Session Update - 3/5/26
A look at some of the legislation considered today.
With a limited committee schedule and no session last week, I took a little break and spent a few days in the sun last weekend. So this week, I’ll post twice to make up for it!
It’s been a long day with over 50 bills and as I type this, I’m still sitting in my assigned seat.
With that many bills on the schedule today, one strategy to get through them quicker is to table any legislation that the majority doesn’t want to pass. This limits debate and gets to the same desired outcome. Among legislation tabled by the majority today include bills:
Protecting workers (HB1451)
Pausing EFA’s for one year (HB1834)
Increasing the minimum wage (HB1484)
Changing legislators’ pay (CACR22)
Establishing a commission to study what to do in the event of a government shutdown (HB1500)
Codifying NH credentialing standards for School Business Administrators (HB1403) and School Superintendents (HB1402)
Adding reporting requirements for EFA’s (HB1578)
Making immigration detentions more transparent (HB1822)
Increasing for school children by increasing penalties for passing a stopped school bus (HB1308)
Of course, there were also some awful bills passed by the majority:
Bathroom bills (HB1217 and HB1442) that were previously on the consent calendar to be killed, were pulled off the consent calendar and both passed.
HB1610 rolls back policy for school districts to retain fund balance
HR19 passed, encouraging state colleges and universities to invite more conservative speakers to campus.
Repealed the prohibition on street weapons like brass knuckles and blackjacks.
HR35, prohibiting cloud seeding and weather manipulation. (Spoiler alert - this doesn’t happen.)
A couple of wins today:
HR42, honoring the life and legacy of Minnesota Speaker Melissa Hortman was passed with bipartisan support.
HB1078, creating a gold star family license plate program.
The week ahead:
I’ll post again over the weekend with a look at next week’s schedule and an updated bill chart. Word on the street is that we have about 200 bills on the docket next week, so we’ll have plenty to talk about!