Hillsborough Districts FDC 1, 3, 4 and 38 NEWS D1: Antrim, Hillsborough, and Windsor QUARTERLY D3: Bennington, Hancock, and Summer 2020 Greenfield D4: Francestown, Lyndeborough, Wilton, and Greenville D38: All ten towns listed above. THE HOUSE MOVES FORWARD The New Hampshire House concluded its work for 2020 on June 30 and sent more than thirty omnibus bills to the Governor for his signature. Without much Republican help, the House supported frontline workers and businesses dealing with a crippling pandemic, lowered the cost of insulin and other drugs, and kept government functions funded. HB 1162 - increases equity and safeguards for NH children and families. Passed 209-119 HB 1558 - assures students have access to special education and behavioral health resources. Passed 201-129 HB 705 - supports victims of sexual assault and crimes. Passed 254-75 HB 1280 - reduces insulin costs to $30/month, requires insurance coverage of epi-pens, and allows drug importation from Canada. Passed 225-104 HB 250 - establishes a dental benefit under the state Medicare program. Passed 205-124 HB 1217 - requires law enforcement officers to report misconduct by other officers. Passed 255-74 HB 1240 - provides protection for victims of sexual assault by those in a position of authority in the NH State Representatives education system. Passed 257-68 - Marjorie Porter, D1 - Dem HB 578 and others - supports healthcare providers ([email protected]) and long-term care facilities. Passed 282-43 - Jim Fedolfi, D1 - Rep HB 1266 and HB 1672 - gives voters the ability to ([email protected]) vote without risk to their physical health. Passed 221-101 - Dan Pickering, D3 - Dem HB 466 - increases net metering capacity in NH. ([email protected]) Passed 201-120 - Jennifer Bernet, D4 - Dem HB 731 - increases the state’s minimum wage ([email protected]) gradually to $12/hour by January 2023. Passed - Kermit Williams, D4 - Dem 199-124 ([email protected]) - Chris Balch, D38 - Dem Additionally, by a 199-108 margin, the House passed ([email protected]) and agreed to the independent Fact Finder’s report that would end the stalemate between the Governor - Jim Bosman, D38 - Dem and seven different state employee unions. Although ([email protected]) the report was issued over seven months ago, our State Employees have been without a contract for almost two years. FDC News Quarterly - Summer 2020 Page 2 FROM THE CHAIR happens to be one of Sununu’s generous campaign contributors. Patronage in the Age of Our best response to Trump’s mind-boggling COVID is unforgivable. divisive rants inciting Culture Wars, delivered against the backdrops of Mt. Rushmore and The TAKE ACTION - Please, reach out and speak White House during July 4th celebrations, would to your friends, your family, your neighbors. be to serve him with an Eviction Notice from Make sure that they understand what is at stake 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on November 3rd. in this year’s NH and national elections. Make sure they know how to register to vote and Trump’s loyal supporter, the ever-popular Chris obtain an absentee ballot. Help 18-year-olds and Sununu, who plans to greet him at the Pease first-time voters register. Let them know why Airport MAGA rally on July 11th, also needs to the only decision they need to make once they be ushered out the Governor’s Mansion. have a ballot is whether to vote from the bottom Governor “SAY-NO-NO” vetoed 57 bills last year up, or from the top down of the Democratic that our democratically elected representatives candidates’ column. wrote and championed. Many of these bills were passed with bi-partisan support, and all would WORK FOR AND SUPPORT the NH State have effected positive change for working Democratic Candidates running in the families in our state. An increase in minimum September 8th Primary and the November 3rd wage, the establishment of paid family and General Election to represent Francestown: medical leave, and countless bills supporting a Executive Council D5 - Deborah Pignatelli (I) clean environment should not have been killed State Senate D8 - Jenn Alford Teaster off with his Veto Pen. House Rep D4 - Jennifer Bernet (I) House Rep D4 - Kermit Williams (I) With more than $3.5 million in TV ads already House Rep D38 - Jim Bosman (I) purchased by the Republican Governors House Rep D38 - Stephanie Hyland Association, and a public relations effort Use your social media platforms to support covering up his early resistance to the 200 these candidates. elected NH officials who wrote to urge him to institute the stay-at-home orders of Vermont To volunteer for training and participation in and Massachusetts, and his total lack of Virtual Door Knocks, Phone Banking, and Letter transparency and collaboration with elected Writing, contact our area’s NHDP organizer, Democrats regarding the disbursement of Sophie Maher, who will be coordinating the Federal Covid-19 funds, Sununu will continue to campaign activities and outreach of the claim credit as a competent COVID-19 “Hero”. candidates. [email protected] tel: (603) 738-7459 THE FACTS - NH is now blowing through the early predictability models for summer-time PUT UP YARD SIGNS: Contact Eric COVID deaths; we were late to formulate a life- Rasmussen, [email protected] if you are preserving strategy for nursing homes; and the willing to let the FDC install candidate yard state unemployment insurance system still signs on your property. struggles to keep up with claims as the Governor refuses to improve and update its antiquated DONATE: Please be as generous as you can systems. Rather than giving grants to financially and make donations directly to our candidates. squeezed NH non-profit hospitals and putting OR over 1000 furloughed hospital workers back in Write a single check to the Democratic Victory their jobs, Sununu’s newly created “Hospital Fund, a 527 PAC that will distribute the money Fund” recently awarded one of its largest grants to the candidates and will financially assist to a private, for-profit corporation that also FDC News Quarterly - Summer 2020 Page 3 Town Democratic Committees within D38 with FROM THE REPS their organizing activities. MARJORIE PORTER - NH REP, D1 Mail to: Democratic Victory Fund Election season is upon us, and with it, those 271 Ferson Road infernal political signs. Francestown, NH 03043 As soon as we file to put our names on the EXPRESS YOUR APPRECIATION AND ballot, we receive a packet from the Secretary of GRATITUDE: Unfortunately, House Rep Chris State that includes election laws pertaining to Balch (D38) is not able to run for re-election candidates. There is a section about what is and this year, due to family circumstances. Over the is not legal in terms of where we can put our past two years he has thoughtfully served his signs. constituents with dedication, wisdom, good humor, and kindness. His leadership on So you know, we are NOT allowed to put our environmental issues and spirit of generosity signs on public property—not at the dump, not will be missed in Concord. Please join me in on school grounds, not at the library or town thanking Chris for standing with us and for us. offices. You can email your thanks to [email protected] They are not to be affixed to traffic sign or reflector posts. Stay healthy. Stay strong. They CAN go on public rights of way—along the - Sue Jonas, Chair roadside, for example. Unless you are the road Francestown Democratic Committee crew, it is against the law for you to move them. However, and this is a big however, if someone puts a sign in the right of way that crosses YOUR property, you CAN remove it. In the middle of a global Some candidates are careful to follow these pandemic, Gov Sununu is laws, and some are not. welcoming a trump rally Personally, I won’t vote for a person who wants with no mask or social to make laws for me to follow but won’t follow distancing requirements. the laws themself. Just sayin’. The absolutely best place for our signs is on the property of people who support us. Won’t you please consider hosting one of our signs in your yard? We will be ever so grateful! - Marjorie Porter Municipal and County Government FDC News Quarterly - Summer 2020 Page 4 DAN PICKERING - NH REP, D3 CHRIS BALCH - NH REP, D38 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Emergency Activism – Most Important Today Powers I rejoiced upon learning that, in the last week, We all know by now that the pandemic is real. two pipelines have been “killed.” One was the Our governor has received a lot of credit for his Atlantic Coast Pipeline, discontinued when the use of emergency powers to slow down the company seeking to build it recognized that the consequences. He is impressive on TV, responds costs of delays were making the project no to viewers’ questions, listens to health experts. longer financially viable. The other, the Dakota Granite Staters, for the most part, have been Access Pipeline, was forced to halt operations willing to follow his guidelines. But I challenge when a federal judge vacated environmental the reader: Is it OK with you that the governor permits approved by executive order, and a takes advantage of his emergency powers to second judge then ordered the cessation of use enrich himself by awarding no bid contracts to and draining of the pipeline within thirty days political allies and granting himself a raise? Is it while new environmental impact studies (EIS) OK with you that he opposes an independent were completed.