Tag Archives: Legislation

5-13-13 AFT-NH Legislative Update From Pres. Laura Hainey

  By New Hampshire Labor News | May 13, 2013 - 8:58 am | , ,
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aft sqaure

UPCOMING FULL HOUSE VOTES May 22nd

The House Labor Committee recommended defeating SB 100: AN ACT authorizing electronic payment of payroll. This bill will affect all public employees in New Hampshire. This bill will do the following:

  • Delete the requirement that an employer who pays wages by electronic fund transfer offer employees the option of being paid by check.
  • Permits an employer to pay wages with a payroll card after offering employees the option of being paid by direct deposit.

AFT-NH is opposed to this bill and supports the Committee recommendation to defeat this bill.  We understand that many employees do receive their paycheck by direct deposit but there are many who prefer the paper check and they should still have this option. It might be different if they were proposing the cost savings be shared with the employee.

UPCOMING FULL SENATE VOTES—DATE NOT YET SET

The Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee recommended passage of HB 124 as amended: relative to the determination of gainful occupation for a group II member receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance from the retirement system.

This bill:
I. Reinserts a provision which removes the application of the gainful occupation reductions to retirement allowances of group II accidental disability beneficiaries who have years of service plus years of accidental disability retirement which total at least 20 and who have attained the age of 45.
II. Allows the director of homeland security and emergency management in the department of safety the option to rejoin the retirement system as a member and to continue group II retirement status based on prior service and group II membership, and allows the assistant director of homeland security and emergency management to continue group II retirement status based on prior service and group II membership.
III. Provides for the appointment of the director of the division of homeland security and emergency management for terms of 3 years.
AFT-NH supports the recommendation of passage.

AFT-NH BILL TRACKER UPDATE

Click here to review AFT-NH bill tracker and see where each bill is and where AFT-NH stands on each bill.

STATE BUDGET

The Senate held a public hearings on HB 1: making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the State for fiscal years ending June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, and on HB 2: relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures Thursday. Many who testified ask that they fund programs that are very much needed like the CHINs program, community health center, personal care attendant, community based program for adduction, and preventative care programs.

In the end Chairman Morse stated “in so many words” that the Senate budget will look a lot different and be a lot leaner than the House’s proposed budget. To review all the documents that have been discussed click here.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at lhainey@aft-nh.org.

In Solidarity,
Laura Hainey
AFT-NH President

UPCOMING HEARINGS FOR NEXT WEEK
Note the ones in red are priority bills for AFT-NH


MONDAY, MAY 13

STATEWIDE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (RSA 193-C:7), Room 103, LOB
10:00 a.m. Regular meeting.

TUESDAY, MAY 14

HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 103, LOB
9:00 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION ON PENDING LEGISLATION
10:00 a.m. Presentation: New Hampshire Public Charter School Association
Presentation: Department of Education

EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:30 a.m. Subcommittee work session on retained HB 435-FN, relative to funding for chartered public school pupils, HB 243, relative to the board of trustees of a chartered public school, HB 424-FN, relative to review of chartered public school applications by the state Board of Education.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15

EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. Subcommittee work session on SB 97, relative to high school equivalency and relative to illiteracy.
10:30 a.m. Subcommittee work session on SB 82, establishing a commission to identify strategies needed for developing and implementing a competency-based public education system.
11:00 a.m. Subcommittee work session on. SB 27-FN, relative to monitoring by the Department of Education of programs for children with disabilities.

FRIDAY, MAY 17

FINANCE, Room 103, SH
SENATE FINANCE BRIEFINGS
10:00 a.m. Department of Education

TUESDAY, MAY 21

EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. Executive session on SB 27-FN, relative to monitoring by the Department of Education of programs for children with disabilities, SB 48, relative to school performance and accountability.

HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS, Room 205, LOB
10:00 a.m. Subcommittee work session on retained HB 494, relative to the administration of glucagon injections for pupils.

MONDAY, JUNE 3

TASK FORCE ON WORK AND FAMILY (RSA 276-B:1), Room 207, LOB
1:15 p.m. Regular meeting.

Once Again Faith Leaders Come Out To Support Workers Rights To Organize

  By Matt Murray | May 3, 2013 - 2:00 pm | ,
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Right To Work 2

Right To Work 2

This month in Missouri the legislature is pushing two bills that we recently defeated here in New Hampshire, Right to Work (for less) and Paycheck Protection/Deception (barring employees from having union dues deducted from their paycheck).

Durning the draconian rule of former Speaker O’Brien both of these anti-worker bills were pushed through the house.  Workers throughout New Hampshire came out in force to oppose these bill at public hearings.  One of the reasons that New Hampshire was able to fight these bills back was labor’s relationship with local faith organizations.  Groups like the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization lead by Arnie Alpert, and Rev Gail Kinney spoke at every Right to Work for less hearing in Concord.

For years the Catholic church has been working to expand the rights of workers in an effort to combat poverty.  I was very please today to share an editorial from Monsignor Jack Schuler of Missouri.  Monsignor Schuler explains the strong relationship between workers and the Catholic church.

(Published by the St Louis Post Dispatch)

Today, our church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. When Pope Pius XII instituted this tradition 58 years ago, he honored the long-standing link between Joseph and the cause of working people. This year, the call to honor and remember working people couldn’t be more timely — or more necessary.

While working people in our communities continue to struggle, too many politicians in Jefferson City seem not to notice. Many have been relentless in their attacks on basic protections for working people, protections long supported by the Catholic Church and other faith traditions. Meanwhile hundreds of thousands in our state suffer from inadequate health care and too few jobs that pay a living wage.

So-called right-to-work and paycheck-protection bills seek to limit the right of working people to organize and silence their voices. If enacted, these laws would make it more difficult for hardworking first nurses, first responders, teachers and other workers to advocate for safer working conditions and provide critical services to our communities.

These bills, along with attempts to eliminate prevailing wage protections, seek to lower wages in our communities. They would make it even more difficult for families struggling to get by — and would unfairly reward corporate greed. Simply put, on this Feast of St. Joseph in 2013, working people in Missouri face an onslaught of dangerous and unfair legislation.

Catholic teaching strongly supports the right of workers to form labor unions in order to bargain collectively for just wages and benefits. In fact, it encourages workers to form unions based on the right of free association. So-called paycheck-protection and right-to-work bills seek to limit the ability of working people to organize and collectively bargain. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is clear: “We vehemently oppose violations of the freedom to associate, for they are an intolerable attack on social solidarity.”

Corporations give unlimited money and resources in order to purchase influence at the statehouse. Corporate lobbyists have exempted themselves from playing by the same rules they are trying to make everybody else play by — in fact, they are creating their own rules.

In his Easter address, Pope Francis called for peace in a world “divided by greed looking for easy gain, wounded by the selfishness which threatens human life and the family.” To make real change and heal these wounds, we need to work together to strengthen protections for working people and support collective bargaining rights and association. Although far from perfect, labor unions work for job security and fight against discrimination for all workers, not just those in unions. Without the ability to organize and collectively bargain, attacks will remain unanswered.

When addressing the G20 Summit in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI stated “in the light of the present global economic crisis, this analysis reveals all of its relevance: We see, in fact, that it is precisely from this root of greed that the entire crisis was born.” This is as true locally as it is globally — when greed is unchecked, when corporations are unaccountable, working people suffer the consequences and injustice is allowed to flourish.

It’s time for politicians to stop giving more and more to CEOs and corporate-funded special interests and start working to create jobs and help working people make it through these tough times.

As we remember St. Joseph the Worker, let’s focus on restoring dignity to hard work and recommit ourselves to working for justice. We are all connected by our work and our communities — and we all should call upon our elected leaders to support and strengthen those bonds, not undermine them.

Just days from now, the Missouri legislature will end the 2013 session. Our elected officials have critical choices to make and not much time to make the right decision. As a person of faith, I call on politicians in Jefferson City to break the chains of “business as usual” by understanding the moral obligation to work for justice — including economic justice for our communities.

Let’s honor St. Joseph on his feast day and every day by keeping our focus on justice for all those who work.

Monsignor Jack Schuler is pastor of St. Ferdinand parish in Florissant and member of the Workers Rights Board of Missouri Jobs with Justice, a coalition of almost 100 different organizations statewide. Through Missouri JwJ, faith, community, labor and student groups work to promote economic justice.

Rep Annie Kuster Introduces Bill To Strengthen Workforce Development And Job Training

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 26, 2013 - 10:11 am | , , , ,
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Annie Kuster Introducing Bill

Training 21st Century Workforce Critical for Granite State’s Economy

Highlights new legislation that would strengthen workforce development, job training

 

After introducing the Workforce Development Investment Act to strengthen job training for students in the Granite State, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) this week spoke on the House floor to underscore the importance of training a highly-skilled, 21st century workforce.

“The Workforce Development Investment Act would give tax incentives to firms that partner with educators to improve workforce development and job training for students,” Kuster said. “When we invest in our workforce, more employers will invest in the United States and in the Granite State; our students will be more competitive in the job market; our businesses will be more successful in the global economy.”

“Right now, there are companies like W.H. Bagshaw in Nashua, New Hampshire that are looking to hire, but struggling to find workers with the right skills for the job,” Kuster continued. “My bill would help close this skills gap by providing incentives for business to team up with educators to teach our students the skills they need to compete and succeed.”

The Workforce Development Investment Act would provide up to $10,000 in annual tax credits to employers that partner with community colleges or other institutions of higher education to improve workforce development for students by:

  • Helping develop curriculum;
  • Assisting with instruction in the classroom; and
  • Providing internships, apprenticeships, or other hands-on educational opportunities for students

Kuster has made workforce development one of her top priorities in Congress. Over the last few months, she has toured and met with staff and students at Keene State College’s Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM), Nashua Community College (NCC), and New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI), as well as advanced manufacturers all across the Granite State.

Congressman Guinta Is Gone But His Anti-Union Legacy Remains

  By Matt Murray | April 24, 2013 - 8:58 pm | ,
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Guinta ABC Award

Today it was announced that Eckman Construction of Bedford won the contract to build the Department of Labor ‘Job Center’ in Manchester.  I use the term won, very loosely because in actuality they were the lowest bidder, therefore winning the contract.

“The residential education and job training complex will serve low-income youth ages 16 to 24, with a focus on homeland security, health care and hospitality jobs.” (AP)

The job corp center became an issue for the unionized trade workers in New Hampshire when then Congressman Guinta wanted the bid changed to remove the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) that was required by President Obama on all Federal Projects.

In 2009 shortly after the project was announced the bid was pulled to remove the PLA.  This drew a large protest from Joe Casey President of the the New Hampshire Building Trades Council.

“The selfish actions of North Branch and the ABC stand to harm hundreds of people in New Hampshire: Young people will not be able to benefit from participation in Job Corps programs. Area businesses will not benefit in the long term from a greater number or professionally trained workers and in the short term from the economic boost of a $35 million project. And construction workers that are struggling through one of the worst down periods in our lifetime will continue to struggle to find work.”

“Project labor agreements, also known as Community Workforce Agreements, have a long history of protecting both project owners  and the workers who build them. In addition to setting clear, uniform, negotiated standards for all workers on a project, they also have  been shown to improve safety, minimize delays, and save owners money,”

Guinta ABC Award

Guinta Receives Award From ABC

In spite of the numerous benefit to workers and the community the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) worked with Congressman Guinta after he was elected in 2010, to get the project scrapped until it was re-bid without a PLA.   Even though Guinta’s amendment was rejected the ABC praised his efforts with an award.

Guinta’s connection to the ABC was again brought to the forefront durning his last election campaign.  ABC donated $20,000 to the reelection campaign on top of sending out mailers to all of Guinta’s district.

Guinta ABC Mailer

So even though Congressman Guinta is no longer in Washington his anti-union policies are still hurting New Hampshire.

NH Carpenters Union Business Agent John Jackson said of ABC  “If they had their way, all government regulation would be eliminated – no safety laws, no requirement to pay wages for all hours  worked, no requirement for worker’s comp coverage for all workers. Their anti-competition argument covers up business practices that decimate our community.”

Well Congressman Guinta, you got your way this time and the New Hampshire workers are going to suffer because of it.

AFT President Randi Wiengarten’s Statement on Failed Gun Reform Legislation Vote

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 17, 2013 - 8:52 pm | , ,
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AFT Logo

Washington—AFT President Randi Weingarten’s statement on today’s gun safety legislation votes.

“Make no mistake—the NRA and the gun manufacturers won out today over the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of our children, families and communities. A government by the people and for the people must serve the American people and not the gun lobby.

“The tragic question facing us now is how many gun deaths will it take before Congress lives up to its basic responsibility to protect and serve the American people? Twenty-six children and teachers gunned down in Newtown, Conn. Thirty-two students and faculty killed at Virginia Tech. U.S. Rep. Gabby Gifford shot outside a supermarket. Thirteen students and educators brutally murdered at Columbine High School. Twelve people gunned down in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Nearly 3,500 Americans killed by guns since Dec. 14—more than 50 of them children. The time for action is now.

“We applaud Sens. Manchin, Toomey, Feinstein, Blumenthal, Schumer, Kirk and Lautenberg for their leadership, as well as the other senators who voted for commonsense gun safety legislation today. AFT members admire their courage for standing up and doing what is right for our children and families.”

 

4-15-13 AFT-NH Legislative Update By President Laura Hainey

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 15, 2013 - 8:55 am | , , ,
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aft sqaure

FULL SENATE VOTES ON APRIL 18TH

On the Senate consent calendar they will cast one vote for 23 bills if none are removed. One of these bills is HB 187, relative to cost items in negotiated agreements, with a 5-0 committee recommendation of ‘Ought To Pass.’  Remember this bill was submitted by retired AFT-NH member Marjorie Porter. This bill provides that the dollar amount agreed to in a collective bargaining agreement between a public employer and an employee organization shall not be modified by the legislative body of the public employer and that the agreed-upon amount is what the voters should vote on.

AFT-NH supports this bill; we believe that what is negotiated in good faith should go before the voters for a vote and not be sidelined by a few. We encourage the full Senate to pass this bill.

The Senate will be debating and voting on HB 370, repealing the education tax credit program. The Senate Health, Education & Human Services made the recommendation to defeat this bill by a 3 to 2 vote. AFT-NH does not support this recommendation and advocates that this recommendation be overturned and a recommendation of ‘Ought To Pass’ be made and supported.

If you have not taken action there is still time by clicking here. This tax credit program initiated in 2012 is an ill-disguised attempt to begin privatizing and dismantling our public education system in NH while weakening our good schools. We are justly proud of our schools in NH and these “vouchers” disguised as tax-credits will only harm public education.

HEARINGS THIS PAST WEEK

This past week the Senate Executive Departments and Administration, held a hearing on HB 364, relative to providing required notice concerning limitations on part-time employment for any retired member of the New Hampshire retirement system.  AFT-NH supports the passage of this bill.  HB364 shares the responsibility of understanding the rules and regulations for part-time work between the NH Retirement System, the employees, and the employers. This bill does not hold employers liable for employees who violate the regulations; all it asks of them is to provide written notice so that both they and their employees understand the limitations.

The House Executive Departments And Administration held a hearing on SB 132, establishing a committee to study police special details.  The charge of this committee is to study the use and efficacy of police special details, and alternatives which may be available to towns, cities, and the state. AFT-NH spoke in opposition to this bill. The NH Department of Transportation has already completed a study on this topic; click here to read the full report. AFT-NH believes this bill is unnecessary and could interfere with what has been negotiated at the local level. These discussions should happen at the local level with all stakeholders at the table.

SENATE COMMITTEE TOOK NO ACTION ON HB 142

The Senate Health, Education & Human Services still yet to make a recommendation on HB 142: relative to teacher evaluation systems. We have asked the Committee to keep this bill as is.  We especially do not want the Committee to follow the recommendation from the School Board Association, which wants to delete “support system” and make themselves the only ones whose approval is needed to adopt the system—thus leaving out the voice of the teachers.

As we have said many times, the best evaluation system is devised when each district works with all stakeholders as they develop, implement and modify an evaluation system which will meet the needs of the children of the community and is fair to our teachers. When something is imposed it is usually not well-received.

UPCOMING HEARINGS

On Tuesday, April 16th the Senate Health, Education and Human Services Committee will be hearing testimony on HB 260. This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to provide voluntary services to a child who would otherwise be found to be a child in need of services under RSA 169-D. For more background information on this click here.

AFT-NH is supporting the efforts of the New Hampshire Child Alliance Network and ask the committee to make the recommendation of ‘Ought To Pass.’

This coming Tuesday, April 23rd the House Labor committee will hold a hearing on SB 100: AN ACT authorizing electronic payment of payroll. This bill will affect all public employees in New Hampshire. This bill will do the following:

  • Deletes the requirement that an employer who pays wages by electronic fund transfer offer employees the option of being paid by check.
  • Permits an employer to pay wages with a payroll card after offering employees the option of being paid by direct deposit.

AFT-NH is opposed to this bill.  We understand that many employees do receive their paycheck by direct deposit but there are many who prefer the paper check and they should still have this option.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at lhainey@aft-nh.org.

In Solidarity,
Laura Hainey
AFT-NH President

UPCOMING HEARINGS
MONDAY, APRIL 15

FINANCE, Room 103, SH
AGENCY PRESENTATIONS ON THE BUDGET AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE
1:00 p.m. N.H. Retirement System.

STATE RETIREE HEALTH PLAN COMMISSION (RSA 100-A:56), Room 302, LOB
1:00 p.m. Organizational meeting.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 103, LOB
9:30 a.m. HB 260-FN, relative to the children in need of services (CHINS) program.

CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW, Room 206, LOB
10:00 a.m. SB 129-FN, relative to court-ordered placements in shelter care facilities and at the Sununu Youth Services Center, relative to the children in need of services (CHINS) program, and establishing a committee to study programs for children in need.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 306, LOB
1:30 p.m. Executive session on
SB 132-FN, establishing a committee to study police special details.

JOINT COMMITTEE OF FINANCE AND WAYS AND MEANS, Representatives Hall
11:00 a.m. Executive session on
SB 44, relative to the disposal of controlled drugs by law enforcement officers.

LONG-RANGE CAPITAL PLANNING AND UTILIZATION (RSA 17-M), Room 201, LOB
2:00 p.m. Special meeting – Community College System of NH.

MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, Room 301, LOB
1:00 p.m. Executive session on SB 2, relative to the calculation of the local tax cap.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS, Room 205, LOB
3:00 p.m. SB 166, relative to critical incident stress management and crisis intervention services.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

10:00 A.M. SENATE SESSION

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS, Room 205, LOB
10:00 a.m. Executive session on
SB 166, relative to critical incident stress management and crisis intervention services.

LABOR, INDUSTRIAL AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Room 307, LOB
11:00 a.m. SB 100, authorizing electronic payment of payroll.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

Please join a diverse selection of NH’s leading labor, environmental, social and citizen advocacy organizations on Wednesday, April 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the State House Cafeteria for a Legislative Breakfast Briefing. Staff and key leaders will be on hand to discuss issue priorities and legislative briefings on cross-over bills. A light breakfast and drinks will be served.

10:00 a.m. House Session

 

New Hampshire’s pull-back is part of the national rethink on private school vouchers (@ANHPE)

  By Advancing New Hampshire Public Education | March 28, 2013 - 12:15 pm | ,
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Bill Duncan

As we move toward repealing the ill-conceived New Hampshire voucher program, a pseudonymous commenter toward the bottom of this Patch thread encapsulated the debate this way:

 All this focus on having “choices” makes me ask: why do taxpayers who are already providing a structure to educate every child in a given community need to also pay for additional choices based on nothing but the desire of the parent? I distinctly recall those who put this law in place two years ago telling us that churches and charities were the proper way to fund programs for “the poor.” Why is this different?

New Hampshire is one piece, but an important piece, of the national debate on privatization of public schools.  Here is today’s New York Times on the occasion of the Indiana Supreme Court decision upholding the state’s voucher program, reviewing the national state of play in the push for vouchers in Republican dominated states:

“This movement is doing more than threaten the core of our traditional public school system,” said Timothy Ogle, executive director of the Arizona School Boards Association. “It’s pushing a national policy agenda embraced by conservatives across states that are receptive to conservative ideas.”via States Redefining Public Schooling – NYTimes.com

But public school privatization is trench warfare on a state-by-state basis.  Here is Kansas, turning back a voucher program, with each side making the familiar arguments:

 The Kansas House defeated legislation on Monday that would create a school choice scholarship program funded by corporate donations.

….
“We are sacrificing their future because we are protecting a system,” said Kelley, an Arkansas City Republican.

…
“What we’re really talking about is diverting public funds to private or parochial schools,” said Rep. Nile Dillmore, a Wichita Democrat opposed to the measure.

And, under the headline, “Idaho lawmakers dump private school tax credits:”

A Senate panel ended hopes of private and religious schools that were pushing for Idaho to extend a tax break to people who donate to scholarships meant to defray the cost of tuition.

…

“The donor is going to profit off making this donation at the cost of the public,” Hill said. “That’s just not fair.”
…

Private, religious school officials who flew to Boise from northern Idaho for Tuesday’s hearing argued these scholarships would boost school choice for more students who wanted an alternative to the traditional public school classroom, but didn’t hail from families with the financial means to foot the bill.

Vouchers advance in lopsided Republican legislatures and are defeated in more balanced legislatures.  We need to correct the errors our last Legislature.

Reposted from ANHPE Blog

March 24th Legislative Update From AFT-NH President Laura Hainey

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 24, 2013 - 5:54 pm | , , ,
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aft sqaure

On Friday the Senate Health, Education & Human Services committee heard testimony for four hours on HB 370: repealing the education tax credit program. There was similarity when people spoke in favor or opposition of this bill. Those favoring HB 370 attacked the program as vouchers for private and religious schools.  Those opposing HB 370 said it was about choice and called it a tax credit, not a voucher.

AFT-NH joins those in favor of passing HB 370 in believing that this program is unconstitutional.  New Hampshire’s Constitution is clear—state money shall not be used to fund religious instruction (“no person shall ever be compelled to pay towards the support of the schools of any sect or denomination.”– Article 6, NH Constitution).  The New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have filed suit in Strafford County Superior Court. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the tax-credit program unlawful and block the state from further implementation. To read the press release click here. To read the complaint click here.  The court hearing has been scheduled for April 26th. We hope for a decision by the summer.

There is also much to be concerned about regarding the group that will be overseeing this program. This California based group is called “Alliance for Separation of School and State,” and here in New Hampshire they are called the “NH Network For Educational Opportunity.”  Make no mistake they are one in the same, animated by the goal of “ending government involvement in education,” In other words…privatizing public education. To read more on this group click here to read Bill Duncan’s research on it.

There is no oversight and the only accountability is a parent survey. There is no oversight board and the donors are not going to be public. The only oversight is a summary on statistics that will be produced.

New Hampshire cannot afford to divert scarce resources to private and religious schools as well as home-schoolers.

This is just bad policy. This tax credit program initiated in 2012 is an ill-disguised attempt to begin dismantling and privatizing our public education in NH while weakening our good schools. We are justly proud of our schools in NH and these “vouchers” disguised as tax-credits will only harm public education.

For the above reasons we ask that the Senate Health, Education & Human Services committee make the recommendation of ought to pass.

If you have not taken action and sent a letter to the committee members it is not too late. By clicking here you can take action and ask that they pass this bill.

If you have any questions or concerns please email me at lhainey@aft-nh.org.

In Solidarity,
Laura Hainey
AFT-NH President

OTHER HAPPENINGS AT THE STATE HOUSE AND WHAT WE KNOW!

The Senate Health, Education & Human Services committee will be holding a hearing on HB 142 relative to teacher evaluation systems on March 26th at 9:40 a.m. As I read this bill, any teacher evaluation and support system will be developed with teacher involvement and must be adopted by both the local school board and the teachers. The State teacher evaluation model may serve as a guide and reference only, meaning that it is not mandated that the State model be adopted at the local level. To protect current negotiated provisions in contracts, language was added to the bill, reading “Nothing in this paragraph shall supersede collective bargaining rights under RSA 273-A.” This bill has come a long way from when it was introduced.

We know that the NH School Board Association was not happy with the amended language and I believe they will be coming back with language that is more like the original bill. Keep in mind the original language gave local school boards the entire responsibility for the development, adoption, implementation, and monitoring of a teacher evaluation system. The school board might consult with school administrators and teachers in the development of a teacher evaluation system, but it would not be required to do so.

The House Finance committee is still working their way through the budget bill HB 1 and 2. The full house will have to vote by April 4th.  To read the full text of the budget bill click here. Once the full house has voted on HB 1 and HB 2 they will move over to the Senate. The Senate has until June 6th to take a full vote. We know that each chamber will have different budgets and HB 1 and 2 will move to a committee of conference, where both chambers will have till June 27th to take action.

UPCOMING HEARINGS FOR NEXT WEEK
Note the ones in red are priority bills for AFT-NH

MONDAY, MARCH 25

FINANCE, Rooms 210-211, LOB
Division Budget Presentations to Full Committee:
10:00 a.m. Division I and Division II.
1:00 p.m. Division III.

FINANCE – (DIVISION I), Room 212, LOB
9:30 a.m. Work session on HB 1-A, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, HB 2-FN-A-L, relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures.

FINANCE – (DIVISION II), Room 209, LOB
9:30 a.m. Work session on HB 1-A, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, HB 2-FN-A-L, relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures.

FINANCE – (DIVISION III), Rooms 210-211, LOB
9:30 a.m. Work session on HB 1-A, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, HB 2-FN-A-L, relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 103, LOB

9:00 a.m. HB 161, relative to school district policies on health and sex education.
9:40 a.m. HB 142, relative to teacher evaluation systems.
10:00 a.m. HB 629-FN, relative to the criteria for approving and calculating school building aid grants.

FINANCE, Rooms 210-211, LOB
10:00 a.m. Executive session on HB 1-A, making appropriations for the expenses of certain departments of the state for fiscal years ending June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015, HB 2-FN-A-L, relative to state fees, funds, revenues, and expenditures.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

10 a.m. House in session

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

10a.m.  Possible House session

1 p.m. Senate in session

MONDAY, APRIL 1

TASK FORCE ON WORK AND FAMILY (RSA 276-B:1), Room 207, LOB
1:15 p.m. Organizational meeting.

TUESDAY, APRIL 2

EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
10:00 a.m. Department of Education – Presentation Common Core.
11:00 a.m. Department of Education – Smarter Balance Assessment.
1:15 p.m. NH school safety and security.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

FISCAL COMMITTEE (RSA 14:30-a), Rooms 210-211, LOB
10:00 a.m. Regular business.

Rep. Mary Stuart Gile’s Senate testimony on her voucher repeal bill, HB 370

  By Advancing New Hampshire Public Education | March 24, 2013 - 2:30 pm | ,
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NH House

“Good afternoon. For the record, I am Mary Stuart Gile and I represent Merrimack District 27, which includes Concord Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, & 7. I am the prime sponsor of HB 370-FN, an act repealing the education tax credit program. There are multiple reasons for doing so. Mine are as follows:

1. Constitutionality, The NH Constitution (Part I-Art 6 and Part II-Article 83) specifically prohibits public funds from going to religious schools. The Education Tax Credit program as enacted is dependent on revenue intended for the general fund as Business Profit Tax (BPT) or Business Enterprise Tax, (BET) and diverting it through an intermediary, non-profit, scholarship organization, to be used as tuition to private schools, out-of-district public schools and possibly religious schools. Currently, the constitutionality of the education tax credit/voucher is before the Superior Court with a decision anticipated in mid-April.

2. Fiscal impact – 3.4 million this year; 5.1 in 2014 and up to 135 million in a decade, given our current fiscal constraints, can NH communities afford this? And the $2500/student scholarship may sound tempting to parents but it falls far short of tuition for secular schools, which range from $5000/student to $25,000/student in NH.

 

3. Research – Studies over twenty years show no statistical difference in student achievement between students attending private school on vouchers and those in public schools. In fact public school students in Milwaukee, Cleveland and Washington, DC outperformed students with vouchers when test scores were weighted to reflect socioeconomic level, race and disability. Further, in a 2011 audit report on Milwaukee‘s parental choice program, which is the nation’s oldest, established in 1990, little difference was found in the achievement scores between students in the City‘s private school voucher program and a matched sample attending Milwaukee‘s public schools. But the voucher program cost more per pupil.,

4. Accountability -Prior to the Education Tax Credit/voucher legislation, the BPT and BET went into the State Education Trust Fund and General Fund and were accountable to NH tax payers. There is absolutely no educational or fiscal accountability plan in the 2012 Education tax credit statute for any of this money to anyone!

5. History: The education tax credit is risky education policy and a poorly conceived piece of legislation that was initiated in 2011 by the Network for Educational Opportunity, (NEO), formerly known as the ‘Alliance for the Separation of Schools and State.’

The Alliance or NEO was incorporated in California in 2000 as a non-profit organization and its current board of directors all reside outside of NH. NEO’s stated purpose is ‘provide and support a variety of educational programs and promulgate publications designed to increase public understanding and acceptance of school systems independent of government funding and control.’ Many of the Proclaimations asserted by NEO or the Alliance are particularly inflammatory regarding our Nation’s public schools. The legislation creating NH’s education tax credit was crafted in collaboration with NEO and introduced and passed in both the House and the Senate in 2012 .

After the legislation passed, NEO registered as a non-profit in NH in August, 2012 and is the only non-profit scholarship organization that has applied so far. Beyond their stated purpose, NEO’s goals are to discredit and preferably dismantle public education. In their literature, this is because public schools are controlled by the government and subject to all the ills of government bureaucracy and power, including the ‘use of force to secure their audience,’ (their language, not mine).

Obviously, NEO was unfamiliar with the fact that NH is a local control state, that while local, state and federal funds provide support for educational programs, decisions about accepting such funds, curriculum, teacher evaluation, student activities etc are all made by local school boards made up of community folks who dedicate their time to ensure that their students have the best education possible. Often at the same town meetings that have just been held around NH. Hardly big government

NEO/ Alliance promotes parent choice. NH parents already have choices…publicly funded charter schools, including the Virtual learning Academy School which is a model for the country, home schooling , open enrollment schools, public schools and any combination of these. All of these opportunities are inclusive to students of all income levels, and learning styles and abilities. Public schools unlike private schools are not selective

NEO may also have been under the impression that NH students are behind others in the nation which is far from the truth. NH students in the most recent NAEP tests scored in the top ten in the country in mathematics and reading. NH is not a Mississippi, or Alabama or even a Louisiana.

Of Course there’s always room for improvement, but 20 years of research and data do not support vouchers or education tax credits as the way to improve student learning.

The education tax credit legislation was created by an organization from California that knew nothing about our education system, How it was funded or how it worked. They proposed a plan that disregards our commitment to funding an adequate education for every NH child and includes targeted funds for children receiving free and reduced lunch, and that students who meet specific criteria receive the support that they need.

And the irony in all of this is, as a non-profit organization registered in NH, there is nothing to stop NEO from raising funds and establishing a foundation to provide scholarships to anyone. It would take more time and the scholarships might be much smaller in amount, but they could do it, without taking money from NH’s general fund and Education Trust Fund. There would be no limitations on how the scholarships were distributed and many of the religious schools could benefit.

In closing, I have served in this House for 17 years. In December, 2012, I was appointed chair of the House Education Committee, which tells you that my primary concern is Education Policy in NH. I have been an educator for over 45 years, including 17 years in the classroom, preK-college, (all income groups); 16 years as a consultant with the NH Dept of Education in ECE and Title 1,ESEA; ( state-wide responsibilities and parent involvement); 6 years as VP for Education and Development for the AAS (gifted and talented)and chair and professor of Early Childhood Education at NHTI, Concord’s Community College. I have three degrees including a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Vanderbilt University. I am also a Mother of 4 adult children and 2 adult grandchildren, (all graduates of Concord’s public schools, with some private school and home schooling as well). I am a parent, an educator and an advocate for public education. History has proven that with all its challenges, our Nation’s commitment to public education is what has made America, the greatest Nation in the World.

Lastly, our primary responsibility as legislators is to ensure that our public schools and the students who attend them are receiving the best education that we can provide and the financial assistance as required by current law, which includes adequacy funding, catastrophic aid, vocational education tuition, transportation and building aid. These are our priorities. It does not make sense to continue a program where we voluntarily decrease state revenue collection in business taxes. We cannot ask our local communities to absorb any more loss of funding and we should not continue a program that so far has proven of no educational value.

Madam Chair, and Honorable Senate Colleagues, the education tax credit is bad legislation that we simply cannot afford. I hope you will support the House of Representatives majority vote of OTP on HB 370. Thank you

Reposted from ANHPE

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Minimum Wage Earners Would Need To Work Over 100 Hours A Week To Pay The Rent. Anyone Else See The Problem Here?

  By Matt Murray | March 24, 2013 - 10:59 am |
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Unit Housing Minimum Wage

Lately between the state and national battles on raising the minimum wage, people everywhere are talking about the potential impacts of the change.

The people on the right, want you to believe that raising the minimum wage will cost jobs.  This is completely untrue.  In fact according to a recent study done by the Center for Economic and Policy Research they found that “The weight of that evidence points to little or no employment response to modest increases in the minimum wage.”   This does not mean that a few smaller companies would not have to make some staffing adjustments if the wage was increased.  The truth is that most of these companies are already paying employees above minimum wage. In fact over 66% of minimum wage earners work for major corporations (I.E Wal-Mart and McDonalds) not small businesses.

The other common myth that the Republicans are trying to spread is that minimum wage earners are just teenagers working their first job.  Contrary to what they are saying only 13% of minimum wage earners nationally are teenagers.  Here in New Hampshire that number is a little higher at 22%. That is a far cry from a majority of workers, that is not even a quarter of worker.  They are adults, struggling every day to survive.  In fact over  “more than a third (35.8 percent) are married, and over a quarter (28.0 percent) are parents“.  What kind of family life could you possibly have if your being forced to work 100 hours a week to survive?

For everyone, housing is the biggest concern.  Some people must choose to pay the rent before they pay for food.  This is wrong.  To “Live within your means” your housing costs should not exceed 30% of you total income.  This allows you to pay for rent, and any other housing costs without having to sacrifice in other areas, like dinner.

For many low income families this 30% number is just unattainable. In fact according to fair market value of rent (FMR), a person would have to earn $18.79 per hour to afford a two bedroom apartment.  In the federal minimum wage is $7.25 then a worker would have to work over 100 hours a week to pay the rent.  This is an outrage.  Here in New Hampshire, the FMR of a two bedroom apartment is $20.47. That is 113 hours a week at minimum wage.   While the New Hampshire is debating an increase to around $10 an hour, would this really help?  In NH a minimum wage worker would still be required to work 81 hours to afford an apartment.

http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/2013_OOR_Most_Expensive_Jurisdictions_Table.pdfNew Hampshire is far from the worst when it comes to rental prices.  Hawaii comes in at a whopping $32.14 per hour.  The minimum wage in Hawaii is set to the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.  That mean a worker would have to work 177 hours a week to afford a two bedroom apartment. Remember there are only 168 hours in a week.  As you can clearly see below, there is not a single state where a minimum wage earner could live without working 80 hours a week.

Unit Housing Minimum Wage

We must not let partisan politics and party rhetoric get in the way of doing what is best for the millions of workers struggling every day to pay their rent. We can do better, we should do better.  Congress should raise the minimum wage and chain it to inflation so it will continue to rise automatically. Then  state can determine if they need to add to the federal minimum to adjust for local costs of living.