MVDC Actions - Week of 04/27/2025

Get Your Tickets!

Support our own Jill Weber!

  • HCDC is recognizing Jill for her outstanding work to help elect Democrats, improve Mont Vernon, support democratic ideals, and create community.

Click Here to Purchase Your Tickets No Later Than Wednesday 4/30!

  • Buffet Dinner including 3 entree choices, appetizers, and dessert

  • Cash Bar

  • Free parking

Keynote Speaker - Hon. Andru Volinsky:
Hon. Andru Volinsky is a former Executive Councilor and the author of a newly released book. In The Last Bake Sale, he tells the story of New Hampshire's school funding woes as no one else can. As the lead lawyer in the Claremont school funding cases, Andru has waged a twenty-year battle to make access to education fairer for all children in the state, not just the privileged. He will offer us a history of how we got where we are on school funding and how to find a better path forward.

"School funding is the story of how we treat our children. It is also about how we treat our democracy.” 

In a recent review, Forbes calls the book "a riveting, illuminating, and encouraging tale." 

Protest Opportunities

Rally
May Day International Workers' Day Celebration
State House Arch, Concord
May 1st - 5 to 7 pm

Hosted by Welcoming NH, AFSC NH, NH Council of Churches, NH Sierra Club and Sponsored by Kent Street Coalition

Join us at the Arches at the NH State House on International Workers Day to commemorate the immigrant workers in this country and across the world who make this state, country and world work. As we honor immigrant workers this May Day, it's imperative to recognize their unwavering commitment and the challenges they often face. Let's advocate for fair labor practices, equitable policies, and inclusive communities that uphold the dignity and rights of all workers, regardless of their origin. Today, we celebrate the strength and resilience of immigrant workers. Tomorrow, we continue our collective journey toward justice and equality for all.

This week’s sign in opportunities…

Although both the House and Senate are still considering bills passed during the session in the opposite chamber, we’re focused on the Senate this week. Four is the theme this week. There are 4 bad bills being discussed in Education - including another attempt to restrict local mask decisions in schools. There are 4 bad bills in Elections aimed at making NH’s safe and secure elections more burdensome for voters and more expensive for municipalities. There are 4 bad bills in Judiciary, including one that Kent Street Coalition describes as, “a cruel bill, pure and simple.”

Sign in at the links below to weigh in on each of them.

NH SENATE

If you need further directions for the Senate Remote Testimony tool, click HERE. 

TUESDAY - OPPOSE

OPPOSE THESE FOUR:

HB431 - (New Title) establishing a commission to study the costs of special education.

Rep Balboni - “The majority completely altered the bill, replacing it with a non-germane amendment that creates a commission to study the costs of special education. This commission… fails to include crucial stakeholders who understand how special education is implemented in schools…”

HB699 - relative to special education definitions.

Granite State Progress: “This bill drew sharp criticism from parents, students, disability advocates, and the public when it was heard in the House in February.”

HB361 - prohibiting mandatory mask policies in schools.

NHDP - This bill introduces a new section to RSA 189, specifically prohibiting school boards and public education agencies from adopting, enforcing, or implementing policies that mandate students or members of the public to wear facial coverings on school property

HB50 - (New Title) relative to intentional or knowing violation of the prohibition on teaching discrimination.

AFSC-NH: This previously positive bill has been amended to remove all the language that repeals the “divisive concepts” law which has already been found unconstitutional and is no longer in effect.

1. Sign into (or stay signed into) the Senate Remote Testimony tool to voice your opposition.

2. Select:

  • Tuesday, April 29th on the calendar

  • SENATE EDUCATION

  • 9:30 AM - HB431

  • I am a member of the public.

  • I am representing myself.

3. Click: "I oppose this bill", then click the continue at the bottom of the form.

4. Enter your personal information and click continue.

5. Review your info, check the checkbox and click continue.

Repeat steps 2 thru 5 for HB699 @ 9:45 AM, HB361 @ 10:00 AM, and HB50 @ 10:15 AM

OPPOSE THESE FOUR:

HB154 - enabling voters to request to have their ballots hand-counted. OPPOSE (S)

HB217 - relative to absentee ballots

NHDP - This bill amends the absentee ballot voting process by requiring voters to provide documentation that proves their citizenship, age, domicile, and identity to qualify for voting.

HB270 - requiring the preservation of electronic ballot counting device memory chips. OPPOSE (S)

HB274 - relative to the verification of voter rolls annually.

NHDP - This bill amends the current law regarding the verification of voter rolls by changing the frequency of verification from every ten years to an annual requirement.

1. Sign into (or stay signed into) the Senate Remote Testimony tool to voice your opposition.

2. Select:

  • Tuesday, April 29th on the calendar

  • SENATE ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

  • 9:30 AM - HB154

  • I am a member of the public.

  • I am representing myself.

3. Click: "I oppose this bill", then click the continue at the bottom of the form.

4. Enter your personal information and click continue.

5. Review your info, check the checkbox and click continue.

Repeat steps 2 thru 5 for HB217 @ 9:45 AM, HB270 @ 10:00 AM, and HB274 @ 10:15 AM.

OPPOSE THESE FOUR:

HB514 - allowing private persons to sue for violations of election laws. OPPOSE (S)

HB584 - relative to public health, safety, and state sovereignty.

Kent Street Coalition - This bill provides that the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum have no jurisdiction in New Hampshire.

HB71 - (New Title) prohibiting the use of the facilities of a public elementary school, a public secondary school, or an institution of higher education to provide shelter for aliens who have not been admitted into the United States and relative to department of health and human services contracts.

Kent Street Coalition - This is a cruel bill, pure and simple.

HB511 - relative to cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

AFSC NH: This terrible, so-called “anti-sanctuary cities” bill would require local law enforcement to comply with immigration detainers, and undermines local control by prohibiting municipalities from adopting community policing policies or welcoming ordinances that limit local police from acting as federal immigration enforcement.

1. Sign into (or stay signed into) the Senate Remote Testimony tool to voice your opposition.

2. Select:

  • Tuesday, April 29th on the calendar

  • SENATE JUDICIARY

  • 1:00 PM - HB514

  • I am a member of the public.

  • I am representing myself.

3. Click: "I oppose this bill", then click the continue at the bottom of the form.

4. Enter your personal information and click continue.

5. Review your info, check the checkbox and click continue.

Repeat steps 2 thru 5 for HB584 @ 1:20 PM, HB71 @ 1:30 PM, and HB511 @ 1:40 PM.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MVDC is co-sponsoring two events in New Boston

Listening Session with local legislators

Wednesday - April 30th at 6:30

With Five Democratic House Representatives from surrounding towns. They want to Five Representatives hear your concerns regarding the state budget or other issues you have in mind. This session will help us understand the negative impact of the House Budget and how our voices might influence the next steps in the process.  This is your chance to ask hard questions and to make sure that Concord knows we are paying attention.

Doors will open at 6:00 at the Community Church of New Boston Dignard Room.

An Evening with Steve Marchand

Monday - May 5th at 6:00 PM

Steve Marchand will speak with us about what it means to be a Democrat in NH and how we can effect change in future elections. Steve is the former Mayor of Portsmouth, candidate for statewide office, and the author of the popular substack feed: The Politics of NH with Steve Marchand. Since it’s Cinco de Mayo, come early for social discussion over Mock Margaritas and snacks.

Doors at the Whipple Free Library in New Boston will open at 6:00. Steve’s talk starts at 7:15.

AND - Don’t forget our MVDC May meeting this Friday 5/2 at the Daland Memorial Library from 6:00 to 7:30 PM!

SUPPORT ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Molly Finnegan of PBS News reports’ “Hundreds of college presidents and other officials have signed a letter protesting the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” that higher education is facing under the Trump administration.

Kent Street reported that, as of 4/26, St. Anselm's is the only NH institution of higher learning whose president has signed on. 

ACTION:

  1. Follow the link to review the letter to see if your college or university has signed onto it.

  2. If Yes - call or email to thank them!

  3. If No - call or email to urge them to take a stand for academic freedom and urge your alum networks to do the same.

Our voices make a difference!