Update: Protecting Health Care and Ending Period Poverty
Wednesday was a long, but productive day in the New Hampshire House of Representatives as we voted on dozens of bills passed earlier in the Senate. Here’s a quick recap. (I voted with the majority in each case).
New Hampshire children are one step closer to being protected against discrimination in public schools thanks to the 214-143 approval of SB263. This bill would extend the state’s current civil rights statute to prohibit exclusion based on age, sex, gender identity, race, creed, color, marital status, family status, disability, national origin, or any other protected classes. It was proposed based on a recommendation from the governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion.
“Period poverty” is closer to being a thing of the past thanks to the passage of SB142. This bill requires tampons to be available free of charge in all female bathrooms in public New Hampshire middle schools and high schools. Currently, young women attending public schools who can’t afford feminine hygiene products often stay home from school. This heartbreaking situation negatively impacts both their education and self-esteem. Unfortunately, opponents chose to position SB142 as an “unfunded mandate”, a “tax”, and as “socialist overreach”. The reality is this is matter of ensuring the basic human dignity of vulnerable children is preserved. Put simply, it’s no more of an unfunded mandate than stocking bathrooms with toilet paper. It was a debate that featured some of the best and worst moments of the 2019 session. Here’s a sample from the House Livestream Feed. (Note:: This clip is from the part of the debate known as the “parliamentary inquiry”, where the final speakers sum up the key reasons for voting Yes or No for legislators who may or may not have been paying attention. The first speaker is Rep. Jeanine Notter (R) Merrimack. The second speaker is Rep. Sue Mullen (D) Bedford.) You can view livestreams or recordings of all House sessions here.
Several key components of the state’s new 10 Year Mental Health Plan took a big step forward with the overwhelming bipartisan passage (by voice vote) of SB14. Among a host of reforms targeted at the care of children, this bill funds and expands mental health crisis units available to children and can help them avoid the need for emergency hospitalization.
The House threw patients and Medicaid mental health providers a lifeline by passing SB5 by a 207-130 margin. A key area of focus of the 10 Year Mental Health Plan, this bill makes a $3 million appropriation to the department of health and human services to increase Medicaid provider rates for mental health and substance abuse disorders. On average, mental health providers in New Hampshire are paid 20 percent less than those providing primary care and specialist services. This disparity makes it increasingly difficult for them to stay in business and attract and retain needed staff.
The House once again rejected a bill that would have allowed casino gambling. SB310 was voted “Inexpedient to Legislate” by an overwhelming 289-63 margin. With New England over-saturated with casinos and revenue projections questionable at best, pragmatism and concern over the social costs of adding more legalized gambling in New Hampshire won the day.
Thanks to the 213-137 passage of SB4, Granite Staters know their legislature has their backs when it comes to protecting them from losing their coverage due to pre-existing conditions. SB4 would enact this and other key protections of the Affordable Care Act into state law. This would allow them to continue protecting New Hampshire residents should Congress repeal the ACA or should the courts rule it unconstitutional. In addition to requiring health plans to continue to cover the 10 essential health benefits, SB4 would also prohibit insurers from offering plans with annual maximums that limit the amount of money the plan will pay in a single year. Prior to the ACA, some health plans featured annual maximums as low as $3,000—not anywhere near enough to cover maternity costs, treatment for a chronic condition, or the cost of an accident or an acute illness. Without SB4, junk insurance plans like these could return in force should the ACA no longer be in effect.
Fire-fighting foams containing PFAS and PFOA (perfluoralkyl substances) would finally be outlawed in the Granite State under SB257. These foams were responsible for contaminating well water that led to the exposure of thousands of children and adults at Pease Tradeport. The bill also requires the Department of Environmental Services to conduct a study to investigate methods for safe collection and disposal of firefighting foams containing these contaminants.
Graduating college students would have one more reason to stay in New Hampshire with the 201-134 passage of SB12. This bill allows employers to opt-in to provide at least $1,000 to New Hampshire college graduates or their loan provider during the first four years of employment. Supported by the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, the NH Business and Industry Association and Stay, Work, Play New Hampshire, this is free advertising for businesses and an important incentive for young people to stay in New Hampshire.
Last but not least, my astronomer and astro-photographer friends will be happy with the passage of SB307. This bill will reduce nighttime light pollution 1) by specifying the color temperature of outdoor lighting to be used when funded by state agencies and 2) by creating rules that allow state agencies and municipalities to own install smart adaptive street lighting and network lighting controls in street lights in their jurisdictions. In some places, it would be the difference between seeing a dark sky full of stars—and a grayish sky with a few bright spots.
Interested in seeing how individual representatives (like me) voted on these and other bills? Find the bill number and search roll call votes on this page.