The majesty of the sun and the moon. Their eternal dance in the sky, occasionally bringing us the grand shows such as the total solar eclipse. My friend who had seen it before was convincing us all to go, and I was hesitant to make the drive with all the tourists; but the indescribable nature of the event itself was worth every moment of chaos getting to and from the path of totality in the North Country. Everyone cheered as the moment of totality began. The shadow of the moon swept over the landscape and as it hit the crowd, everyone went silent. Watching the majesty of the event before our eyes. Then someone cheered and the crowd set off again in cheer. It was a moment in time where all of us were just people on the planet. Watching the power of the source which we find ourselves a piece of. A moment where you could pear into the tapestry of the universe, and feel comfortable in knowing all of us in our own way has a part in it. 

The House met in full session once this month. Hearing sixty four pieces of legislation in total. Thirty of them on consent, and thirty four on the regular calendar. The Criminal Justice and Public safety committee held a public hearing on nineteen bills, and voted on thirty one bills throughout five executive sessions. My legislation on base adequacy amounts for our public schools students got through the finance committee and made it back onto the House floor. Passing with another bipartisan vote, onto the Senate. 

A couple of the bills the House acted on this month were HB318 and HB1212. 

HB318 is legislation which came out of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety’s subcommittee on the bail system, which I was privileged to serve on last fall. After passing on the House consent calendar in January, the bill was referred to the House Finance committee so that they could do the work of financing the changes made to the pay of bail commissioners, and creation of new information systems to better the communication between court systems. After five different work sessions in the first division of the Finance committee, Chaired by Peter Leishman, the bill came out of the division with unanimous support. Passing the full committee with the support of all but one of the twenty five members present that day. The committee did make some changes. Reducing the number of magistrates in the proposed system from 15 to 10. Increasing the bail commissioner fee from $40 to $60 per bail, and establishing a new training coordinator for $100k annually. The bill passed the floor on a voice vote. Making it’s way to the Senate for more surgery and hopefully in the end; a positive vote on a bill not too different from the one we passed. 

HB1212 deals with a long debated issue in the State House, and an especially partisan one in this 168th General Court. The legislation would raise the eligibility level for the free school meal program to 350% of the poverty level. Providing close to universal eligibility for students in school receiving meals via this program. At a very inflated estimate, this would cost somewhere around fifty million dollars extra for what the State is already paying for the program. Approximately .3% of the State’s entire budget. A fraction of a percent of the budget to pay for the meal of all the students in our schools. For many of these students these meals could be some of the only food they may get in a day. How are they expected to learn if all they can think about is the pit in their stomach? I know these kids are out there because I was one of these kids not too long ago. 

Before any debate was able to be had on the bill, Representative Joe Sweeney, the floor leader for the majority, moved to table the legislation. It was a bit of a go-to move for him this session. To jump out of his seat in the front row, take the well, and move either indefinite postponement or the table for whatever minority caucus bill before us. He moved table on this bill because he knew he had members of his caucus who on an up or down vote to advance the bill, would vote for advancement, but if the question was on tabling; would feel they had the necessary cover to vote to table the bill and not outright kill it. Keeping their party happy and moralizing away the implications of a bill dying on the table as opposed to in an outright vote. The majority has done this a number of times in their time as the majority party here in the House. Move to restrict debate on a particular piece of legislation via a tabling motion. It is one of the many examples of the calcification of a once great institution. The minority isn’t immune to it either, last year Representative Weber moved the previous question to restrict debate on the legislation to make permeant the Medicaid Expansion program. She knew that she had the votes on the floor that day, and used it to her advantage. I have no qualms about saying neither leadership team should encourage the restriction of debate in a body where that is the core of our processes. It just so happens one particular sides holds the gavel, and with it, comes the responsibility of setting the example for the entire House. You can’t blame the minority for the failures of the majority. 

The buck stops with who? The buck stops with you. 

Because I am a glutton for punishment, I have decided to seek one of the two empty seats on the Peterborough zoning board in the upcoming May town election. I have served as an alternate on the board for just about the last year. Beginning my time as an alternate with a case of great intrigue, the micro spec expansion onto the sandpit right before the Monadnock plaza on route 202. As crazy as this makes me sound, I have quite enjoyed the judicial process of the zoning board. It is not a place for opinion. You are there to deliberate the facts of the case, and how they fit into the criterium which the voters of the town approve at the ballot box. In town government, the citizens are the legislative branch. We the town boards, especially Zoning, holds the role of upholding the law as approved by the voters. I am running to fill a space on a board which deserves people who know and love this town serving on it to ensure the projects being approved aren’t counter to the public interest as defined by the zoning ordinances. 

The leaves are slowly but surely returning. The white flowers on the trees outside of the State House have come into bloom. The weather is balancing out, the birds returning; the Spring has set in. We are coming into the final stretch but there is still much to do.