From Chuck Townsend – Mascoma Forward
Speaker Chandler wisely rescheduled last Thursday’s session until this week.
I mentioned these two bills last week: HB 1474, designating the NH Red as the official state poultry, and HB 1680, relative to abortions after viability.
In my message last week I said I was concerned about HB 1680. I said “There are no exceptions including for the health of the mother!” I was alerted to an amendment proposed, that will be voted on before the bill, that is copied below. I don’t know if the House will adopt the amendment, but if it is adopted, I think the bill would be a little less bad.
Floor Amendment to HB 1680-FN (2018-0937h) Proposed by Rep. Murphy
Amend RSA 132-B:3, II as inserted by section 2 of the bill by replacing it with the following: II. No abortion shall be performed upon a pregnant woman after viability of the fetus except when a physician reasonably believes that it is necessary to prevent either the death of the pregnant woman or the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the woman, in cases of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, or to remove a fetus with severe anomalies incompatible with life.
You may have heard about some of the bills that were passed along to the Senate by the House this week. Here’s how our representatives voted on a few important bills.
I am glad that HB 1804, relative to the work requirement for able-bodied adults for public assistance programs, was not passed. Passage failed on a Division vote, 183 to 110. There are three modes of voting in our House. The simplest is a Voice vote. Representatives shout out Aye or Nay, and the Speaker decides which has the most voices. This vote was the second possibility, a Division vote. Representatives indicate their vote electronically but no record is made of individual votes, so I can’t tell how our reps voted. After a Roll Call vote, a record is kept of each representative’s vote.
I mentioned HB 1516, establishing a commission to examine the feasibility of the New England states entering into a compact for a single payer health care program. It failed on a Voice vote.
I was sad to see that HB 1264, relative to construction of the terms “resident,” “inhabitant,” “residence,” and “residency,” was passed. The 171 to 144 vote was very partisan. Rep. Brown and Rep. Darrow both voted to restrict access to voting, and Rep. Dontonville and Rep. Josephson voted to maintain voting rights.
The result of consideration of HB 1319, prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity were much better. It passed by a vote of 195 to 129, with Rep. Brown casting the only vote from a Mascoma town against preventing discrimination based on gender identity.
Good news, too, on HB 1532 prohibiting gender reassignment surgery for minors. The Ought to Pass motion failed 162 to 164, so surgery for gender reassignment can continue in New Hampshire. Here again Rep. Darrow voted with the Democrats, and if he hadn’t, the prohibition would have passed. He deserves my thanks for that vote.
The Senate gave us some good news too. Medicaid expansion was passed after nearly two hours of floor debate. The vote was 17 to 7 to approve SB 313, a plan which could keep Medicaid expansion going for another five years. Sen. Martha Hennessey voted to approve the plan, and Sen. Bob Giuda voted against it. Next the expansion bill will be considered by the House, where it is likely to face tougher opposition.
I hope we can have more good news after the House meets on the 15th.
Chuck Townsend – Mascoma Forward