| MESSAGE FROM THE MAJORITY LEADER House Republicans and Friends Across New Hampshire, The first two days of session this past week delivered some significant wins for Republicans. The budget we passed last year, although balanced and containing an important tax reduction, nonetheless represented an exorbitant increase in state spending. Any surplus funds extracted from taxpayers in this biennium must be returned to the taxpayers in the form of additional tax rate reductions or given to future taxpayers in the form of paying down our debt. Passage of HB436 is a great start toward ensuring our budget surplus is not squandered. We defeated HB601, which would enroll New Hampshire into the Medicaid direct certification program for free and reduced meals – automatically adding anyone who qualifies for Medicaid into free and reduced meals. This bill is estimated to cost the State of New Hampshire roughly $190.3 million in additional education spending over the biennium. Just this past spring, the legislature considered students eligible for free and reduced meals, and as a result, increased spending by $193 million. Not only is this irresponsible and redundant spending, but also a gross violation of parental rights and our constitutional right to privacy. There are many reasons parents may not enroll their children in programs such as the free and reduced meal program, and this bill would share personal data between agencies and districts without parental consent. Additionally, we defeated permanent Medicaid Expansion, ranked- choice voting, allowing individuals to change their gender on their birth certificate, and another Democrat attempt to raise electric rates on ratepayers. And, for the time being, we managed to lay on the table two bills aimed at allowing nonresidents to be issued drivers’ licenses- including Real IDs. We passed, on a bipartisan vote, a prohibition on genital mutilation for minors, and I thank the brave members on the other side of the aisle who risked being alienated by their caucus for voting the right way on this bill. There is currently no data on these types of surgeries and pushback against this bill shows there is a significant misunderstanding that parents are being led to believe these surgeries are safe. This bill will hold transgender care to the same scientific standard as other medical specialties – while putting limits on doctors and protecting children, who are not small adults as some would argue. Our work is just beginning. Monday will begin our busy session of public hearings and exec sessions. While there are many great pieces of legislation sponsored by Republicans aiming to expand your freedoms and keep more money in your pockets, there are just as many that would allow the government more interference in your lives. We will do our part, but we need your help. Please take a look at the hearings coming up in our calendar and make your voices heard. |
All the best,  |
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