The House, Thursday, February 15, 2018

Rep. James McConnell (R - Ches 12)Mister Speaker, I move to table HCR 13 and I request a division vote.

Speaker ChandlerRep. McConnell has requested that HCR 13 be placed upon the table and has requested a division vote. All members will take their seats. We have a division vote. Rep. Cushing requests a roll call. Is that sufficiently seconded? It is sufficiently seconded. All members will please take their seats. The question before the House is on the motion to table HCR 13. Rep. McConnell is recognized for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. James McConnell (R - Ches 12)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know that just last week this House passed HJR 5, which in three short sentences makes it abundantly clear, that the State of New Hampshire completely rejects hate, bigotry and violence in all their forms and in no uncertain terms, and if I know, that HCR 13 is three pages listing a whole range of obviously heinous acts and very condemnable actions, and if I know, that in those three pages there is no mention of what I see as the 208 pound gorilla in the room, Muslim terrorism and Antifa, which according the Obama administration Department of Homeland Security was formally classified as conducting activities which amount to domestic terrorist violence, then I would push the green button? Thank you.

Speaker ChandlerThe question before the House is the motion to table HCR 13. If you are in favor of that, you'll press the green button. If you are opposed, you'll be pressing the red button. The Chair recognizes Rep. Cushing for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. Robert Renny Cushing (D - Rock 21)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If my heart broke last fall when the news of a lynching of a biracial boy in Claremont hit the news and I listened in the committee hearing on this bill and I heard the anguished words of the member from Claremont talking about how that hate crime impacted his community and how the community was trying to respond to that, and if I listened today to the State of the State Address when we heard our Governor talk about the need for inclusion and for diversity and if I realize that the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee gave thoughtful consideration to this bill and recommended that it Ought to Pass, would I now press the red button to defeat the tabling motion so that we could go on and pass this Resolution to let the world know that hate has no place in the Granite State?

Speaker ChandlerThe question before the House is on the adoption of the motion to table HCR 13. If you are in favor of tabling, you will press the green button. If you are opposed, you would press the red button. The voting stations are open for 30 seconds. Have all members voted who were here when the question was put? The House will attend to the state of the vote. 132 in the affirmative, 191 in the negative, the motion to table fails. The question before the House is on the committee report of Ought to Pass. The Chair recognizes the member from Goffstown, Rep. Burt. The House will be in order. The member is recognized to speak.

Rep. John Burt (R - Hills 39)Thank you, Mister Speaker. Mister Speaker, I know you and I agree on one thing, that we find hate crimes and racism in New Hampshire unacceptable. Would you not agree with that, Mister Speaker? HCR 13 was well intended, yet sadly only brings more division among citizens of New Hampshire. That is the part that I am against, Mister Speaker. The division among citizens in the Live Free or Die State, the citizens of New Hampshire that put every one of us in this great State House to represent them, they deserve better, Mister Speaker. Mister Speaker, there is hope for us in this House. That hope is HJR 5, which includes the people that we cannot speak of that are on the other side of that wall. HJR 5 is a more direct and to the point Resolution against hate crime and racism in New Hampshire. HJR 5 is so direct and to the point against hate crimes. Rep. Packard in the Chair

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)Will the member suspend? Please contain your remarks to this piece of legislation and not on another piece.

Rep. John Burt (R - Hills 39)I can do that. It's going to shorten my speech. It's going to really shorten it. So, if by chance Mister Speaker, someone yells roll call, Mister Speaker, would you please join me in pressing that bright, shiny red button and wait for a better House Resolution and send a strong message that hate crimes and racism in New Hampshire is not welcomed. Thank you, Mister Speaker.

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)The Chair calls the member from Claremont, Rep. Cloutier, to speak for the committee report.

Rep. John Cloutier (D - Sull 10)Thank you, Mister Speaker, fellow House Members. I rise today in strong support of HCR 13, which condemns hate crimes and any other form of racism in New Hampshire. I'm going to be frank with you; I never expected to be speaking today in favor of this timely and important Resolution until last August 28, 2017. On that date in Claremont, an 8-year old biracial boy, a Claremont resident, was part of an attempted lynching of him by some teenagers. Now I'll be honest with you, the crime is still under investigation and none of the teens has yet been criminally charged for this horrible incident, but the investigation is complicated by the fact that the alleged perpetrators are juvenile and must be treated differently under our criminal justice system. Having said that, this incident shocked the members of my community as it shocked people around our state and even the nation. I have received emails from all over the nation demanding justice for this trial and having no easy explanation. But anyway, moving on, this incident woke the people of Claremont up to the fact that even though we are 96% white, we have some racial problems with hate and Claremonters did not wait for this investigation, which is still ongoing, to be completed. Within a month after this terrible incident, they got together and formed a racial healing working group to try to work on ways to eradicate racism and all forms of hate and since then they have held a number of meetings and events to help in this effort, including Claremont's first ever Martin Luther King birthday holiday celebration, which I had the honor to attend. Basically, I think Claremont has woken up to the fact that there is something that a lot of Americans already understand, that racism and hate is not just a local Claremont problem, not just a New Hampshire problem, but an ongoing American problem that is not going to be solved overnight. While we have made some progress in eradicating racism and hate, I believe and I think a lot of Claremonters are now awaken to the fact, we have a long way to go. One thing, getting back to the Resolution itself, Claremonters appreciate the strong leadership of Governor Sununu in responding to the August 28 attempted lynching. They appreciate the fact that he has offered to help in this investigation and just recently he has created a Civil Rights Unit within the New Hampshire Department of Justice. Something that was long overdue in my opinion. Now, today, it is the turn of this legislature to exercise strong leadership and that strong leadership means passing HCR 13. In conclusion, Dr. Martin Luther King once said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "That the moral arc of the universe bends at the elbow of justice." And to paraphrase a bit of Dr. King, I would like to say, today, we should bend the moral arc more towards the elbow of justice by passing HCR 13. So please join me and the other bipartisan sponsors of this Resolution and vote yes on HCR 13. Thank you.

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)The member does not yield. The Chair calls the member from Nashua, Rep. Mangipudi, to speak in favor of the committee report.

Rep. Latha Mangipudi (D - Hills 11)Thank you, Mister Speaker. Thank you, my fellow Representatives. It is very emotional. I never expected in my 30-years of living in New Hampshire that I would be standing in the well speaking for fairness and justice. I have no words to express how I feel, how critical this Resolution is. I come from Nashua where the city has the most diverse population in the State. Six percent of the Nashua population are from an Indian American community. In just the last year, there are a number of times I have faced simple, innocuous comments from people that I knew. People that don't know me have said, "Go back to where you come from." In the beginning, I did not make too much of it. I thought that's ignorance or somebody not knowing. One time, I stopped and asked the person who said go back to where you come from, where do you think I come from? I've lived here the longest in my life. Most of my adult life I have spent in New Hampshire. Both of my kids were born and brought up here. To ask me, "Oh your country has a lot of turmoil. A lot of terrorists in your country," this was the response coming from a common citizen on the main street of our city and our town. How do I respond to my constituents who call me and ask how I am feeling about it? I heard that somebody came to Nashua to go to a restaurant and again, a very innocuous comment of go back to where you came from. You are not welcome here. Would that constitute a hate crime? Would that constitute discrimination? I want to ask that question and I ask that question every day. What do I tell my kids? We brought them up to think they are citizens here. They were born here. They don't know any different. To just shrug it off as nothing, like it's not something serious, that's just ignorance and I proudly hold my hand up. This is as white as I can get. This is as American as I can get. I am no less patriotic. I have served in every public service that I could think of. I have served on the school board. I have served as a State Rep., activist and just the idea of this is my community, this is my home and now I have this inherent fear and this unsettling feeling. Do I belong here? Is this really my home? If I have to ask this question to myself, how do I respond to my constituents who call me and say, "I'm afraid or would you be there for vigilance for when somebody was attacked?" A simple story. A parent was visiting from India and the father wears the traditional Indian outfit and so does the mother. So the family called to ask if it was safe for their parents to go for a walk in my neighborhood? I asked where do you live? Nashua, and I said, "Why do you ask this question?" Did you hear that in Huntsville, Alabama, an innocent man who came to visit his grandson's birth was attacked because they looked suspicious? So, I can't change how I look, but I'm not afraid to walk and face it. Think about what time we are in. I know this will not answer everything. This is not a cure all, but at least I would feel, as a legislator, that at least I can plead my fellow legislators to take the step in the right direction. Make a statement that New Hampshire is better than that and I can wake up a little more at peace in my heart knowing that there is the House of common people that cares about their citizens and cares about somebody like me whose willing to put their life and support in what they need to do in our community. Thank you, Mister Speaker.

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)The Chair calls the Representative from Hampton, Rep. Cushing to speak in favor of the committee report. Pass. The question before the House is Ought to Pass. Are you ready for the question? Rep. Shurtleff requests a roll call. Is that sufficiently seconded? It is sufficiently seconded. Members will take their seats. This will be a roll call vote. The House will come to order. Members will take their seats. This is a roll call vote on the motion of Ought to Pass on HCR 13. The Chair recognizes Rep. Hoell for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. J.R. Hoell (R - Merr 27)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know this is a tough issue and I know hate crimes and violence based on race, gender, ethnic origin and location of birth should be condemned, but that a Resolution won't solve the issues of the heart and it won't solve all the crimes we want it to. If I know that we want to see a decrease in the violence in our society and conflict, but again, drafting a Resolution is not going to address all of this, that the moral fabric of our society needs more than just words on paper. If I know that loving your neighbor starts at home and taking care of those starts at home, not with words on paper at the State House, and if I know the drafting of language in this doesn't include all different ethnic backgrounds or minorities. It itemizes only certain people, but not everyone, would I vote Nay on the Ought to Pass so a better drafted version of this could be brought up later. Thank you.

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)The Chair recognizes Rep. Welch for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. David Welch (R - Rock 13)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know having served up here for 32 years that I have never been ashamed of anything that came through this House and if I know that this statement may not satisfy everyone, but if I further know that it is a statement against hate and discrimination and I think that makes New Hampshire proud, would you please support the committee and vote Ought to Pass.

Rep. Sherman Packard (R - Rock 5)The question is on Ought to Pass on HCR 13. This is a roll call vote. If you are in favor, you'll press the green button. If you are opposed, you'll press the red button. Voting stations are open for 30 seconds. Have all members voted that were here when the question was put? The House will attend to the state of the vote. Now, have all people voted that were here when the question was put? The House will attend to the state of the vote. 234 voting Yea, 69 voting Nay, the motion passes. (Speaker Chandler in the Chair)

Rep. Herbert Richardson (D - Coos 4)Thank you, Mister Speaker. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to stand here today in support of HB 1278, naming the rest area in Colebrook after Frederick W. King, Sr. Fred King served on the front lines in the Korean War receiving a Bronze Star while serving as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer. Returning home, Fred became a high school science teacher and after his career in teaching, Fred became a Coos County Administrator, serving not only at that position, but also as a Coos County Superintendent of Corrections. During this time, Fred also served as a member of the Colebrook Selectmen and a Colebrook School Board member. Fred retired as a Coos County Administrator in 1994, after serving in County government for 23 years. Retirement was not a goal for Fred. It was a great opportunity to give back by learning more about government and with his election to the State Senate began a new career in advocating for the North Country and the County for education, highways, for the elderly, economic development and jobs. In 2005, Fred was elected to the New Hampshire House where he served as Finance Committee Chair in 2005 and 2006. Fred has served in numerous committees and commissions over the years, including Coos County Treasurer from 2009 to 2016 and he just retired from the Coos County Planning Board, which he was a member since 1988 when he worked to the revival of the Balsams Resort, which he feels is critical to the economic health of our region. He also served as State Senator. He was instrumental, along with Governor Councilor Burton and now State Rep. Bing Judd in securing the rest area in Colebrook. Frederick W. King has dedicated over 60 years of his life to public service. He has worked tirelessly for the people of the North Country and for all of New Hampshire. Expecting nothing in return in the knowledge that at the end of the day, he would say, "I did my best." Fred is a true statesman. Join me in the unanimous 19-0 vote of the Public Works and Highways Committee in support of HB 1278. Thank you, Mister Speaker.

Speaker ChandlerThe question before the House is the adoption of the committee report of Ought to Pass. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor of the committee report signify by saying, Aye. Those opposed, Nay. The Ayes have it and the committee report is adopted.