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Spring is here, and May has brought it's flowers. I got to take a hike to celebrate spring. Peterborough held it’s annual town meeting, with a full House. The Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee held one public hearing this month on two Senate bills. It also had three executive sessions, voting on a total of four bills. The full House voted on one hundred and thirteen bills throughout two sessions days. Eighty six on the consent calendar and twenty seven on the regular calendar. It was the most low-key month so far.
Some of the bills which the House handled were SB58, ensuring the protection of healthcare workers in healthcare facilities. SB263, permanently reauthorizing the NH Medicaid Expansion program; and SB179, prohibiting the use of seclusion as a form of punishment on children in schools and treatment facilities.
SB58 came to the Criminal Justice committee from the Senate. We heard testimony from healthcare professionals who had faced brutal attacks from their patients, but were unable to restrain them because it wasn’t allowed under the law. SB58 allowed for them to be able to arrest people if they are exhibiting behavior which requires restraint. This bill will protect our healthcare professionals, and patients from those going through crisis causing more harm. These professionals care about their patients and do not make these decisions lightly. There is sometimes a need to restrain someone for their safety and the safety of those around them. SB58 will allow them to do that. The bill passed the House on the consent calendar and is on it’s way to Governor Sununu’s des
SB179 prohibits the use of seclusion as a form of punishment on children in schools and treatment facilities. The Children and Family law committee heard testimony that some children in the schools and other facilities in New Hampshire had this done on them as a form of punishment for menial behavioral issues. Those behaviors needed to be addressed but in that way? School is not a prison. We should be doing the best for our children, not encouraging 19th century schoolhouse punishment. This bill is also on it’s way to the Governor.
SB263 reauthorized the Medicaid Expansion program, permanently. The Medicaid Expansion program has without a doubt been a beneficial program to the tens of thousands of our citizens on the program, but to the State as a whole. Citizens being uninsured is a burden to the whole system. Not to mention the detrimental impacts to their health. The budget passed by the House would sunset this program. Leaving tens of thousands of our fellow citizens in the dust. The Senate despite being the more partisan of the two bodies this session, passed this bill unanimously. They understand the importance of this program to our State. The House Republican caucus’s attempt to kill the bill was to propose close to thirty different amendments on the bill. Hoping to amend the bill to death, and then vote for it saying they protected medicaid. It was a gross display of political gamesmanship. In the end, the bill passed without any terrible amendments, by a margin of 193-166.
The work continues everyday in the legislature. With something new always popping up. My email, phone number, and mailing address are on my website. If you have any questions, or comments do not hesitate to reach out.
