Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Legality of Homeschooling

GETTING IT OUT OF MY SYSTEM: ONE PARENT’S DEMAND FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF HOMESCHOOLING.


By: Attorney Deborah Stevenson, Executive Director, National Home Education Legal Defense

Nothing makes me angrier than a lie, except when a lie is repeated so often that people believe it to be truth. I’m sick of lies, distorted truth, spin, and revisionist history. Can we just get back to reality? Can we just hold people accountable for their purposeful distortions?

Can we just set the record straight?

The lie that makes me the angriest is the lie that “It’s legal to homeschool “now”.” The implication in that statement is the lie. The implication is that it wasn’t legal to homeschool before, or that homeschooling only became legal in the past 20 years or so. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

What is “homeschooling”? It is the act of parents undertaking their responsibility to instruct their own children. This is the most basic, the most natural, the most instinctive undertaking of the human race. Since the beginning of the human race, whether you accept the scientific view of that man lived as early as seven million years ago http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/visit/beginning-of-man.cfm or whether you accept the religious view that God created man four or five thousand years ago, http://www.hawking.org.uk/text/public/bot.html the inescapable fact is that parents have instructed their children from the moment of birth to adulthood since the inception of the human race whenever that was. It wasn’t illegal to do so in the beginning, and it’s not illegal to do so now.

What is “new” is the public school system. The first public school in America was established by Puritan settlers in Boston in 1635. It was established by the Reverend John Cotton who wanted to create a school modeled after the Free Grammar School in Boston, England, in which Latin and Greek were taught. http://bls.org/cfml/l3tmpl_history.cfm The truth is, though, that the opening of that first public school did not automatically mean that the instruction of children by their parents somehow automatically became illegal. Quite the opposite is true.

In the early days in New England, in fact, parents were expected to instruct their children. If parents didn’t instruct their children such that the children became “unruly”, the selectmen of the town could take the child from the parent and place the child, not with government officials, but with another surrogate parent of sorts called a master. It then became the master’s responsibility to instruct the child.

Over time, small public schools were opened, many of which were operated and overseen by ecclesiastical societies. Oversight slowly gave way to oversight by towns and, later, to what we now know as boards of education. At no time during the growth of the public school system, however, did state governments declare the instruction of children by their parents to be illegal.

The popularity of the public school system increased dramatically during the nineteenth century, thanks in large part to Horace Mann. http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/mann.html He persuaded the Massachusetts legislature, in fact, to set up a six month minimum school year and led a movement to set up teacher institutions throughout the state. Even while Mann was tending to this task, the Massachusetts legislature at no time declared the instruction of children by their parents to be illegal. It is also curious to note, however, that while persuading the legislature to increase the power of public school, Horace Mann succeeded in his own life without public school. In fact, the so-called “father of American education” was, in effect, largely “homeschooled”. Taught by his parents at first, Mann taught himself by reading at the local library. In fact, he educated himself so well without the benefit of “public school” that he was able to enter college as a sophomore in 1816.

As the public school system grew, legislatures adopted more laws about the system. The law that most people are familiar with that state legislatures adopted is the “compulsory attendance” law. This law has many permutations depending on the state in which it was adopted. Its basic thrust is to tell parents that their children “must attend” public school. Massachusetts was the first state to enact such a law in 1852. http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/compulso.html

It required children between the ages of eight and fourteen to attend school for at least three months each year.

The compulsory attendance laws, for the most part, initially were adopted during the height of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. This was a time when the growth of industry opened new sources of income for families. It was a time when parents allowed their children to work in the factories, instead of on the family farms of yesteryear. For a multitude of reasons, those in power deemed it inherently injurious to the children to work in the factories, and, instead deemed it eminently more important for them to attend public school. By 1918 all states followed suit. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0112617.html

It is important to note that the compulsory attendance laws were aimed at those children who were not being educated by other means. In fact, there were many exemptions to these laws. Most importantly, these laws simply did not apply to those children who were being educated by other means. In other words, the legislatures did not declare education of children by their parents, or by private schools or tutors for that matter, to be illegal. http://www.fff.org/freedom/0491c.asp

Today, most states still have “compulsory attendance laws”. BUT THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT WAS EVER ILLEGAL FOR PARENTS TO INSTRUCT THEIR OWN CHILDREN. THE TRUTH IS, IT WAS NEVER “ILLEGAL” FOR PARENTS TO INSTRUCT THEIR OWN CHILDREN. Can we please stop perpetuating the lie that it was illegal?

It is the development of this “new” public school system that, in part, has fueled the lie. The public school system has become so huge and so powerful that it dominates the public’s thinking. It is also the agenda of some to perpetuate the lie. The lie benefits different groups such as the established public school system or established organizations purporting to “assist” parents fearful of the public school system taking their rights away.

What is true is that many states did, and still do, impose government regulations on how and when parents instruct their children. It is unfortunate that the government imposes any regulations on parents who instruct their own children. It is my belief, however, that one of the reasons why the government has been successful in adopting regulations affecting the right of parents to instruct their children is because the lie that it was illegal for parents to homeschool in the first place has been perpetuated for so long

From this lie flows a host of issues. For example, if you believe the lie that it was illegal for parents to instruct their children, it follows that parents would have to seek “permission” from the government in order to do so. If you believe the lie, it follows that parents would be fearful that they would not receive that “permission.” If you believe the lie, it follows that parents would be grateful when the government magnanimously grants that “permission”. If you believe the lie, it follows that parents are more apt to see “regulation” of parental instruction by the government as a matter of course. After all, if the government has the “authority” to grant “permission” to parents to instruct, certainly the government has the “authority” to impose “regulation” of parents’ ability to instruct, and it is reasonable for the government to do so.

Armed with the facts, armed with the truth, however, parents can begin to realize that, in reality, the government never did have the “authority” to declare the right of parents to instruct their children as illegal, and it’s a safe bet that the government in your state never did declare the right of parents to instruct their children as illegal.

Don’t take my word for it, however, look it up for yourself. Investigate what your state’s history really is regarding the right of parents to instruct their own children. Get copies of the laws. Trace them from the beginning of your state to the present. Then spread the word to every parent in your state. Don’t be fooled by lies. Don’t be duped by spin. Never be intimidated by anyone. There is no need to be afraid. You will know the truth, and you will be able to defend the truth whenever necessary for your sake, and for the sake of your children.


Permission is granted by the author to reprint this article in its entirety as long as no changes are made to its contents. For more information please contact: info@nheld.com , or visit www.nheld.com

Monday, November 15, 2010

The "Exclusive" Right of Parents

Homeschooling is a grassroots movement in response to the current state of affairs of the public schools. Parents are leaving in despair and rolling up their sleeves to do the job themselves. Parents aren't recruited to home instruction.

Historically, it was understood that it was in a parent's own self interest to raise his child in a lawful and honest field of employment --- in order to be self-sufficient -- and hopefully to support his parents in their old age. Then came welfare and social security laws, which created an atmosphere of public mistrust. Will parents instruct their children properly, or will they become a burden to society?

Public schools and school boards are in no position to evaluate parents when they haven't resolved their own problems, including their own delinquent students. Parent left these schools because no one listens to their concerns; parents should not be subordinated to these same school boards.

Recognizing parent's right to independence is a good first step to resolving the current public school problems; it might finally force them to reconsider their position and listen to parents.... instead of a long list of state and federal policy experts.

Consider:
10 states have NO regulation on home instruction (AK, CT, ID, IL, IN, MI, MO, NJ, OK, TX); 13 states only require notification (AL, AZ, CA, KS, KY, MS, MT, NE, NV, NM, UT, WI, WY). Given the size of CA and TX, that's nearly half of the country where home instruction has no state regulation. These children aren't falling into an educational abyss.

The problem is that NH is surrounded by states (MA, NY, PA, RI and VT) with very burdensome regulations. Flipping a state from burdensome to free isn't easy, but it's especially difficult in New England.

In 1990, when NH's home education law was adopted, legislators promised that if parents demonstrate their commitment and responsibility that these burdensome regulations could be lifted. Parents have done so for over 20 years, while legislators continue to discuss hypothetical problems as their excuse for keeping regulations.

Should parents be considered guilty until proven innocent ... forever? How would legislators like to be considered irresponsible? How would they like that stigma .... indefinitely? There are no homeschooling problems to justify this legislative hysteria. None.

Parents have the primary obligation to instruct their children. It's their exclusive right to do so.... just like the original Art. 6 Part I of the NH Constitution spoke to the exclusive right of the towns to determine and direct the instruction in their local schools in opposition to state interference. Religious or otherwise, it's all the same.

Monday, June 14, 2010

NH Home Education Law Reclassified Due to Hostile Legislative Climate

Parents in New Hampshire have experienced four long years of hostile legislative proposals and regulatory attacks upon their right to teach their children at home. From the Department of Education to the House Education Committee, parents have faced a hostile regulatory attempts in every direction. The Home Education Advisory Council has been circumvented by the Department of Education in its attempt to increase regulation. The overwhelming defeat of the onerous HB 368 by 324-34 didn't prevent the House Education Committee from seeking the same regulations through the rules process.

As result of all this hostility, HSLDA has reclassified New Hampshire from a moderately regulated, "orange state" to a hostile, "red state" which has the most burdensome level of home education regulation in the country. Only six other states share this "red state" status: North Dakota, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. See the HSLDA website for more details: http://www.hslda.org/laws/

Friday, April 23, 2010

Legislative Update

NH Parents First supported legislation this year that would have restored due process rights to parents who were instructing their children at home. This legislation, House Bill 1580, sponsored by Rep. Ingbretson, Hogan, Vita, and Willette came within 16 votes of passing the House.

The near success of this effort was due to the hard work of hundreds of parents who rallied at the State House in Concord, contacted their state representatives and attended public hearings, committee meetings and House sessions in Reps Hall. It was a remarkable effort that brought parents very close to victory!

H.B. 1580 was devised through lengthy discussions over the past year on LegalizeHomeschooling by a coalition of parents across the state.

Negotiations have begun for next year's legislation. Some parents felt HB 1580 did not go far enough to restore parent's rights as it left the current home education law, RSA 193-A, in place. Others worried that eliminating RSA 193-A would divide the home school community and needlessly worry parents, who were comfortable with the current law.

GIven the confusion that two options for home instruction created this year, many parents are getting behind a proposal to completely eliminate RSA 193-A and restore due process rights for all parents instructing their children at home. HSLDA has also given its support to a proposal that would replace the current law.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

NH Families for Education Fundraiser

We are pleased to announce the formation of a new Political Action Committee:

NH FAMILIES FOR EDUCATION.

Its mission is to promote local control of education, particularly advocating family involvement.

NH Families for Education will help fund candidates who support families in education and work to defeat legislators that hold a restrictive attitude towards education, such as Representatives Emma Rous, Kimberley Casey, and Judith Day.

NH FFE will hold its first major fundraising event in conjunction with Cornerstone Action PAC and the NH Republican Liberty PAC on:


Saturday, April 17 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at the Draft in Concord.


Author Tommy Newberry, will talk about his new book
that exposes the new era of Big Government,
wealth redistribution, and a fatal dependence
on government assistance.


Tickets are $20 and sponsorship is $100.


Walk-ins are always welcome, but an RSVP would be very helpful. Please register online. You can pay online or at the door. Please use this link to see more details : http://nhdonate.com/standalone/index.php?q=civicrm/event/info&reset=1&id=4

NH Families for Education is setting up a website which will provide families with additional support, including information on legislative candidates based upon voting records and questionnaires on the issues. Parents who'd like to volunteer to help with this project, please contact: nhfamiliesforeducation@gmail.com

NH Families for Education will be a strong voice for families in New Hampshire.

Doris Hohensee and Michelle Levell

NH Families for Education
P.O. Box 4045
Windham, NH 03087

Thursday, March 18, 2010

From Roll Call to Reconsideration

On Wednesday (Roll Call) --

HB 1580 was brought to the attention of the House, debated and voted upon from 5:12 - 5:35 pm:

---Rep. Winters (d) of Manchester and Rep. Owen (d) of Hopkington spoke in favor of HB 1580 on the floor; they both voted in favor of the bill.

---Rep. Casey (d) of East Kingston spoke against HB 1580 on the floor and refused to take additional questions after answering one from Rep. Baldasaro (r), effectively shutting down the debate despite a long line of representatives who were standing with questions; she also voted against the bill.

---Rep. Skinder (d) of Cornish addressed a closing parliamentary question to the Speaker, indicating her support for the bill; she voted in favor of the bill.

---Rep. Rous (d) of Durham addressed a closing parliamentary question to the Speaker, indicating her opposition to the bill; she voted against the bill.

The House voted 175-144 to ITL (kill) HB 1580).



On Thursday (Reconsideration) --

Rep Emerson (r) from Rindge on her own initiative (apparently without any input from the homeschooling community) filed a motion of reconsideration with the House Speaker after the vote on HB 1580. She had voted with the prevailing (winning side) against HB 1580 and was allowed under House rules to file this motion of reconsideration of the bill (and her vote). Her motion was debated at the close of the House session on Thursday.

---Rep. Groen (r) from Rochester spoke in favor of reconsideration ; he voted in favor of HB 1580 on Wednesday.

---Rep. Winters (d) spoke against reconsideration at the request of Rep. Casey(d) East Kingston.

-- Rep. Casey (d) addressed a closing parliamentary question to the Speaker, indicating her opposition to reconsideration.

Rep. Emerson and Groen felt the debate on Wednesday, which lasted 23 minutes, was insufficient. Rep. Winters and Casey argued that the debate was sufficient and reconsideration was unnecessary.

The House voted 174-74 to kill reconsideration.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Notes from the Balcony of Representatives Hall

Home schoolers sat in the balcony of Representatives Hall for three session days, waiting for HB 1580 to come forward. There were 50 bills on the House Calendar that week. HB 1580 somehow managed to be the very last bill considered on that list of 50 bills.

Some bills were debated for well over an hour. HB 1580 was debated for 23 minutes.

5:12 pm HB 1580

Rep. Winters: HB 1580 restores presumption of innocence: public and private schools have no evaluations; homeschoolers are required by law to prove their innocence. With HB 1580 education will still be compulsory: home schoolers will not be a burden on society. --whatever the issue, we need presumption of innocence that parents are good people; either we don’t trust parents or we vote for HB 1580.

Rep. Owen: most committee reports are democracy in action protecting businesses and citizens; however many citizens are concerned about HB 1580 and the violation of their rights. HB 1580 establishes that parents have a natural fundamental right; this bill was brought up over concerns over regulations. Over the last 20 years … he has some concerns for his business so that he can understand our situation; parents should be considered innocent until proven guilty. HB 368 in January was killed 324 – 34 protecting homeschoolers rights; support this bill for parental rights.

House Speaker indicated that a Roll Call was requested and that Rep. Casey would be the final speaker.

Rep. Casey: indicated that she received an email from a parent indicating that homeschooling is working; that the regulation in the home education law is enough and working well; mentioned NH Parents First flyer from HB 1580 folks indicating that historically parents have always had the authority to instruct their children.

Parents already have the right to instruct their children at home: parents have public, private, or homeschooling. But this homeschooling option is limited by the “statement of purpose” from RSA 193-A in 1990, “the general court recognizes…. that it is the primary right and obligation of the parent to choose the appropriate educational alternative. …. as provided by law.”

Home schoolers are regulated well enough. Not too much … not too little . We’ve reached a balance between autonomy and the right to homeschool their children at home.

Rights and obligations are two-faced; parents are obligated to teach their children; HB 1580 asks us to remove every opportunity for the state to intervene in a positive way with these children. HB 1580 will negate any opportunity to resolve truancy.

I admire parents who homeschool; they are champions for what they do.

NH is in the middle of all the states that regulate homeschooling. HSLDA indicates that NH is not one of the most restrictive states for homeschooling: our law is only moderately restrictive. There is a balance with what homeschoolers need to do and what the state needs to do to cherish education.

Rep. Baldasaro (Londonderry) is the system broken? Why can’t this legislature give parents the right to homeschool away from public school system?

Rep. Casey: Homeschoolers may provide a portfolio, they may go to the district and take an evaluation. They can interface in a positive way to make sure these things are happening. There is no reason to assume guilt. Parents have taken on their obligation; the state has an obligation; public and private schools have accountability.

Rep. Badesarro: Is the system is broken?

Rep. Casey: The system is in perfect balance.

After this Rep. Casey refused to take more questions. Rep. Carol McGuire asked for a roll call vote. The motion was to ITL HB 1580.

Rep. Skindler: 1580 still requires homeschoolers to instruct their children; only 6 states have worse regulation than NH; we need the presumption of innocence restored.

Rep. Rous: the right of parents already clearly established in 193-A; parents already exempt from compulsory attendance law; HB 1580 creates a new 4th path in addition to the others; it allows parents to opt out of all regulations except the lists of subject; no notification; no evaluation; no truancy.

5:35 pm --- ITL upheld: 175 to 144

Near Victory for Homeschool Freedom - HB 1580!


Hundreds of home schooling parents rallied at the State House today in support of their right to instruct their children at home. This marks a turning point in New Hampshire as parents finally pushed back against inequitable state regulation. Home schoolers were only 16 votes short of victory! The vote was 175 to 144.

Here's the break down. The representatives in
red need to be replaced in November; the others need to be thanked. The representatives in green need to be doubly thanked for their willingness to break with leadership to support homeschooling freedom.

175 + 144 = 319 (77 Not voting and 5 unfilled seats) --> Total 400 representatives

220 Democrats - 45 Republicans didn't vote = 175 Republicans
175 Republicans - 31 Democrats didn't vote = 144 Democrats

13 Republicans voted against HB 1580... in opposition to leadership
13 Democrats voted for HB 1580.... in opposition to leadership

*Rep. Emerson’s vote was changed. She filed a Motion of Reconsideration with the House Speaker.

*Rep. Winter's vote was downgraded from green to white when he opposed the Motion of Reconsideration and lost sight of the importance of our Constitutional right to due process.

Note: Voting "YEA" was a vote to ITL the bill (ie: kill it). Voting "NAY" was a vote to support the bill.

Click here for an interactive roll call list that you can click on the representatives to find their contact information.

HB1580 Roll Call

Vote Date: 03/17/2010

Question/Motion: ITL

Yeas: 175

Nays: 144

County

Vote

Abbott, Dennis

D

Rockingham

12

Yea

Aguiar, James

D

Grafton

06

Yea

Ahlgren, Christopher

R

Carroll

04

Nay

Allen, Mary

R

Rockingham

11

Nay

Allen, Peter

D

Cheshire

06

Not Voting

Almy, Susan

D

Grafton

11

Yea

Anderson, Eric

R

Merrimack

13

Nay

Arsenault, Beth

D

Belknap

04

Yea

Bailey, Clinton

R

Rockingham

03

Not Voting

Baldasaro, Alfred

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Baroody, Benjamin

D

Hillsborough

13

Yea

Bartlett, Michael

D

Merrimack

11

Nay

Bates, David

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

Batula, Peter

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Beauchamp, Roger

D

Hillsborough

17

Yea

Beaulieu, Jane

D

Hillsborough

17

Yea

Beck, Catriona

D

Hillsborough

02

Yea

Belanger, Ronald

R

Rockingham

04

Not Voting

Belvin, William

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Benn, Bernard

D

Grafton

09

Yea

Bergin, Peter

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Berube, Roger

D

Strafford

02

Yea

Bettencourt, David

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

Bickford, David

R

Strafford

03

Yea

Bishop, Franklin

R

Rockingham

02

Nay

Blankenbeker, Lynne

R

Merrimack

11

Not Voting

Boehm, Ralph

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Boisvert, Ronald

D

Hillsborough

17

Not Voting

Bolster, Peter

R

Belknap

05

Nay

Borden, David

D

Rockingham

18

Yea

Bouchard, Candace

D

Merrimack

11

Yea

Boyce, Laurie

R

Belknap

05

Nay

Brennan, William

D

Strafford

01

Not Voting

Bridgham, Robert

D

Carroll

02

Yea

Bridle, Russell

R

Rockingham

15

Not Voting

Brown, C. Pennington

D

Rockingham

09

Yea

Brown, Carole

D

Merrimack

08

Yea

Brown, Jennifer

D

Strafford

05

Not Voting

Brown, Julie

R

Strafford

01

Yea

Brown, Larry

D

Strafford

03

Not Voting

Browne, Brendon

D

Strafford

04

Yea

Buco, Thomas

D

Carroll

01

Yea

Bulis, Lyle

R

Grafton

01

Nay

Burke, Rachel

D

Strafford

03

Yea

Burridge, Delmar

D

Cheshire

03

Not Voting

Butcher, Suzanne

D

Cheshire

03

Yea

Butler, Edward

D

Carroll

01

Yea

Butterworth, Timothy

D

Cheshire

04

Yea

Butynski, William

D

Cheshire

04

Yea

Cali-Pitts, Jacqueline

D

Rockingham

16

Not Voting

Campbell, David

D

Hillsborough

24

Not Voting

Carlson, Nancy

D

Cheshire

06

Not Voting

Caron, June

D

Hillsborough

25

Yea

Carr, Daniel

D

Cheshire

04

Yea

Case, Frank

R

Rockingham

01

Yea

Casey, Kimberley

D

Rockingham

11

Yea

Cebrowski, John

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Chandler, Gene

R

Carroll

01

Nay

Chandley, Shannon

D

Hillsborough

06

Yea

Charron, Gene

R

Rockingham

07

Nay

Chase, Claudia

D

Hillsborough

02

Yea

Chininis, Alexis

D

Hillsborough

10

Yea

Christensen, Chris

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Christiansen, Lars

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Clarke, Claire

D

Merrimack

06

Yea

Clemons, Jane

D

Hillsborough

24

Not Voting

Cloutier, John

D

Sullivan

04

Not Voting

Coffey, Jennifer

R

Merrimack

06

Nay

Comerford, Timothy

R

Rockingham

09

Nay

Cooney, Mary

D

Grafton

07

Yea

Cote, David

D

Hillsborough

23

Yea

Craig, James

D

Hillsborough

09

Yea

Crisler, Margaret

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

Cunningham, Steven

R

Sullivan

02

Nay

Cushing, Robert

D

Rockingham

15

Yea

Cyr, James

D

Strafford

03

Nay

Daniels, Gary

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Davis, Frank

D

Merrimack

07

Yea

Day, Judith

D

Rockingham

13

Yea

Day, Russell

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

DeJoie, John

D

Merrimack

11

Yea

DeSimone, Debra

R

Rockingham

06

Nay

DeStefano, Stephen

D

Merrimack

13

Not Voting

Devine, James

R

Rockingham

07

Nay

DiFruscia, Anthony

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

DiPentima, Rich

D

Rockingham

16

Yea

Doherty, Shaun

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Dokmo, Cynthia

R

Hillsborough

06

Not Voting

Domingo, Baldwin

D

Strafford

05

Not Voting

Donovan, Thomas

D

Sullivan

04

Yea

Dowling, Patricia

R

Rockingham

05

Not Voting

Drisko, Richard

R

Hillsborough

05

Nay

Dumaine, Dudley

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Eaton, Daniel

D

Cheshire

02

Yea

Elliott, Nancy

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Elliott, Robert

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

Emerson, Susan

R

Cheshire

07

(Yea) *Nay

Emerton, Larry

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

Emiro, Frank

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Farley, Michael

D

Hillsborough

15

Yea

Ferrante, Beverly

R

Rockingham

05

Nay

Fesh, Robert

R

Rockingham

05

Nay

Fields, Dennis

R

Belknap

02

Nay

Flanders, Donald

R

Belknap

04

Not Voting

Flanders, John

R

Rockingham

08

Nay

Fleck, Joseph

R

Carroll

05

Nay

Flurey, Joan

D

Hillsborough

16

Yea

Foose, Robert

D

Merrimack

01

Yea

Ford, Susan

D

Grafton

03

Yea

Foster, Linda

D

Hillsborough

04

Not Voting

French, Barbara

D

Merrimack

05

Yea

Friedrich, Carol

D

Grafton

06

Yea

Gagne, Larry

R

Hillsborough

13

Nay

Gagnon, Raymond

D

Sullivan

04

Nay

Gandia, Laura

R

Hillsborough

27

Not Voting

Garcia, Marilinda

R

Rockingham

04

Not Voting

Gargasz, Carolyn

R

Hillsborough

05

Yea

Garrity, James

R

Rockingham

06

Nay

Garrity, Patrick

D

Hillsborough

14

Not Voting

Gidge, Kenneth

D

Hillsborough

24

Not Voting

Gile, Mary

D

Merrimack

10

Yea

Ginsburg, Ruth

D

Hillsborough

20

Nay

Gionet, Edmond

R

Grafton

03

Nay

Gleason, John

R

Rockingham

05

Yea

Goley, Jeffrey

D

Hillsborough

08

Not Voting

Gorman, Mary

D

Hillsborough

23

Yea

Gottling, Suzanne

D

Sullivan

03

Yea

Gould, Franklin

D

Grafton

11

Yea

Gould, Kenneth

R

Rockingham

05

Yea

Graham, John

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Grassie, Anne

D

Strafford

01

Yea

Griffin, Mary

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

Groen, Warren

R

Strafford

01

Nay

Hackel, Paul

D

Hillsborough

21

Yea

Haefner, Robert

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Hagan, Joseph

R

Rockingham

07

Nay

Haley, Robert

D

Hillsborough

14

Not Voting

Hamm, Christine

D

Merrimack

04

Yea

Hammond, Jill

D

Hillsborough

03

Yea

Harding, Laurie

D

Grafton

11

Yea

Hardy, Valerie

D

Hillsborough

27

Yea

Harris, Sandra

D

Sullivan

04

Yea

Harvey, Philip

D

Hillsborough

01

Yea

Harvey, Suzanne

D

Hillsborough

21

Yea

Hatch, William

D

Coos

03

Yea

Hawkins, Ken

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Headd, James

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Hebert, Roger

D

Hillsborough

12

Not Voting

Henson, John

D

Rockingham

13

Not Voting

Hess, David

R

Merrimack

09

Nay

Hikel, John

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

Hinch, Richard

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Hinkle, Peyton

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Hodges, Kevin

D

Hillsborough

07

Yea

Hoelzel, Kathleen

R

Rockingham

02

Nay

Hofemann, Roland

D

Strafford

06

Not Voting

Hogan, Edith

R

Hillsborough

25

Nay

Holden, Frank

R

Hillsborough

04

Nay

Holden, Rip

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

Hopper, Gary

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

Horrigan, Timothy

D

Strafford

07

Nay

Houde-Quimby, Charlotte

D

Sullivan

01

Yea

Howard, Doreen

D

Rockingham

12

Yea

Howard, Thomas

R

Sullivan

02

Nay

Hubbard, Pamela

D

Strafford

01

Not Voting

Hunt, John

R

Cheshire

07

Nay

Hutchinson, Gina

D

Rockingham

05

Not Voting

Hutchinson, Karen

R

Rockingham

03

Not Voting

Hutz, Sarah

D

Strafford

05

Yea

Infantine, William

R

Hillsborough

13

Not Voting

Ingbretson, Paul

R

Grafton

05

Nay

Ingersoll, Paul

D

Coos

04

Not Voting

Ingram, Russell

R

Rockingham

04

Not Voting

Introne, Robert

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Itse, Daniel

R

Rockingham

09

Nay

Jasper, Shawn

R

Hillsborough

27

Yea

Jeudy, Jean

D

Hillsborough

10

Nay

Johnson, Jane

R

Cheshire

06

Nay

Johnson, William

D

Belknap

05

Not Voting

Kaen, Naida

D

Strafford

07

Yea

Kappler, L. Mike

R

Rockingham

02

Nay

Katsakiores, Phyllis

R

Rockingham

05

Not Voting

Katsiantonis, George

D

Hillsborough

17

Not Voting

Katsiantonis, Thomas

D

Hillsborough

15

Not Voting

Keans, Sandra

D

Strafford

01

Yea

Kelley, John

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Kelly, Sally

D

Merrimack

07

Yea

Kepner, Susan

D

Rockingham

15

Yea

Kidder, David

R

Merrimack

01

Yea

Knowles, John

D

Hillsborough

27

Yea

Knowles, Mary Ann

D

Hillsborough

27

Yea

Knox, J. David

R

Carroll

04

Yea

Kolodziej, Walter

R

Rockingham

04

Not Voting

Komi, Richard

D

Hillsborough

12

Yea

Kopka, Angeline

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Kotowski, Frank

R

Merrimack

09

Not Voting

Kurk, Neal

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

L'Heureux, Robert

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Ladd, Rick

R

Grafton

05

Nay

Laliberte, Suzanne

D

Grafton

10

Yea

LaPlante, Roland

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Laurent, John

R

Cheshire

01

Nay

Lauterborn, Elaine

D

Strafford

01

Nay

Leishman, Peter

D

Hillsborough

03

Yea

Lerandeau, Alfred

D

Cheshire

06

Yea

Levasseur, Nickolas

D

Hillsborough

11

Yea

Levesque, Melanie

D

Hillsborough

05

Yea

Lewis, Robert

D

Strafford

06

Not Voting

Lindsey, Steven

D

Cheshire

03

Nay

Lisle, Carolyn

D

Hillsborough

26

Not Voting

Lockwood, Priscilla

R

Merrimack

06

Nay

Long, Patrick

D

Hillsborough

10

Nay

Lyons, Melissa

D

Rockingham

08

Yea

Mack, Ron

D

Hillsborough

01

Yea

Major, Norman

R

Rockingham

08

Not Voting

Mann, Maureen

D

Rockingham

01

Yea

Marshall, Seth

D

Hillsborough

23

Yea

Matarazzo, Anthony

D

Hillsborough

20

Yea

Matheson, Robert

D

Grafton

04

Yea

Maybeck, Margie

R

Grafton

08

Nay

McCarthy, Barbara

D

Rockingham

05

Yea

McCarthy, Michael

R

Hillsborough

21

Nay

McClammer, Jim

D

Sullivan

05

Yea

McConkey, Mark

R

Carroll

03

Not Voting

McEachern, Paul

D

Rockingham

16

Yea

McGuire, Carol

R

Merrimack

08

Nay

McKinney, Betsy

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

McMahon, Charles

R

Rockingham

04

Nay

McMahon, Patricia

D

Merrimack

03

Yea

Mead, Robert

R

Hillsborough

04

Nay

Meader, David

D

Cheshire

03

Yea

Mears, Lucy

D

Coos

04

Yea

Merrick, Evalyn

D

Coos

02

Not Voting

Merry, Liz

D

Belknap

02

Yea

Messier, Irene

R

Hillsborough

17

Nay

Miller, Kate

D

Belknap

03

Yea

Millham, Alida

R

Belknap

05

Yea

Mitchell, Bonnie

D

Cheshire

07

Not Voting

Moody, Marcia

D

Rockingham

12

Yea

Moran, Edward

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Movsesian, Lori

D

Hillsborough

22

Yea

Mulholland, Catherine

D

Grafton

10

Yea

Nedeau, Stephen

R

Belknap

03

Nay

Nevins, Chris

R

Rockingham

15

Nay

Nixon, David

D

Hillsborough

17

Yea

Nord, Susi

D

Rockingham

01

Yea

Nordgren, Sharon

D

Grafton

09

Yea

Norelli, Terie

D

Rockingham

16

Not Voting

O'Brien, Michael

D

Hillsborough

26

Not Voting

O'Brien, William

R

Hillsborough

04

Nay

O'Neil, James

D

Hillsborough

19

Yea

Ober, Lynne

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Ober, Russell

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Osborne, Jessie

D

Merrimack

12

Not Voting

Osgood, Joe

R

Sullivan

04

Nay

Owen, Derek

D

Merrimack

04

Nay

Packard, Sherman

R

Rockingham

03

Nay

Palfrey, David

R

Merrimack

02

Nay

Palmer, Stephen

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Pantelakos, Laura

D

Rockingham

16

Yea

Parkhurst, Henry

D

Cheshire

04

Yea

Pastor, Beatriz

D

Grafton

09

Yea

Patten, Betsey

R

Carroll

04

Nay

Pellegrino, Tony

R

Hillsborough

19

Nay

Pepino, Leo

R

Hillsborough

11

Nay

Perkins, Amy

R

Rockingham

14

Nay

Perkins, Lawrence

R

Rockingham

14

Nay

Perry, Robert

D

Strafford

03

Yea

Peterson, Andrew

R

Hillsborough

03

Yea

Petterson, Don

D

Rockingham

10

Yea

Pierce, David

D

Grafton

09

Yea

Pilliod, James

R

Belknap

05

Nay

Pilotte, Maurice

D

Hillsborough

16

Yea

Porter, Margaret

D

Merrimack

08

Yea

Potter, Frances

D

Merrimack

10

Yea

Poznanski, Brian

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Pratt, Calvin

R

Hillsborough

07

Nay

Preston, Mark

D

Rockingham

14

Not Voting

Preston, Philip

D

Grafton

08

Yea

Price, Pamela

R

Hillsborough

26

Nay

Price, Susan

D

Strafford

03

Yea

Priestley, Anne

R

Rockingham

04

Not Voting

Quandt, Matt

R

Rockingham

13

Nay

Ramsey, Peter

D

Hillsborough

08

Not Voting

Rappaport, Laurence

R

Coos

01

Nay

Rausch, James

R

Rockingham

05

Not Voting

Read, Robin

D

Rockingham

16

Yea

Reagan, John

R

Rockingham

01

Nay

Reed, Dennis

R

Merrimack

02

Not Voting

Reever, Judith

D

Belknap

04

Yea

Remick, William

R

Coos

02

Nay

Renzullo, Andrew

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Rhodes, Brian

D

Hillsborough

22

Yea

Rice, Chip

D

Merrimack

12

Not Voting

Richardson, Barbara

D

Cheshire

05

Yea

Richardson, Gary

D

Merrimack

04

Yea

Richardson, Herbert

R

Coos

02

Nay

Roberts, John

R

Carroll

03

Nay

Roberts, Kris

D

Cheshire

03

Yea

Robertson, Timothy

D

Cheshire

03

Yea

Rodd, Beth

D

Merrimack

05

Yea

Rodeschin, Beverly

R

Sullivan

02

Nay

Rogers, Rose Marie

D

Strafford

01

Yea

Rokas, Theodoros

D

Hillsborough

12

Yea

Rollo, Deanna

D

Strafford

02

Yea

Rosenwald, Cindy

D

Hillsborough

22

Yea

Rous, Emma

D

Strafford

07

Yea

Rowe, Robert

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Russell, David

R

Belknap

06

Nay

Russell, Joseph

D

Rockingham

13

Not Voting

Russell, Trinka

D

Rockingham

13

Yea

Ryder, Donald

R

Hillsborough

05

Nay

Ryder, Mark

D

Strafford

06

Yea

Sad, Tara

D

Cheshire

02

Yea

Sanders, Elisabeth

R

Rockingham

07

Not Voting

Sapareto, Frank

R

Rockingham

05

Not Voting

Scala, Dino

R

Carroll

05

Not Voting

Scamman, Stella

R

Rockingham

13

Not Voting

Scamman, W. Douglas

R

Rockingham

13

Not Voting

Schlachman, Donna

D

Rockingham

13

Yea

Schmidt, Peter

D

Strafford

04

Yea

Schuett, Dianne

D

Merrimack

07

Yea

Schulze, Joan

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Sedensky, John

R

Rockingham

08

Nay

Seidel, Carl

R

Hillsborough

20

Nay

Shattuck, Gilman

D

Hillsborough

01

Yea

Shaw, Barbara

D

Hillsborough

16

Not Voting

Shaw, Kimberly

D

Hillsborough

26

Yea

Shurtleff, Stephen

D

Merrimack

10

Yea

Silva, Peter

R

Hillsborough

26

Nay

Skinder, Carla

D

Sullivan

01

Nay

Smith, Marjorie

D

Strafford

07

Yea

Smith, Suzanne

D

Grafton

07

Yea

Smith, Todd

R

Merrimack

09

Nay

Smith, William

R

Rockingham

18

Nay

Soucy, Connie

R

Hillsborough

17

Nay

Soucy, Timothy

D

Hillsborough

25

Not Voting

Spang, Judith

D

Strafford

07

Yea

Spaulding, Jayne

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Splaine, James

D

Rockingham

16

Yea

Sprague, Dale

D

Strafford

02

Yea

St. Cyr, Jeffrey

R

Belknap

05

Nay

Sterling, Franklin

R

Cheshire

07

Nay

Stetson, William

D

Merrimack

10

Yea

Stevens, Stanley

R

Carroll

04

Nay

Stiles, Nancy

R

Rockingham

15

Not Voting

Stohl, Eric

R

Coos

01

Not Voting

Stuart, Richard

D

Belknap

04

Yea

Sullivan, Daniel

D

Hillsborough

08

Yea

Sullivan, James

R

Rockingham

01

Nay

Sweeney, Cynthia

D

Sullivan

05

Yea

Swinford, Elaine

R

Belknap

05

Nay

Tahir, Saghir

R

Hillsborough

09

Not Voting

Taylor, Kathleen

D

Grafton

02

Yea

Theberge, Robert

D

Coos

04

Yea

Thomas, Yvonne

D

Coos

04

Yea

Thompson, Robert

D

Hillsborough

09

Yea

Tilton, Joy

D

Merrimack

06

Yea

Townsend, Charles

D

Grafton

10

Yea

Tucker, Pamela

R

Rockingham

17

Nay

Tupper, Frank

D

Merrimack

06

Nay

Twombly, James

R

Strafford

01

Not Voting

Ulery, Jordan

R

Hillsborough

27

Nay

Umberger, Karen

R

Carroll

01

Nay

Vachon, Dennis

D

Strafford

03

Yea

Vaillancourt, Steve

R

Hillsborough

15

Nay

Veazey, John

R

Belknap

04

Not Voting

Villeneuve, Moe

R

Hillsborough

18

Nay

Vita, Carol

R

Strafford

03

Nay

Wall, Janet

D

Strafford

07

Yea

Wallner, Mary Jane

D

Merrimack

12

Yea

Walsh, Robert

D

Hillsborough

11

Yea

Walz, Mary Beth

D

Merrimack

13

Yea

Ward, Brien

R

Grafton

01

Nay

Ward, Kenneth

D

Strafford

02

Yea

Watrous, Rick

D

Merrimack

12

Yea

Watters, David

D

Strafford

04

Yea

Weare, Everett

R

Rockingham

14

Nay

Webb, Leigh

D

Merrimack

02

Yea

Webber, Carolyn

D

Rockingham

04

Yea

Weber, Lucy

D

Cheshire

02

Yea

Weed, Charles

D

Cheshire

03

Not Voting

Welch, David

R

Rockingham

08

Nay

Wells, Roger

R

Rockingham

08

Not Voting

Wendelboe, Fran

R

Belknap

01

Nay

Weyler, Kenneth

R

Rockingham

08

Nay

Wheeler, Deborah

D

Merrimack

06

Not Voting

White, Andrew

D

Grafton

11

Not Voting

Wiley, Susan

D

Carroll

03

Yea

Willette, Robert

R

Hillsborough

06

Nay

Williams, Burton

R

Grafton

08

Yea

Williams, Carol

D

Hillsborough

14

Not Voting

Williams, Robert

D

Merrimack

11

Not Voting

Joel Winters

D

Hillsborough

17

Nay

Yeaton, Charles

D

Merrimack

08

Yea