Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 8th.
Representatives Hall in the State House in Concord (Exit 14 off Rt. 93)
It is extremely important for parents to attend these hearings even if they do not wish to speak. Indicate your support or opposition on the committee sign-up sheets for these bills.
Those, who wish to speak, should fill out a pink card at the hearing. Given the tight schedule, the committee may have to schedule a follow up hearing to listen to all the testimony.
You can also let the House Education Committee members know what you think about these bills. by contacting them individually. Contact information to email or phone House Education Committee members.
10:30 am ---> HB 545 –sponsor Rep. Bates
· Repeals DoE rulemaking authority for RSA 193-A.
· Eliminates HEAC.
HB 545: Eliminating the HEAC is good, but eliminating DOE rulemaking opens Pandora's box. This bill eliminates open public discussion of the rules and eliminates review by the BOE and JLCAR; in its place there will be district disparity, litigation and court rulings to define our current inequitable home education law. If DOE rulemaking is bad, then eliminate it for everyone, not just homeschoolers. Equal treatment for all.
Increases the likelihood of litigation as hostile districts will misinterpret the law just like they did in the 1980’s and parents will have no recourse.
The BoE and the JLCAR committee provides the oversight to DoE rules.
Better to have oversight for the rules than chaos at the district level implementing this inequitable Compulsory Education law.
1:00 pm ---> HB 301-FN -- sponsor Rep. Parison
· Criminalizes homeschoolers
· Retains the regulatory framework of RSA 193-A (Compulsory Education)
HB 301: Provides an inequitable playing field for parents and insufficient direction to the court. By requiring notification there is no respect of the parent's natural right to instruct. Also, there should be a presumption of innocence for homeschooling parents, not guilty until proven innocent. The result of this unconstitutional proposal will be court rule as judges will not tolerate "no termination" for repetitive failure to educate.
2:00 pm ---> HB 595 -- sponsor Rep. L. Jones
· Repeals RSA 193-A (Compulsory Education)
· Recognizes Parent-Directed Instruction (Compulsory Attendance)
HB 595: Provides an equal playing field for parents and clear direction to the court. Termination is simple and straightforward when a parent fails to instruct his child. There is no need for an "affirmative defense" or the pretense of "privacy" as the child is not subject to invasive scrutiny to determine the level of his enlightenment. The burden of proof is on the state to prove that the parent is not providing any instruction.
3:00 pm ---> HB 631-FN-L -- sponsor Rep. Maltz
· Repeals mandatory Kindergarten.
Hundreds of parents and teachers may come to testify on this bill.
