The House, Thursday, June 13, 2024

Speaker PackardRep. Ladd moves that we adopt the Committee of Conference Report. The Chair recognizes

Rep. Hope Damon (D - Sull 8)Thank you, Mister Speaker. Good afternoon, colleagues. HB 1265 with SB 219 attached requires school districts to post expense information in a very prescriptive way. It violates local control and even prohibits reasonable explanation of budgets on the posters that are required. Providing budget information without acknowledging the many changes in what we require of public schools, is deliberately misleading and inflammatory. This bill literally specifies the paper size to be used. Talk about micromanagement. All of the information requested by the bill is currently readily available on the Department of Education website, so simply publicizing that link on school district websites would be effective communication. Please join me in pressing the red button to defeat this unnecessary bill.

Rep. Margaret Drye (R - Sull 7)Thank you, Mister Speaker. Part one of the bill is just housekeeping. It takes private academies out of the list, so they don't have to file paperwork that they don't have to file. Part two says that before budget meetings, school districts will have to present to voters three simple graphs, the average cost per pupil, the average teacher salary and the administrative salaries and how they have trended over the past ten years. It will have to present one table that list the top four administrative salaries in the district and their titles. This bill contains a civil remedies section, similar to our current RSA 91-a and it would allow taxpayers to petition the court if this information is not provided according to law. Finally, the Committee of Conference just tightened up the definitions of what appears in the graphs so that we will be comparing apples to apples. But can't people find this information on their own? Well, the average taxpayer doesn't know where to look for this information and even if they do, it would take a lot of digging on the DOE website and school district websites, but it's easy for a school district to get this information and to put it together. Why would we want the information? Besides the fact that a picture is worth a thousand words, we will learn some things like maybe that per pupil costs have risen over the past ten years, but teacher salaries have had a minimal increase in comparison. Or maybe some administrators are making three times what the average teacher salary is. The transparency provided in the graphs helps taxpayers make more informed decisions. So how do we get this valuable information for everyone? It's simple, vote yes and adopt the Committee of Conference Report. Mister Speaker, I request a division vote.

Speaker PackardRep. Hoell requests a roll call. Is that sufficiently seconded? It is sufficiently seconded. This will be a roll call vote. Members will take their seats. The motion before us is to accept the Committee of Conference Report on HB 1265. This is a roll call vote. The Chair recognizes Rep. Cornell for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. Patricia Cornell (D - Hills 22)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know that almost all this information is already available on the Department of Education website under finance. If I know that this bill requires districts to report budget data on graphs on two pages that are 18 by 24 with only the name and logo of the district to be displayed in two places of business and in the local paper. And if I know that any explanation of this data is prohibited and subject to a civil penalty. So, if you agree with me that posting data with no explanation is misleading and also disrespectful to elected local school boards and to the public, please join me in pushing the red button to put an end to this unnecessary and disrespectful bill.

Speaker PackardThe Chair recognizes Rep. Noble for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. Kristin Noble (R - Hills 2)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know that this bill removes the requirement that public academies file financial reports with the Department of Education. If I know that this bill would require school districts to provide the taxpayers with three simple line graphs showing the average cost per pupil, average teacher salaries and administrator salaries over a period of ten years and one table showing the top four administrator salaries and titles. If I know that the average taxpayer doesn't know how to find this information, but school districts have all the data and can easily provide it in this clear and accessible format. If I know that our local schools rely heavily on local taxpayer dollars, and they should know where their money is being spent and how that investment is trending over time. And if I know that providing this transparency to the taxpayers will help to promote productive local conversations about spending, would I now support transparency by pressing the green button? Thank you.

Speaker PackardThe motion before us is the Committee of Conference Report on HB 1265. 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 will be open for 30 seconds. Have all members present had the opportunity to vote? The House will attend to the state of the vote. 183 voting Yea; 172 voting Nay, the Committee of Conference Report is adopted.

Speaker PackardRep. Ladd moves that we adopt the Committee of Conference Report. The Chair recognizes Rep. Guthrie.

Rep. Joseph Guthrie (R - Rock 15)Thank you, Mister Speaker. It looks like we all want to go home so I'll be as brief as I can. This bill is pretty straightforward. It changes from 400% of the federal poverty lines to 425% of the federal poverty guidelines in the EFA program. HB 1665 has an FN on it that means it costs some money. I think that is one of the concerns. In my case, I submit to you that although I support any family who wants to go outside the public school environment and educate their children, I think that's fine if they are unhappy with our system. However, I have difficulty having the state funding that system. Having said that, I ask that you nonconcur on HB 1665, a bill that would increase the funding of this program. My message to you is, our responsibility is the funding of our own local school system and as a former school committee member, I ask you to please join me and push the red button to nonconcur. I ask for a roll call. Thank you.

Rep. David Luneau (D - Merr 9)Thank you, Mister Speaker. In three years, what have we learned about the education freedom account program? We've learned more than 95% of EFA kids were already in private or religious schools or in home schools before the EFA program ever existed. And we've learned fewer than 5% of EFA students left their public schools because of this program. We've learned the Department of Education isn't interested in fraud prevention and has even obstructed state auditors from investigating fraud. We've learned that at least one EFA vendor has been classified as a hate group. And we've learned that even some proponents of the taxpayer funded EFA program are wincing at the idea of expanding eligibility to families earning more than $132,000 a year without at least an annual income recertification requirement. I'm sure you will hear about how other parts of this report improve the program, but its not enough to overcome all this. If you like how wildly unsuccessful this taxpayer funded giveaway is now, please vote no on the Conference Committee Report. Thank you.

Rep. Rick Ladd (R - Graf 5)Thank you very much, Mister Speaker. This program is working. I'd like to look at some of the changes which occurred as a result of our putting the EFA program into work here several years back. We are now providing life changing experiences for many children which had unsuccessful experiences in the regular education system and that was occurring years before when we had bullying going on, students attending schools where the academic achievement in certain areas was at the bottom of the achievement scale. So, we have made some compromises in this bill dealing with EFA and the Committee of Conference had this sit down and we went through three separate, we had a break, break, break and came back on three different days to arrive where we are. The amendment achieved a compromise in terms of eligibility. A family a four with a median family income is now going from 350% to 425%. This House had passed earlier this year 500%. If you look at that, we've split the difference. We are halfway between 350 and 500. I'd like to look at some of the folks which are now going to be eligible and that's important. We have a middle class in this state and due to inflation, real income not going the way it should be and debt piling up, we have some figures I'd like to share with you here. A single nurse with one school age child earning $83,420 previously was not eligible. Now, with this bill they will be eligible. A married couple, one working at a restaurant as an employee, a school teacher the other with one child earning a combined income of $103,820. That family will now be eligible. A family of three with two parents working a combined three jobs and earning $105,000 was not eligible under 350 but will be now under 425. We are going to get more kids involved and this opens the door up to 60% of students in this state and that is critical and important. This adjustment opens the doors to many other middle income New Hampshire families. Secondly, what this bill does, it drops the administrative costs of the EFA program from 10% of received monies used for administration now to 8%. The actual figure is less than 8%, but I want to make a note that in the past when administrative cost has been less than that 10%, that money is turned around to use for students who are applying for the EFA program. It's used for students, not for administration. I'm sure the director over there, the scholarship organization will do the same thing moving forward. We also have a phase out grants program which is within this bill and being extended from 2026 another three years to 2029. Lastly, I want to touch upon the issue that less than 3% of New Hampshire students participate in the EFA program. Three percent, about 164,000 kids were hammering away at those 4,875 kids taking advantage in the program. There are many programs where students fit best in, and this is one. It's not the only program. We have alternative forms of education. We have charter schools. We have regular public schools. I, for one, when my student was not successful, I spoke about it earlier today, I took my student and enrolled him in the Warren Village School where speech services were provided properly. So, in conclusion, the hope of many for a successful 2025 school year is a decision that we will make today, and I encourage all to press the green button. Thank you very much.

Speaker PackardRep. Guthrie has requested a roll call. Is that sufficiently seconded? It is sufficiently seconded. This will be a roll call vote. Members take your seats. The motion before us is to adopt the Committee of Conference Report on HB 1665. This is a roll call vote. The Chair recognizes Rep. Myler for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. Mel Myler (D - Merr 9)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know that the education freedom account program was initiated and advocated as a poverty program to assist families earning less than 350% of the poverty level and that the current proposed changes basically change the intent of the program by increasing the level to 425% for a family earning $133,000 a year. If I know that unlike other state budgeted programs, the EFA has little accountability and oversight for a $60 million program with the majority of the House rejecting any attempt to provide appropriate guardrails on the management of the program. If I know that of the 160,000 public school students, only 5% have left the public schools and that the majority of the EFA funds are being directed to students who are currently in private or religious schools. If I know that the origin of the EFA program was initiated without a proper public hearing and that the public interest surveys reject to having public tax dollars paying for religious education. And finally, Mister Speaker, if I believe that the EFA advocates ultimately want this program to eventually become a universal program available to all families regardless of their income level to access public tax dollars and further drain needed tax dollars away from the overwhelmingly publicly supported public education, would I now reject HB 1665 and stop the expansion of the EFA voucher program to the 425% level by pressing the red button? Thank you, Mister Speaker.

Speaker PackardThe Chair recognizes Rep. Ladd for a parliamentary inquiry.

Rep. Rick Ladd (R - Graf 5)Thank you, Mister Speaker. If I know I would welcome your support for a universal EFA program. And if I know this bill increases the household income eligibility cap for education freedom accounts from 350 to 425% of the federal poverty guidelines, which is close to the median income in the state. If I believe by expanding the eligibility level, it offers a life changing increase for many middle-income New Hampshire families who are drowning and trapped under high inflationary expenses and debt. If I further know that there are many families seeking the right educational fit who will realize hope through this educational option. And lastly, would I then support middle income children and families with the benefits of school choice by pressing the green button? Thank you very much, Mister Speaker.

Speaker PackardThe motion before is to adopt the Committee of Conference Report of HB 1665. 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 will be open for 30 seconds. Have all members present had the opportunity to vote? The House will attend to the state of the vote. 168 voting Yea; 185 voting Nay, the Committee of Conference Report fails. ADJOURN FROM THE EARLY SESSION Rep. Osborne offered the following: RESOLVED, that the House now adjourn from the early session, that the business of the late session be in order at the present time and when the House adjourns today it be to meet at the Call of the Chair. Motion was adopted.