Legislative round-up for May 10 in Concord

CONCORD, NH – The House meets May 10 to consider school vouchers, gay conversion therapy, accreditation of secure psychiatric unit, protection of vulnerable elderly, and environmental bills:

HB 1636 – The education freedom savings account bill is now an amendment in HB 1636, which establishes a committee to study education policy. HB 1636 also has an amendment paying death benefits for teachers killed in the line of duty.

HB 587 – This bill would make gay conversion therapy illegal in New Hampshire. The Senate had approved it.

HB 1565 – The Senate weakened this bill which requires the secure psychiatric unit to be accredited as a behavioral health facility. Its ability to protect may be restored if the House sends it to a Committee of Conference.

HB 1592 – Testing for arsenic in drinking water was weakened in the Senate. If the House now sends it to a Committee of Conference, it can be restored to keep the DES to a schedule for creating an arsenic standard. We have 3,000 cases per million of bladder cancer alone (tied to ingestion of arsenic but also other chronic disease and cancer).

HB 1766 – This relates to remediation of Coakley Landfill in North Hampton. It was weakened in the Senate. If it is sent to a Committee of Conference, it has a chance of making the group responsible for cleaning up their toxic mess.

HB 1807 – This bill is intended to protect the vulnerable elderly (Alzheimer’s and dementia). Its ability to protect may be restored if the House sends it to a Committee of Conference.