We began the month rallying for medicaid, and medicare in the April showers. The looming threats to the system from the State and Federal governments have brought out people from all sides of the spectrum to advocate for the care they are able to receive because of these programs. The elderly on fixed incomes, the children on the brink of or in poverty, the pregnant mothers; those on the edges of society who are in need of aid from the larger society. A social safety net to ensure the poverty we saw in this country during the 19th and 20th centuries is never seen again. The current system is failing at that in many different ways but the response to that failure is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The response should be to clean the damn water. 

The State Budget had it’s first vote on the House floor this month and it was nothing but dirty water. Cuts to the health system, the university system, the court system; a continuation of a faulty and unconstitutional tax system, implementation of a universal private, religious, and homeschool education system while public schools across the State struggle to maintain their buildings. A State budget that prioritizes the donor class over the citizens. One that continues the soft corruption the State of New Hampshire has been subject to for decades. 

The State looked the other way as children were raped, and brutalized in the walls of the Sununu Youth Development Center. Now that it has become unavoidable and some of these victims are getting their hearing in court, the State finds itself in the position of being on both sides of the issue. The Attorney General, and other relevant people to this case are mired in conflicts of interest. Yet still find themselves in a position of authority related to the entire proceeding, including funds dolled out. Some are trying to essentially stuff the mouths of the victims quiet with money. Ignoring the fact that this is not an issue exclusive to the former YDC. The legislature continues to shirk it’s responsibility to answer the unanswered questions and preform proper oversight of those tasked with handling this issue. 

Representative Leishman gave a fantastic speech on the House floor against passage HB1. As he stated on the House floor, in his nine terms on the Finance committee he has supported both ‘Republican and Democratic’ budgets. However, he said, that the ill-thought-out cuts within this budget are not something that he can press the green button on. He spoke to the 14 million dollar cut to the tourism development fund, which is critical to our larger tourism economy which brings the State and it’s businesses billions of dollars each year. He spoke to the cut to the art council which will effectively eliminate the council entirely harming all these different critical programs for kids, and communities across the State. The cuts to the judicial branch cuts which will result in the closure of two court houses, the elimination of the ability to get a jury trial for two months out of the year, thirty one full time positions cut, and the deferment of the veterans treatment court. These cuts seriously call into question the court systems ability to administer justice throughout the State. Which greatly will harm the citizens seeking it. Peter made a steady, and non partisan speech to the dire cuts contained in this budget. Eloquently relaying why no member of the House should support it in it’s current form. Ultimately HB1 passed the House by a margin of 192 voting yea and 183 voting nay. 

After voting on many different amendments from both caucuses to HB2, the policy arm of the budget, and losing a couple of the horrible provisions they tried to pass through the budget such as a double dipping pension provision, because of the efforts of people in the minority to build bridges with members of the majority to stop some of the worse that we saw in the budget; the chair of the liberty sub-caucus of the majority caucus Michael Granger, moved to table HB-2. With the votes of the minority caucus and a few of Granger’s own sub-caucus members, the budget was dramatically tabled by a vote of 198 yeas to 167 nays. The Speaker moved the House be in recess for fifteen minutes. The minority caucus was removed from the chamber so that the majority could caucus. All of us in the minority waited outside the chamber for the go-ahead to come back in. Members of the majority trickled out saying that they didn’t have to deal with that ish. Fifteen minutes turned into forty as members of the majority caucus had their struggle session with the dissenting members but eventually we did go back in. 

Returning to the chamber, the Speaker reopened the session and Representative Granger took the podium to move removal of HB2 from the table. He was met with boos, and the Speaker snapped at the members yelling for order. Granger continued on to give his parliamentary inquiry to why he’s moving removal, stating “If I know that its always good to have a little huddle. And if I know that it is good to have a couple little chats about what we’re going to do. And if I know that everyone on my team is going to be doing exactly what we agreed to, and that we’re going to be sticking together, then would I press the green button?” 

The Speaker opened the thirty second vote and the bell rang to mark the end of the time. A moment of quiet paused engulfed the chamber as the clerk checked the votes to ensure everyone voted. On a vote of 193 yeas to 170 nays, the bill was removed from the table. Representative Joe Sweeney, the floor leader for the majority caucus, hopped up to the podium and moved the previous question. Moving the previous question is an action done by the House to restrict debate on the particular question before the House. Moving to an immediate vote on all amendments, and the question itself. Restricting the members’ right to debate each amendment and ultimately the budget itself. This motion passed by a vote of 193 yes to 170 nay. The House then quickly moved through the remaining amendments and voted to pass House Bill 2, and all the policy which we were unable to debate, by a margin of 185 yeas to 175 nays. 

The budget is now onto the Senate. Where they will compile their own revenue estimates, and expenditures. That will then come back to the House where we will get another bite at the apple.