Quintilis, is what the Romans originally called that which was the fifth month. It wasn’t until 44BC, when Julius Caesar was murdered, that the month was named Iulius. In honor of the fallen Emperor of Rome. Now the seventh month on the Gregorian calendar 2069 years later, we still call it July. 

July marks the beginning of the House and Senate’s two month long recess. Where the Governor’s office is receiving and reading all of the various bill passed by the legislature. Determining whether she wants to give them her approval or not. I am proud to say all eight of the bills which I was a cosponsor on that passed to her desk have received her signature. Including HB140, establishing a blue envelope program, HB457, preventing discrimination against renters who roommate. I spoke about both of those in last months letter. HB597, prime sponsored by Representative Bill Boyd of Merrimack, defined the designated behavioral health access point within the enhanced 911 system to enable to emergency services to transfer 911 calls from individuals experiencing ‘non-emergent behavioral health crises’ and mentality health needs to the appropriate service providers. Representative Boyd worked extremely hard to get this critical piece of legislation passed and I was happy to but have my name on this important bill.

Another passed to her desk was a bill sponsored by Representative Jared Sullivan. House Bill 81 would allow the consumption of beverages or liquor in restrooms. The ‘bring your drink to the toilet’ bill. Sounds ridiculous at first, but when you consider the danger that arises from a drink left alone - the idea becomes less ridiculous. Representative Sullivan worked hard to get this bill through his committee and the Senate commerce committee. Becoming law and going into effect on August the 25th of this year. 

from all wins this year. There was legislation such as HB641 which I cosponsored along the prime sponsor, my former ranking member, Linda Harriott Gathright. This legislation would have established a private right of action in all civil rights cases. Allowing for those who are facing civil rights discrimination as defined under law to seek remuneration for the discrimination they are going through. This legislation was similar to the bill I prime sponsored in the 2024 session to establish a private right of action for those who face hair based discrimination. That bill because law with the only non-unanimous vote being it’s initial vote in the House Judiciary Committee of 17 yeas and 2 nays. This year the House Judiciary Committee was in a much different composition. Despite the best efforts of Representative Gathright and Ranking Member Smith, the bill failed in committee on a vote of 10 for the motion to kill it and 8 voting against. On the floor it died by a margin of 195 in favor 146 against. 

The State Budget which was signed into law in late June was a loss for every citizen in this State but the ultra-wealthy. With budget cuts to the university system leaving the students out to dry and expecting them to pick up the tab more than they already are. Healthcare cuts which will result in people getting worse care, for higher prices. Many choosing to simply forgo care entirely. Hospitals burdened by lower medicaid reimbursement rates. Meaning they won’t get paid back for those patients who come in unable to afford the care they need, and will get if they enter a hospital. Our public education system will continue to implode as towns across the State take the burden of paying for the education system while the State funds a universal private, religious, and homeschool program to the tune of a billion dollars over the next ten years. Failing at addressing the core issues facing our State such as housing prices and the protections for the environment which will stop the waste management industry from negligently poisoning our waterways, land, and most importantly our citizens. 

We certainly did lose a lot this year. As I’ve written about before, we as citizens in going out to elect the 170th General Court must keep a diligent eye over who is in the majority of our state government. Every position under the golden dome is up for re-election every two years. The Governor, State Senate, and House of Representatives all must run again. They all must put their name on the ballot and ask their neighbors to re-elect them to Concord. There have been many an election before where a wild crop of freshman join the legislature because the majority of the citizenry decided that it wasn’t worth paying attention to. I am here to tell you it is worth paying attention to. So many of the races in the last election for the House of Representatives were decided by less than fifty votes, many less than ten, some less than five. Don’t just pay attention though. Get involved. Run yourself. Do what you can to protect your home for the generations to come. 

I don’t make my decision on whether or not I will run again until after the New Year, if not well after. Re-election should be a consequence of doing the job. Not the goal of the job itself. If you allow yourself to begin to have those campaign thoughts too loudly then you’ll find your ability to legislate greatly clouded. Not to mention one never knows how the next year shall look, let alone the next day. The off year is a time to be out in your district. Not for votes but for insight. A look into the sentiment of all the people you serve in the State House. 

On the 19th, I had been invited to attend a dinner event hosted by members of the majority caucus. Specifically the sub-caucus of libertarian members of the House. I mulled attended in the days preceding the event. Questioning whether I, a member of the minority should be seen out eating dinner with members of the majority because of the potential blowback from being seen with ‘the other’. As soon as I realized I was having those thoughts I realized I should go. Questioning whether colleagues of differing caucuses should eat together at an event because of the potential blowback of those who’d rather we separate into our silos and never speak to one another; was a prime example of the impact of the rot pervasive in our politics today. 

While there I was presented with an award that they had deemed the ‘Maverick of the Year’ award. Recognizing me for being willing to build bridges where members are told by their respective leadership that the water is too high to do so. Proving them wrong and building strong bridges to get the good legislation we have been able to pass, passed. Even in a biennium in which I serve in the minority. 

As I said when I accepted the award, when we can’t have dinner with one another, we have all lost. 

The libertarians know I am not one of them. They know that I have voted against them on the overwhelming majority of issues before the legislature. They know that I work for the issues I do. Yet, we are still able to exchange appreciation for one another’s service because they know I approach my work with respect and diligence. Unafraid to talk to anybody. I have written, spoken, and voted against the liberty caucus on most of the pieces of legislation which we have acted on in my three years in office; but I can still work with them, eat with them, speak to them, and they will still treat me with respect. When you give respect, you get it. If you want to be successful in the legislature, you must be willing to sit down with anybody and everybody. Putting aside your territorial brain and being open to working with all. 

Selfishly, I would like to be successful in passing the legislation which would solve the issues facing our State. I would like to build bridges where I can to work against faulty budgeting. I can not do that if I have partisan blinders on which prevent me from sitting down to eat with someone. Or reciprocating their appreciation when given. 

I am not one to defend from such silly accusations, of which I have heard many. There are just under fifty thousand words of these monthly periodicals alone. Hours of speeches. Hundreds of hours of committee work. Hundreds more on the floor. I am in constant communication with hundreds of constituents who take the time to call, text, email, pull me aside on the street, ask to sit down; people know that I am always on. Ready to take questions, ready to talk. That is the basic behavior we should expect from our elected officials. I am not sure how you could take the totality of my work and deduce that I am libertarian because I went to dinner with people who are. That kind of thinking is what the majority of my constituents are sick and tired of. It’s the style of politics I ran on, and was elected to do my best to end. That is exactly what I am doing. 

I am New Hampshire born and raised. I love this State because it is my home. I wouldn’t refuse to have dinner with my neighbor because our politics don’t align, and I certainly wouldn’t refuse to do the same with colleagues of mine with whom I am supposed to work for all but two months of the year.