Latest news with #SB295
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Educational Freedom Accounts now universal in New Hampshire in new law
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a bill into law Tuesday that makes so-called "school choice" universal in New Hampshire. SB 295 makes the school voucher program known as Education Freedom Accounts universal in New Hampshire by eliminating the household income limit of 350% of the federal poverty guidelines for all students. This means that all families regardless of income level will have the potential to access the program that allows families to use annual state education funds for private and homeschooling expenses. This bill establishes universal eligibility as soon as July 2025. It includes a 10,000-student cap on the program for the 2025-2026 school year, which would double the program that currently contains 5,321 students. For each subsequent year, the cap would be increased by 25% if total enrollment of the prior year is greater than 90% of the that year's enrollment cap. Ayotte had called for an expansion of the EFA program, but this bill goes further than what she had outlined. Ayotte's plan called for removing income limits for students who had attended public schools for at least a year, but to keep the 350% income cap (about 112,000 for a family of four) on students who have already been homeschooled or were already enrolled in a private school. Ayotte signed the expanded bill into law Tuesday. 'Giving parents the freedom to choose the education setting that best fits their child's needs will help every student in our state reach their full potential," she said in a statement. More: Open enrollment will hurt NH public school students: Seacoast superintendents speak out Republicans have been attempting to expand the EFA program for the past few years, arguing that families should be able to choose the best school for their children. 'With the passage of this bill, we are now able to deliver universal school choice for all New Hampshire families,' said Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, who sponsored the bill, in a statement. 'These changes will give families more options that will help New Hampshire's future leaders flourish in school environments that best suit them.' But Democrats have long fought against the program, saying that it will cost the state too much money, hurt public schools that are already underfunded and benefit already wealthy families. 'Get out your wallets folks. Wealthy people want subsidies from taxpayers like you to send their kids to private schools,' said Rep. David Meuse, D-Portsmouth, adding that the law is expected to 'increase the state's obligation to pony up your tax dollars for the GOP school voucher scam by tens of millions of dollars over the next biennium while many state services will be cut due to declining state revenues.' Teachers' unions in the state are also against the program. In a statement released after the signing, the largest teachers' union in the state, NEA-NH, said that the law will hurt public schools. 'All students deserve a high-quality education and the support they need to thrive. Unfortunately, expanding the unaccountable voucher scheme will exacerbate the already inequitable public education funding system in New Hampshire,' said NEA-NH President Megan Tuttle. 'Limitless vouchers will take millions of dollars out of public schools to subsidize private school education for a few at the expense of nearly 90% of students who attend community public schools.' NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut has long supported the program. His seven children were homeschooled. "New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program has already transformed lives by giving families access to the educational pathways that best fit their children's needs," he said in a statement. "Expanding this opportunity through universal eligibility is a bold and forward-thinking move that reimagines what education can be, providing every student with the opportunity to reach their full potential and experience a bright future." This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 'School choice' now universal in NH after governor signs bill into law
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lombardo rejects street vendor bill, lacrosse as veto total reaches 65
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nine more bills vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo on Wednesday raised the total to 65, just 10 short of a record he established following the legislative session in 2023. Lombardo rejected bills related to the street vendor regulations, deletion of police recordings of traffic stops, state sanctioning of lacrosse as an interscholastic sport and changes in the state law on automatic voter registration through the DMV. A number of the bills appeared to be examples of expanded government regulation, and Lombardo has emphasized reducing state government interference. STREET VENDORS: Lombardo vetoed Senate Bill 295 (SB295), Democratic Sen. Fabian Doñate's effort to refine a street vendor law approved two years ago. The bill would have made health officials in Clark County set a standard for food carts and communicate regulations to the public via a website. Vendor restrictions that went into place in 2023 ended up severely limiting any participation by small-business entrepreneurs that the legislation tried to allow. Fewer than 10 licensed operators are on the streets in Clark County. Lombardo rejected the bill, saying it was too big of a health risk and gave street vendors advantages over other food establishments. He said the same standards should apply. 'This risk is further compounded by the bill's allowance for storing food carts in private homes,' Lombardo's veto message said. 'Unlike regulated commercial kitchens, private residences are not subject to routine sanitation or pest control measures.' HIGH SCHOOL LACROSSE: SB305 would have allowed lacrosse to become a sanctioned sport for Nevada high schools, but also would have made changes in how decisions are made about club sports at that level. A veto message was not immediately available explaining Lombardo's reasons. TRAFFIC STOP RECORDINGS: SB85 sought to prevent the deletion of recordings of police traffic stops that the state intended to use in a study. But Lombardo said the Department of Public Safety hasn't received the analysis from a third-party entity authorized to collect and review the data. 'Requiring a report that has yet to materialize undermines confidence in the effectiveness and accountability of the process,' Lombardo said in his veto message. 'Before enshrining this mandate into permanent law, we should first ensure that the system in place is actually producing its intended results. VOTER REGISTRATION: SB422 contained changes to voter registration deadlines and steps regarding ID verification. But Lombardo vetoed it, citing several concerns over election integrity and voter security. 'By permitting voters to cast provisional ballots based on a written affirmation and submit proof of residency after Election Day, the bill weakens safeguards that ensure only eligible individuals participate in elections.' In addition, he said REAL ID is not a good standard because federal law permits some non-citizens and lawful status to get one. Other bills rejected on Wednesday included: SB128, which would have barred insurance companies from using AI to automatically generate rejections to claims. Lombardo called it unnecessary micromanaging. He also attacked the bill's requirements that doctors suggest stem cell therapy. SB352, which prohibited Medicaid and private insurers from discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. Lombardo called the bill a duplication of existing federal protections. SB378, which would have required 'free-standing emergency departments' to bill services at urgent care standards. Lombardo said the bill intended to improve access and affordability, but would likely have the opposite effect, putting facilities out of business. SB414 sought to require financial disclosures surrounding the 'inaugural committee,' but Lombardo attacked the bill as politically motivated. SB447, which would have created another way to challenge the award of a government contract. Lombardo said it would create 'a routine litigation tactic' that would lead to delays, higher costs and court injunctions. Two days remain for the governor to issue additional vetoes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Hampshire establishes Parental Bill of Rights, universal school vouchers
CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire's governor Kelly Ayotte signed two bills Tuesday to give parents more control over their children's education. House Bill 10, which cites the 'fundamental liberty' parents have to take care of their children, creates a 'Parental Bill of Rights'. It allows parents to opt their children out of health or sex education, and to exempt them from vaccinations for religious reasons. NH House passes bill to ban cell phones in schools The bill also allows parents to view their children's records and any educational material being taught to them, along with affirming the right of parents to choose to enroll their children in private, religious, or home schooling. Senate Bill 295 revises the requirements for school vouchers in the state. The state's Education Freedom Account (EFA) program offers grants to families who are home-schooling or enrolling their children in private school. Previously, these grants were only available to families with an income of less than 350 percent of the federal poverty level, or $112,525 a year for a family of 4 as of this year. SB 295 removes this limit so that families of all events are able to apply for the grant. Hassan, Noem lock horns over habeas corpus Each bill passed in a near-party line vote. Democrats in New Hampshire's legislature were unanimous in their opposition to SB 295, with the House Democratic Office calling the bill a handout for millionaires that will cost the state over $50 million dollars. But New Hampshire education commissioner Frank Edelblut said the EFA program 'has already transformed lives by giving families access to the educational pathways that best fit their children's needs'. HB 10 also prompted criticism from House Democrats, who warned that the bill could make it harder to protect vulnerable children, while Ayotte said she was proud to sign the bill, saying it ensured 'parents are the central voice in their children's education.' New Hampshire bakery wins free speech case over a painting of doughnuts, pastries The parental bill of rights will take effect July 1, and the changes to the EFA program will be effective August 9. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Critical comment sparks final EFA committee vote
The House budget chairman's claim that all New Hampshire school board members were 'corrupt' sparked the final committee vote Wednesday recommending legislation (SB 295) to remove income limits for families eligible to get Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). The comment from Rep. Ken Weyler, R-Kingston, came as he lashed out over what he described as the failure of public schools to improve student test scores even as taxpayers pay more to support K-12 education. 'This educational system we have in our state is a failure; it just keeps going up in costs and no increase in testing results, no discipline at all because school boards are just corrupt,' Weyler said. He accused the public-school lobby of pulling out all the stops to try and stop expansion of the taxpayer subsidies for parents to send their children to private, religious, alternative public or home school programs. 'You have thousands of people working for this corrupt system and they are the ones making phone calls and I object to it,' Weyler said. In response, Rep. Rosemarie Rung, D-Merrimack, called on Weyler to apologize to all present and past school board members such as herself and other Republicans on the panel. 'Perhaps it is an exaggeration, but I don't see any improvement,' Weyler answered. 'Maybe it's an exaggeration but it is a failure.' The House Finance Committee approved a rewrite of Sen. Victoria Sullivan's EFA bill on a party-line vote, 14-11, with all Democrats in opposition. Leading Democrats said the bill violated House budget procedure because it would spend $17 million more next year than what was contained in the $15 billion state budget that the House approved last month. The House budget's EFA program (HB 115) would raise the income limit next year from 350-to-400% of the federal poverty level. For families of four, that would raise the family income threshold from $112,525 to $128,600 annually. Ayotte proposed more modest EFA expansion But Sullivan's bill that cleared the House panel Wednesday would eliminate any income eligibility restriction right away though it would set an enrollment cap of 10,000. Currently, about 5,300 students receive EFAs that cost the state budget $30 million annually. The proposal goes well beyond what Gov. Kelly Ayotte had proposed for an expansion of EFAs. In her budget address in February, Ayotte endorsed eliminating EFA income limits, but only for parents whose children are enrolled in public schools. Studies have shown that as many as 80% of parents who received EFAs already had their children enrolled in non-public schools. Rep. Kate Murray, D-New Castle, charged the cap was illusory since the bill states there would be no enrollment limit if it doesn't reach 10,000 students for two straight years. 'This cap is more of a diversion than anything else,' Murray said. 'There is no cap on this; it seems to me this is somewhat an attempt of diverting the attention away from the facts that our constituents do not support expanding this program.' Rep. Daniel Popovici-Muller, R-Windham, said Sullivan and other EFA supporters proposed the cap to counter what he called baseless claims from Democratic critics that this expansion could bankrupt the state. 'This will regulate the growth of the program to ensure that these doomsday scenarios do not come about,' Popovici-Muller said. Rep. Keith Erf, R-Weare, amended the bill to ensure that those already enrolled, their siblings, any students with disabilities and those from families making less than 350% of FPL would always be enrolled regardless of the cap. Under the amendment, if the enrollment in any one year approaches 90% of the cap then it would be increased 25% which would raise it to 12,500. Rep. Laura Telerski, D-Nashua, said it's fiscally irresponsible to increase spending on the program for wealthier parents while the state budget cut spending and would force moderate-income families to pay a 5% premium for their Medicaid-provided health care. 'Of all years, this is not the year we need to spend like this,' Telerski said. 'We need to tighten our belts like we are telling every department that they have to do.' +++ What's Next: The full House is expected to approve the amended bill next week. Prospects: Ayotte has not said she would reject the EFA expansion that's more generous than what she wanted. This bill could mean EFA supporters don't have to wait for a final state budget compromise to get the expansion they want. klandrigan@
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The week ahead: Legislature taking up governor's priority bills this week
This could be a big week at the State House as Gov. Kelly Ayotte may secure support for two of her two priority bills — banning cites and towns from adopting sanctuary city policies and expanding access to taxpayer-subsidized, Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). The sanctuary city ban bill (SB 62) is in the form she wanted, while the EFA expansion (SB 295) outline under discussion would go far beyond what Ayotte had called for in February in presenting her two-year state budget plan. EFA plans First-term Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, has moved another step closer to getting her EFA proposal that, starting in the 2025-2026 school year, would erase any income eligibility cap on parents who could receive the scholarships to send their child to any private, religious, alternative public or home school program. Sullivan's bill limits enrollment in EFAs to 10,000 a year; currently just over 5,000 parents have EFAs that average just over $5,000 apiece. Sullivan's EFA expansion coming close to reality The House of Representatives will vote Thursday on minor changes to the expansion of Education Freedom Accounts that State Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, has championed. The House Education Funding Committee crafted its own amendment that contains all the principles of Sullivan's bill while adding some implementation changes in future years if interest doesn't approach that 10,000 limit. In both versions that number could get bumped up to 12,500. The House had earlier passed its own bill (HB 115) to erase the income cap in 2027 after raising the family income threshold in 2026 from 350% to 400% of the federal poverty level. Ayotte's plan is quite different. It would lift all income eligibility, but make future EFAs available only to parents who have their children enrolled in public schools and want to take them out. According to numerous studies, more than three-fourths of EFAs given out to date have gone to families that already had children enrolled in non-public schools. The full House will consider the bills when it meets on Thursday. Budget hearing The Senate Finance Committee will hold its one and only public hearing on the state budget in Representatives Hall Tuesday afternoon. House to vote on firearms education courses in public schools House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee Chairman Terry Roy, R-Deerfield, pictured here during a recent debate, is proposing to require firearms education for all public school students. Then on Friday afternoon it opens its first public 'discussion' about what that spending plan should look like. Senate Democrats have protested the lack of hearings in the evening so working people could attend. They have sponsored their own 'They Cut You Out Tour' listening sessions recently in Hampton and Laconia. Safety and more On Wednesday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee holds its all-important work session aimed at coming up with the estimates for state tax and fee collections that will provide the basis for spending levels in the Senate's budget plan. Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn and his team are lobbying hard for legislation (SB 54) to change state law regarding a motorist accused of driving drunk who refuses to consent to a blood alcohol test. Presently, there is no penalty for declining the test and Quinn said that's why New Hampshire has the highest rate in the country of those who refuse to take it — over 70%. His preferred, Senate-passed bill would increase penalties for those who refuse and allow a judge to waive or lower punishment for those who agree to take the test even if they flunk it. House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee Chairman Terry Roy, R-Deerfield, has proposed a sweeping add-on amendment to the bill that would mandate an 'age appropriate,' firearms training course in all public schools. Under the design, by the 2026-27 school year all K-12 students shall get instruction with the focus on those in grades 6-12 to include 'basic firearm mechanics, safe handling principles, secure storage practices and an overview of state and federal firearms laws.' A hearing on Roy's amendment is scheduled for Friday morning. Key House committee votes on Murphy's housing priority bill Sen. Keith Murphy, R-Manchester, has sponsored 10 bills to promote more affordable housing but a House panel passes judgement this week on his favorite, a bill (SB 84) that would set maximum lot sizes in at least half of the available land in cities and towns. Later that day Roy's panel is scheduled to make a recommendation on the amendment along with two others Ayotte supports to impose minimum mandatory jail terms for major fentanyl possession with intent to sell (SB 14) and anyone who sells drugs that causes the death of another (SB 15). Some other important bills that political observers will be following include: • Tenant eviction law (HB 60): A Senate panel takes testimony Tuesday on the House-passed measure that allows landlords to evict anyone after termination of a lease if they can't reach agreement on the new rent and give that party 60 days notice. • Starter home limits (SB 84): The House Housing Committee on Tuesday will decide whether to support the ambitious plan of Sen. Keith Murphy, R-Manchester, to limit house lot sizes. If adopted, 50% of all available house lots could be no more than half an acre in size if the property has town water and sewer and no more than two acres if the parcel has neither. • Sherrill's Law (SB 273): The House Transportation Committee will consider the Senate-passed bill to require all motorists to give a 'wide berth' to anyone along the highway there due to an emergency. State Police Staff Sgt. Jesse Sherrill was killed in 2021 while providing assistance to a work crew on I-95 when a tractor-trailer struck and crushed his cruiser. The driver pleaded guilty to felony negligent homicide and was given a one-year prison term with a longer term suspended for 20 years upon his release. • Child sex trafficking (SB 262): This bill would increase the prison term for sex trafficking of a child under the age of 18 from a mandatory seven- to 30-year sentence to one that would be at least 18 years to life in prison. • House bills on borrowed time: During its own session Thursday, the Senate will consider killing outright 16 House-passed bills, including one that would erase a buffer zone that critical access hospitals (HB 223) have since competing health care services can't be located within 15 miles of their businesses. Rep. Mark McLean, R-Manchester, authored this bill that attracted strong opposition from the New Hampshire Hospital Association. Other bills headed for the trash heap in the Senate would double the legal possession limits of marijuana for medically eligible patients (HB 190) and permit adults to possess blackjacks, slung shots and brass knuckles (HB 207). The Senate is looking kindly on another social issue priority of House Republicans, a bill to make it easier for parents to claim a religious exemption to the requirement that their child receive a vaccine (HB 358). The Senate proposes to add a technical amendment at the request of officials with the Department of Health and Human Services. klandrigan@
