• 5/29/07 - Committee votes 5-0 OTP
• 5/31/07 - Senate votes 24-0 to amend bill on floor
• 5/31/07 - Senate votes OTP/AM on an voice vote
• 6/13/07 - House non concurs with Senate amendment
• 6/13/07 - House requests committee of conference
• 6/14/07 - Senate accedes to House request for committee of conference
• 6/19/07 - Committee of conference 1:30 PM LOB 207
• 6/21/07 - Committee of conference 10:00 AM LOB 207
• 6/21/07 - Committee of conference unable to reach agreement
• 6/27/07 - Senate adopts committee of conference report on a voice vote
• 6/27/07 – House adopts committee of conference report on a voice vote

HB114 - relative to the statement of purpose in the statewide education improvement and assessment program.

Analysis: The bill amends the statement of purpose in the statewide education improvement and assessment program.

• 1/17/07 - House Education Committee
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 11:30 AM LOB 207
• 2/6/07 - Executive session 2:30 PM LOB 207
• 2/6/07 - Committee Report ITL 14-2
• Published in House Calendar No. 13 – February 9, 2007
  Rep. J. Timothy Dunn for Education:
  The committee voted to ITL this bill by a bipartisan vote of 14-2. This bill would change RSA 193-C:1 by taking the word “democracy” out of the statute to be replaced by “our constitutional republic pursuant to Article IV, Section IV of the Constitution of the United States of America.” It is the consensus of the committee that the word “democracy” should remain.
• 2/15/07 - House votes ITL on an voice vote

HB131 - revising the role of the commissioner of the department of education in the approval of home education programs.

Analysis: This bill revises the role of the commissioner of the department of education in the home education approval and review process. This bill is a request of the department of education.

• 1/17/07 - House Education Committee
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 11:00 AM LOB 207
• 2/6/07 - Executive session 2:30 PM LOB 207
• 2/20/07 - Executive session 2:00 PM LOB 207
• 3/14/07 - Committee votes 18-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 21 - March 16, 2007
  Rep. Kimberley S Casey for Education:
  To address conflicts of interest, the Department of Education asked the committee to remove the commissioner of education, who is part of the home school appeal process, from the home school approval and supervision process. While the committee supports strengthening good relationships between parents and local districts, it also believes that home school parents need another option in cases where that relationship does not exist.
• 3/21/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB147 - relative to counting kindergarten pupils in charter school attendance.

Analysis: This bill provides that for the purpose of calculating charter school funding, kindergarten pupils shall count as no more than 1/2 day attendance per calendar year.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/30/07 - Hearing, 11:15 AM
• 3/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Committee votes 17-0 OTP
• Published in House Calendar No. 21 - March 16, 2007
  Rep. Kimberley S Casey for Education:
  This bill provides that for the purpose of calculating charter school funding, kindergarten pupils shall count as no more than ½ day attendance per calendar year.
• 3/21/07 House votes OTP on a voice vote
• 3/22/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 105)
• 4/10/07 - Hearing 8:45 AM
• 5/9/07 - Committee votes 4-0 ITL
• 5/17/07 – Senate votes ITL on a voice vote

HB164 - relative to medicating pupils to enhance learning abilities.

Analysis: This bill provides that the decision to administer medication to a pupil for the purpose of enhancing such pupil's learning ability shall remain exclusively with the pupil's parents and physician.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 9:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Executive session 10:00 AM
• 3/13/07 - Committee votes 19-1 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar 21 - March 16, 2007
  Rep. Paul Ingbretson for Education:
  This bill requires school boards to create a policy prohibiting non-medical school staff from recommending psychotropic drugs for schoolchildren. The committee continues to hear reports that school staff are recommending that parents consider the use of psychotropic drugs for their children. Since such recommendations are not technically "practicing medicine" and yet may tend to put pressure on parents, the committee felt recommendations of drug use by unqualified school staff needed to be proscribed in education policy.
• 3/21/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 3/22/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 4/17/07 - Hearing 8:30 AM
• 5/17/07 - Committee votes 4-2 ITL
• 5/24/07 - Senate votes ITL on a voice vote

HB171 - clarifying the wiretapping and eavesdropping statute.

Analysis: This bill makes changes to the definitions and exceptions to the wiretapping and eavesdropping statute.

• 1/4/07 - House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee (LOB 204)
• 1/30/07 - Hearing 1:30 PM
• 2/6/07 - Subcommittee Work Session 9:00 AM
• 2/13/07 - Subcommittee Work Session 9:00 AM
• 2/20/07 – Committee votes 16-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 16 – March 1, 2007
  Rep. James H Oliver for Criminal Justice and Public Safety:
  This legislation attempted to cover any conversation obtained by audio video recording by a third party, or a home video and be admissible as evidence. After two public hearings it was determined that protecting the two party approval required by current law unless permission is obtained from the Attorney General’s office or a county attorney is the safest method to protect all New Hampshire citizens right to privacy.
• 3/6/07 – Removed from Consent Calendar (Rep Ulery)
• 3/6/07 – Vote rescheduled to 3/7/07
• 3/7/07 – Vote rescheduled to 3/21/07
• 3/21/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB238 - establishing a committee to study limited liability for school teachers.

Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study granting limited civil liability to teachers arising from their incidental service as de facto substitute parents and babysitters in the course of the school day.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 10:00 AM
• 3/14/07 - Committee votes 17 - 0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 21 - March 16, 2007
  Rep. Barbara E Shaw for Education:
  Although the sponsor’s attempt to protect teachers from unreasonable suits is appreciated, the committee believes it is better to stay with current law that prohibits frivolous law suits against teachers and allows teachers to use necessary restraints to protect themselves and children
• 3/21/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB278 - relative to notification of a parent or guardian by the medical facility treating a minor injured in an accident.

Analysis: This bill requires the medical facility treating a minor injured in an accident to notify the minor's parent or guardian.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 11:00 AM
• 3/15/07 - Hearing continued 10:00 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 17-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Barbara Hull Richardson for Children and Family Law: The committee deemed this bill unnecessary after learning that current practice already includes provisions for notifying parents or guardians when a minor is injured or requires medical assistance.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB333 - requiring driver education to include operation of manual transmission vehicles.

Analysis: This bill requires driver education to include operation of manual transmission vehicles.

• 1/4/2007 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 2/13/07 - House Transportation Committee Hearing, 9:30 AM
• 3/15/07 - Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 - March 23, 1007
  Rep. C. Pennington Brown for Transportation:
  A practical consideration is the unavailability of manual transmission vehicles. The principles of operating these vehicles are already in the curriculum. Also, there are handicapped individuals who may not be physically able to operate a manual transmission.
• 3/27/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB340 - restricting sex offenders from residing within a certain distance from schools and child-oriented organizations.

Analysis: This bill prohibits sexual offenders and offenders against children from living within 1,000 feet of any school, child care facility, playground, park, child-oriented organization, or any place where minors regularly congregate.

• 1/4/07 - House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee (LOB 204)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 11:30 AM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 15-1 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 - March 23, 2007
  Rep. John E Tholl for Criminal Justice and Public Safety:
  This bill, although well intended, may result in registered sex offenders failing to register because they are unable to find a place to live due to the restrictions. This has happened in other states where, when the restrictions were enacted, 40% of the offenders locations became unknown because they failed to register. When Springfield, MA attempted to pass such legislation, it was discovered that the entire City of Springfield, with the exception of two small blocks, was excluded and these two blocks were in an industrial area. The committee felt that it is important to know who and where the registrants reside.
• 4/5/07 - House votes 195-86 ITL

HB347 - establishing a committee to study establishing classes of property to be taxed at different rates under the statewide enhanced education tax.

Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study establishing classes of property to be taxed at different rates under the statewide enhanced education tax.

• 1/4/07 - House Ways and Means Committee (LOB 202)
• 2/8/07 - Hearing 9:30 AM
• 2/16/07 - Committee votes 16-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 16 - March 1, 2007
  Rep. Peyton B Hinkle for Ways and Means:
  If established, this committee was to consider classes of property including "primary residential," "second homes," "business and commercial," and "resident and non-resident." The committee was concerned that this could lead to business and commercial properties being taxed at a higher rate, which would be regressive to economic development. On the other hand, if residential property was taxed at a higher rate, an undue tax burden would be placed on the individual home owner. There was also a concern over establishing tax rates for mixed use properties which could lead to ambiguities in taxation.
• 3/6/07 - House votes ITL on voice vote

HB348 - relative to the payment of college or postsecondary education expenses as part of a child support agreement.

Analysis: This bill permits the court to require payment of college or postsecondary education expenses as part of a child support agreement.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 11:00 AM
• 3/6/07 – Subcommittee work session 9:15 AM LOB 208
• 3/20/07 – Subcommittee work session 11:AM
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 17-1 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23, March 23, 2007
  Rep. Edward P Moran for Children and Family Law: The committee feels that current law maintains an equitable balance between intact and divorced families as regards not having courts be able to require college contributions by parents. Divorced families generally have the additional financial burden of another household to maintain.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB381 - relative to the procedures for New Hampshire individuals taking driver education courses in Vermont.

Analysis: This bill permits certain New Hampshire individuals to satisfy the driver education requirement by completing a nonequivalent driver education course in Vermont.

• 1/4/2007 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 2/13/07 - House Transportation Committee Hearing, 10:00 AM
• 3/15/07 - Committee votes 15-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 - March 23, 1007
  Rep. Paul H Ingersoll for Transportation:
  This bill would have allowed New Hampshire residents to take driver education courses in Vermont. It was noted that Vermont motor vehicle laws are similar, but vary from New Hampshire law. It was also noted the difficulty of the New Hampshire DMV to monitor driver education courses in another state.
• 3/27/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB391 - establishing a committee to study the implementation of a circuit breaker on property tax liability.

Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study the implementation of a circuit breaker on property tax liability.

• 1/4/07 - House Municipal and County Government Committee (LOB 301)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 9:30 AM
• 2/16/07 - Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 16 - March 1, 2007
  Rep. Jessie L Osborne for Municipal and County Government:
  The committee agrees that there are problems regarding the ability of some property owners to pay taxes. However the committee fully realizes that the subject has been studied in depth and that currently there exist solutions such as reverse mortgages and special tax liens which can be arranged, after demonstration to local officials that hardships exist. Unfortunately this circuit breaker concept would shift the burden to an increasingly smaller and smaller number of taxpayers and create a domino effect regarding the ability to absorb more increases in taxes.
• 3/21/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB422 - authorizing the granting of abatements to persons whose children are enrolled in schools other than the local public schools.

Analysis: This bill authorizes the governing body of a town or city to grant abatements to persons whose children are enrolled in schools other than the local public schools.

• 1/4/2007 - House Municipal and County Government Committee (LOB 301)
• 2/16/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 2/20/07 - Executive Session 1:00 PM
• 2/20/07 - Committee votes 17-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 16 - March 1, 2007
  Rep. Jessie L Osborne for Municipal and County Government:
  The committee believes that this bill is unconstitutional and violates Part I article 6 and Part II, article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution. This bill would impose user fees for public education and possibly create a new type of tax abatement. The New Hampshire Constitution clearly forbids the funding of religious, private schools.
• 3/6/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB430 - establishing a committee to study a constitutional amendment to guarantee a right to personal privacy.

Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study a constitutional amendment to guarantee a right to personal privacy.

• 1/4/07 - House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)
• 2/7/07 - Hearing 1:30 PM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 11-5 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Anthony R DiFruscia for Judiciary:
  The right to personal privacy is important. Some committee members believed that the Constitution already addressed the issue while other members fear that the RSA was a more appropriate method to address privacy issues. A study is unnecessary. Common law of New Hampshire recognizes the importance of privacy and courts have upheld the right to privacy. RSA 644:9 makes it a crime to invade a person's privacy.
• 3/28/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB431 - establishing a commission to study academic and financial requirements for recipients of Pell grants.

Analysis: This bill establishes a commission to study academic and financial requirements for recipients of Pell grants.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 2/14/07 - Hearing 9:30 AM
• 3/14/07 - Committee votes 19-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No 21 - March 16, 2007
  Rep. Pamela G Price for Education:
  This bill proposed a 12 member commission to study the Pell Grant Program. pecific tasks of the commission were to study the maximization of leverage and the placement of academic benchmarks for Pell Grant Students, and to study the financial criteria for enrollment in an associate’s degree program at no cost to the student. The membership of the proposed commission included representatives from the University System, and the Regional Community Technical College System. It has been identified that the topic could be included within the scope of the Public Higher Education Commission. The prime sponsor agrees with this plan; thus this bill is deemed to be unnecessary.
• 3/21/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB451-FN - increasing the state's portion of special education funding.

Analysis: This bill modifies the sharing of special education costs between school districts and the state, and increases from $250,000 to $900,000 the amount available for distribution as emergency special education assistance.

Also mentioned in School funding

• 1/4/07 - House Finance Committee (LOB 210-211)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 10:30 AM
• 2/16/07 - Division II Work session 1:00 PM
• 3/20/07 - Executive session 9:30 AM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 23-0 OTP/AM
• Published in the House Calendar No. 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Kenneth L Weyler for Finance: Of our 200,000 students, approximately 30,000 of them have Individual Education Programs (IEP's). This designates them as Special Education (SPED) students. Of the 30,000 SPED students, about 1,500 have very costly programs. The state helps to fund these programs through Catastrophic Aid. The triggers for Catastrophic Aid are 3 and one half times the statewide average pupil cost. That cost for the present school year is $9,774.53 per student. The 3.5 trigger is then $34,210.85. Above that trigger, the Catastrophic Aid pays 80% and the district, 20%. The next trigger is at ten times the average pupil cost or $97,745.30. Above the ten times trigger, Catastrophic Aid pays 100%. The original bill called for changing the two triggers to 3 times and 8 times. The committee held discussions with the Department of Education which disclosed that some districts used only their funds exclusive of state and federal contributions when calculating the triggers. But, others included all funds, even private insurance, in computations. The committee termed this "double-dipping." We amended the original bill to require that every application for Catastrophic Aid must list all payments for that individual student identified as to source, i.e. state, federal, etc. Although this was not the intent of the sponsors, the committee felt that it could not make progress on adjusting Catastrophic Aid until the accounting was more transparent and accurate. This is a necessary step. ( see report )
• 3/27/07 - House votes OTP/AM on a voice vote
• 4/18/07 - Senate Education Committee (SH 103)
• 5/9/07 - Committee votes 3-1 ITL
• 5/17/07 - Senate votes ITL on a voice vote

HB452-FN - dedicating a percentage of liquor, wine, and beer revenues to the education trust fund.

Analysis: This bill dedicates a percentage of liquor, beer, and wine revenues to the education trust fund.

• 1/4/07 - House Ways and Means Committee (LOB 202)
• 2/13/07 - Hearing 11:30 AM
• 2/16/07 - Committee votes 16-0 ITL
• Published in the House Calendar No. 16 - March 1, 2007
  Rep. Michael D Brunelle for Ways and Means:
  This bill would have taken 3% of liquor, beer, and wine revenues from the general fund and dedicated them to the education trust fund. Although the committee appreciates the sponsor’s desire to address our state's education funding predicament, we believe the redistribution of revenue would not only fail to adequately address the issue, but also result in cuts in programs that rely on the dollars removed from the general fund. In addition, the committee felt that the passage of this legislation could lead to the habitual dedication of future general funds, and ultimately set a precedent that jeopardizes the long-term stability of other state services.
• 3/6/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB470 - relative to the determination of parental rights and responsibilities.

Analysis: This bill provides that if the court finds, upon consideration of the evidence, that comparable parenting or the parents' proposed allocation of parental rights and responsibilities is not in the child's best interest, the court shall provide the reasons for its decision in a written order.

• 1/4/07 - House Children and Family Law Committee (LOB 206)
• 2/20/07 - Hearing 2:00 PM
• 3/14/07 – Subcommittee work session 11:00 AM
• 3/20/07 – Committee votes 19-0 OTP/AM
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Carolyn M Gargasz for Children and Family Law: The amendment replaces the entire bill by establishing an oversight committee to monitor the 461-A statute on parental rights and responsibilities. It will also monitor divorce and related issues. The committee has a concern that the courts may be providing insufficient information about the reasoning used in arriving at their decisions, thus compromising the possibility of a successful appeal. The oversight committee will monitor this area as part of its duties.
• 3/27/07 – House votes to amend bill
• 3/27/07 – House votes OTP on a voice vote
• 4/12/07 – Senate Judiciary Committee (SH 103)
• 5/8/07 – Hearing 3:20 PM
• 5/29/07 – Committee votes 5-0 ITL
• 5/31/07 – Senate votes ITL on a voice vote

HB501-FN-A - relative to keno and using keno revenues for college scholarships.

Analysis: This bill establishes regulations for keno, establishes a trust fund for college scholarships, and uses revenues from keno to fund the trust fund for college scholarships.

• 1/4/07 - House Ways and Means Committee (LOB 202)
• 3/8/07 - Hearing 9:30 AM
• 2/23/07 - Full committee work session 3:04 PM
• 3/16/07 - Hearing continued 10:30 AM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 19-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 23 - March 23, 2007
  Rep. Michael G Marsh for Ways and Means:
  While well intentioned, this legislation appears to have a number of technical problems that would cause problems were it to become law. The bill allows charitable organizations to run keno games of chance, and uses the revenues from these games to help fund college scholarships. The committee heard testimony from the lottery commission that the plan would be unworkable as proposed, because keno must be highly centralized, and doing this through occasional charity games would not work. There was also some question whether the prize limit per game of $3500, taken from the bingo statute, would work with keno, where odds can run much higher. As all revenues are assigned to a college scholarship fund, there did not appear to be any incentive for charitable organizations to organize keno games. Finally, the committee was informed that directing all revenues to a college scholarship fund may violate Article 6b of Part 2 of the state constitution, which requires that all lottery money be used exclusively for the purpose of state aid to education.
• 3/27/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB521 - relative to the definition of an adequate education.

Analysis: This bill establishes a definition of an adequate education.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/6/07 - Hearing 10:45 AM
• 3/22/07 – Committee votes 13-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Charles B Yeaton for Education:
  With the many bills relative to establishing an adequate education, the committee feels that we have vehicles which cover the matters contained in this bill.
• 3/27/07 – House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB559 - relative to seat belts on school buses.

Analysis: This bill requires all school buses manufactured after a certain date to be equipped with seat belts.

• 1/4/07 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 3/6/07 - Hearing 10:30 AM
• 3/14/07 - Subcommittee work session 5:00 PM
• 3/15/07 - Committee votes 17-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 - March 23, 2007
  Rep. Howard N Cunningham for Transportation:
  Student safety was the foremost concern of the committee. The language of this bill refers to "seat belts" – line 10 – without specificity as to type of belts. There are two types of seat belts: two point lap belts and three point shoulder-lap belts. Research and testimony indicated a high probability of secondary injury from the use of 2 point belts in an impact accident. In addition, 3 point belts need to be sized to students in order to be effective. The 3 point belt anchors require enough space to reduce the student capacity of a bus by one third. This would create the need for additional buses thus increase the odds of an accident. The issue of student misuse of the belts in interactions with other students was also an issue as was the release of students from belts in case of either fire or accident in which the bus came to rest upside down. The science and technology of school bus safety is ongoing and student safety is presently at a very high level. If student safety is an issue we could save significantly more students by focusing efforts on students driven to and from school in private vehicles by parents or siblings.
• 4/5/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB601-FN-A-L - transferring the portion of special education costs directly related to health issues to the department of health and human services.

Analysis: This bill requires the department of health and human services to be liable in full for that portion of a child's special education and related services resulting from a child's medical condition.

• 1/4/07 - House Education Committee (LOB 207)
• 3/15/07 - Hearing 1:00 PM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 14-0 ITL
• Published in House Calendar 23 - March 23, 2007
  Rep. Judith E Day for Education:
  Currently, Federal Special Education laws mandate responsibility for these costs to schools. Therefore, the committee considered this bill to be Inexpedient to Legislate. Despite lack of legislative action on this bill, the committee acknowledged the importance of thoughtful discussion of this topic.
• 3/27/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB606-FN - relative to the minimum age for purchasing, possessing, or using tobacco products.

Analysis: This bill increases the minimum age for purchasing, possessing, or using tobacco products from 18 to 21 years of age.

• 1/4/07 - House Commerce Committee (LOB 302)
• 3/19/07 - Hearing 1:30 PM
• 3/20/07 - Committee votes 15-1 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 - March 23, 2007
  
• 3/27/07 – Removed from Consent Calendar (Rep T. Robertson)
• 3/28/07 – Vote rescheduled to April 4, 2007
• 5/4/07 – Vote rescheduled to April 5, 2007
• 4/5/07 - House votes ITL on a voice vote

HB612-FN - relative to coercion of abortion on a minor.

Analysis: This bill establishes a class A felony if a person uses or threatens the use of physical force against a pregnant minor under 18 years of age in order to force the minor to have an abortion. The bill also establishes a class B felony if a person uses coercion to induce such a minor to have an abortion against her will.

• 1/4/07 - House Judiciary Committee (LOB 208)
• 3/12/07 – Hearing 10:00 AM Representative’s Hall
• 3/19/07 – Committee votes 13-4 ITL
• Published in House Calendar No. 23 – March 23, 2007
  Rep. Philip Preston for the Majority of Judiciary:
  This bill makes anyone who uses or threatens the use of force to make a minor undergo an abortion guilty of a class A felony. It makes a person guilty of a class B felony if he or she uses coercion to induce a minor to have an abortion. Although the committee believed that coercion and the use or threat of physical force in order to procure this type of medical procedure is inappropriate and unjustifiable, it also believed that existing criminal statutes covering simple assault and criminal threatening adequately address the issues raised by the sponsor. Thus the committee decided that additional legislation is unnecessary.
  Rep. Nancy J Elliott for the Minority of Judiciary:
  This bill establishes a class A felony if a person uses or threatens the use of physical force against a pregnant minor under 18 years of age in order to force the minor to have an abortion. The bill also establishes a class B felony if a person uses coercion to induce such a minor to have an abortion against her will. There was substantial testimony in committee that there is abuse happening in this state, both physical and psychological. We currently do not have laws that would make this aggressive behavior a crime. As the decision to have an abortion has far reaching consequences, the minority feels that this bill should be passed to protect the girls of this state.
• 4/4/07 – House votes 268-99 ITL

HB634-FN-A - establishing a dropout prevention number plate.

Analysis: This bill establishes a dropout prevention number plate.

• 1/4/07 - House Transportation Committee (LOB 203)
• 3/14/07 -