Legislative tracker

2023

2024

Put the bill number into the search bar in the box above and the site will direct you right to the legislation, all action taken, and the voting records.

CACR 2
relating to reproductive freedom. Providing that all persons have the right to make their own reproductive decisions.

This legislation would have put the question of reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy to the voters. The people of New Hampshire have been polled for decades, and they overwhelmingly support bodily autonomy. Turns out most people don't want the government making critical life decisions for them. Shocking. Unfortunately consitutional amendments require 2/3rds of the legislature, and 2/3rds of the voting population to pass. Despite the clear evidence showing the people are behind reproductive freedom for all, and bodily autonomy, the legislators did not want them to have the choice. Only three Republicans voted to allow this to be on the ballot. I will always stand for bodily autonomy, and I was proud to be a sponsor of this bill. This verison of the bill may have died but the fight does not end here. The final vote on the bill was 193-190.

HB282-FN-A
relative to including certain children and pregnant women in Medicaid and the children's health insurance program.

In New Hampshire there are children and pregnant women who are lawfully residing immigrants to this country, eligible for medicaid services but unable to get them because of the red tape of the federal bureaucracy. In 1996, Bill Clinton passed what is commonly known as the welfare reform act. Which locked many hard working American citizens, from the welfare benifits that could have got them out of the never ending loop of poverty. In 2009 the federal government passed a law saying that states could opt out of the provision of the 1996 welfare reform act which made it so lawfully residing immigrants; pregnant women and their children, were locked out of the medicaid benifits they were eligible for. New Hampshire remains the only state in the northeast not to opt out of this ridiculous red tape imposed on States' medicaid programs. HB282 would have done just that for New Hampshire. Coming out of the Health and Human Services committee on a bipartisan 12-8 vote, it went to the floor with an Ought to Pass motion. It passed the full house 186-170 and was referred to the House Finance committee. During the budget process, HB282 was put into the budget. Ensuring this small but signifigant population the necessary medical services they need. It was an honor to help this legislation through the body, and a huge thank you to Representative Joe Shapiro from Keene must be extended for his hard work on this meaningful legislation.

HB359
relative to legal holidays.

20-0 itl

HB188
relative to the duration of physical therapy.

Very simply, this bill gives physical therapists the discretion to refer their patient to the appropriate medical provider at the time they deem necessary. Striking the arbitrary mandatory 25 day reporting period. This bill unanimously came out of both chambers, and was signed by Governor Sununu into law. I was proud to be a small part in this small change getting rid of unnecessary laws.

HB287-FN
removing fentanyl and xylazine testing equipment from the definition of drug paraphernalia in the controlled drug act.

The unfortunate reality is people use drugs. Our society is such that people are driven into such a dark place that they use something such as heroin to relieve the seemingly neverending pain. It is easy for us, who may not suffer from that extreme an example of addiction, to say that it is the fault of the addict. To say they deserve what they get. However, to say that would be to ignore the humanity of that person. This legislation would remove testing strips from the definition of drug paraphenelia in New Hampshire's controlled drug act. Legalizing the use of testing strips. The drugs people are using are white powders, and not even a well trained chemist could eyeball whether or not the powder includes fentanyl. If we can save even one life with the use of testing, this small change in the law will be worth it. Representative Jodi Newell of Keene fought incredibly hard to pass this legislation, alongside advocates and stakeholders in the addiction advocacy space. Their work paid off and this legislation got a unanimous approval from the Criminal Justice committee, and both bodies in the legislature. Being signed into law by the Governor on August 4th, and coming into effect on October 3rd of 2023.

HB431
permitting qualifying patients and designated caregivers to cultivate cannabis for therapeutic use.

The issue of cannabis legalization is unfortunately a recurring one. I have voted for the legalization of cannabis whenever I have had the opportunity, and there have been many. I have also voted to legalize home cultivation of cannabis for all of age citizens of New Hampshire. Throughout all the riggermarole about legalization for all, the patients who use cannabis for medical use and pain management are left by the wayside. That's why I joined Representative Wendy Thomas, a champion on this and many other issues, to pass HB431. Which would legalize home cultivation for medical cannabis users. Many patients are people without means to be able to purchase cannabis from the medical retail market here in New Hampshire, and insurance does not cover cannabis. Leaving many patients without the medicine they need. Growing at ones place of residence would be a cheaper, more holistic alternative to having to give an arm and a leg to reduce daily pain. The legislation was adopted by the House Health and Human Services committee on a 19-1 vote, going through the full House unanimously. Unfortunately, as happens with many of the good cannabis bills that get through the House, was tabled in the Senate. A nice way to kill the bill on the part of Senate leadership. Representative Thomas has reintroduced the bill for the 2024 session, and I have again signed on as a cosponsor. I will continue to be an advocate to end the drug war and allow people to use methods of medication that work for them.

HB505
relative to comprehensive mental health education in schools.

The students of New Hampshire, and the United States more broadly are going through an unprecedented mental health crisis. New Hampshire schools do not currently require mental health education in their health and wellness curriculum. The kids who are going through depression or dealing with the anxieties of the world mixed with the anxiety of being a teenager, unable to put their feelings into words; would greatly benifit from having education on mental health. Knowing why and how one is feeling why they are opens up an avenue for that individual to feel better. The bill was retained by the committee for further study. Going through the subcommittee process in the fall of 2023 and coming out of the committee with a 10-10 vote. Going to the floor in January without recomendation. I will continue to be an advocate for mental health education in our schools, as one avenue of many to address the crisis of depression in our youth.

HB555
appropriating state general fund surplus toward the retirement system unfunded accrued liability.

The legislature made an incredible mistake in 2010. Leaving thousands of public employees who were employed with a promise of a solid pension, suddenly finding out it wasn't solid at all. This has left the state with a massive accrued liability to our public employees. Governor Sununu ran around this state in multiple elections touting his 400 million dollar surplus. All while this debt to our public employees sat unaddressed. This legislation used money from that surplus to pay that accrued liability. Municipalities are the ones most impacted by this as the rates are downshifted to them. Paying this is a step towards relieving the tax burden on our towns and subsequently the taxpayers. Despite passing the House finance committee, and the full House unanimously, and passing through the Senate finance committee on a 5-2 OTP vote. Senator Gray moved to table the bill and that motion was passed, without debate, on the Senate floor May 11th of 2023.

HB633
relative to electric distribution company market share, prohibiting certain electric rate increases, and requiring enforcement against Eversource.

Eversource has a monopoly on the electric market here in New Hampshire, and we have seen the effects of monopoly over the course of these last few winters. Winter 2022-23 saw a 50% rise in electric rates.

SB217
establishing a rural and underserved area educator incentive program for higher education and making an appropriation therefor.

HB508
relative to the payment of postage on absentee ballot return envelopes.

The current statute is such that when a voter utilizes the absentee system here in New Hampshire, they have to pay for the postage to mail out their ballot and complete their civic duty. I introduced HB508 because this seemingly small and insignifigant obstacle is anything but for the disability community or any of the any other kinds of voters who vote absentee. The price of a stamp may not be much for most people, but there are people in our community for whom it is. This legislation, which would have cost the state a hundred thousand dollars over the course of four years would have been a step towards ensuring the process of completing ones civic duty is as easy as can be. Sadly, the election law committee voted 11-9 against the bill and the House voted it down on a margin of 189-172.

HB575
relative to pharmaceutical products purchased, promoted, or distributed by the state and its political subdivisions.

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HB73
relative to the repair of home appliances.

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