 Week of February 26, 2024 Stop State-Sanctioned Suicide in its Tracks Act now: contact the House Judiciary Committee to oppose HB 1283. HB 1283, relative to end of life options, would implement state-sanctioned suicide for those facing an illness which a physician has predicted would be terminal within 6 months. HB 1283 could have an executive session as early as Wednesday, March 6, at 10:00am, in the Legislative Office Building, room 206-208. Last week, the Judiciary Committee discussed amending the bill in an effort to collect more support. Let us be clear; state-sanctioned suicide is unacceptable and deeply harmful in any form. During the public hearing, we heard powerful personal testimonies in opposition to HB 1283 from members of the disability, suicide prevention, and brain injury communities, faith leaders, and more. Check out the highlights on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and share to amplify these voices! We also heard alarming testimony in support of the bill, with outrageous claims such as those who choose natural death die without dignity, and suicide itself, even in healthy individuals, can be a good and peaceful thing. It is of vital importance that the Judiciary Committee hear from us on the dangers of state-sanctioned suicide. WHAT YOU CAN DO: During an executive session, the committee will vote to recommend the bill as OTP (ought to pass) or ITL (inexpedient to legislate). There is no opportunity for public testimony during this session. We urge you to contact the House Judiciary Committee to register your opposition to the bill – in any form, and urge them to vote ITL on HB 1283. You can find contact info for the members here. Assisted suicide should never be a course of action the state should support. Caring, not killing, is the right approach when we’re faced with a physician’s prognosis or any distressing life situation. EMAIL THE COMMITTEE Update on Recent Legislative ActionBills we have been following that are now on to the next steps. Your voice is still needed and still matters! It’s Time to Put Students and Teachers First Act now: ask your senator to support a floor amendment to SB 219 SB 219, The Students First Act, is an important bill that will help crack down on sprawling, expensive school administration in New Hampshire and ensure that our education spending puts students and teachers first. The amended version of SB 219, passed by the NH State Senate last month, would shed light onNew Hampshire’s systemic misuse of education spending by requiring school districts to report administrative costs to the public before school budget meetings. These reports will prove to voters that they are being duped. Despite decades of ever-rising school budgets and taxes throughout New Hampshire, very little of these school tax increases are actually going to teacher pay. Instead, school districts are creating well-paid, left-wing administrative bureaucracies that prioritize expensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and staffing over teachers and students. However, when the Senate Finance Committee took up the bill again last week to consider the fiscal note, they gutted the bill’s enforcement mechanism. Thisrenders the bill meaningless and without consequences for schools that willfully fail to report these expenditures. WHAT YOU CAN DO: On Thursday, March 7, the full Senate will likely vote on the now faulty and meaningless committee bill. Before it’s too late, the State Senate must, in the form of a floor amendment, amend the bill to put the enforcement language back in. We urge you to contact your Senator to ask them to support a floor amendment to SB 219 to restore the penalties and the supporting enforcement mechanism. We must take a firm stand to prevent school administrators from concealing this information while continuing to quietly prioritize “diversity, equity, and inclusion” over the foundational quality of school education. CONTACT YOUR SENATOR Upcoming Training: Concord 101 Do you know how our state enacts legislation? Without civic engagement from members in the body of Christ, Cornerstone’s mission to pass laws that reflect our shared Christian values and uplift human dignity wouldn’t be possible! That’s why it’s our goal to educate believers on how to be effective in the political sphere. Check out this two minute clip for a refresher on how a bill becomes a law in New Hampshire, and if you want to learn more, save the date for our next Concord 101 Training! WHAT: Crash course on God’s heart for civic government and how to answer the call to make a positive impact in the Granite State through civic engagement. WHEN: Sunday, March 24,5:00pm – 7:00pm WHERE: Grace Capital Church, 542 Pembroke St., Pembroke, NH 03275 Although reservations preferred at cornerstone@nhcornerstone.org, they are not required. Come and join us! Update on State Recognition of Biological Sex Last month, the NH House passed HB 396, relative to state recognition of biological sex. The bill is on its way to the Senate, where Cornerstone will continue to champion this important legislation. HB 396 is a straightforward bill that preserves the state’s ability to differentiate between biological sexes in areas such as athletic competitions, prisons, restrooms, or places of intimate privacy. HB 396 has a nearly identical sister bill in the Senate, SB 562, relative to state recognition of biological sex. Additionally, there are several other bills dealing with the issue of biological males playing in women’s sports, such as SB 524, relative to women’s sports. However, of these bills, HB 396 remains our top priority, as this legislation effectively addresses the overarching issue of biological males in women’s sports as well as other critical areas such as bathrooms and prisons. Additionally, HB 396 is closer to reaching the Governor’s desk as the only one of these bills that has already been passed in the House. To read more on the content and necessity of this vital bill, check out HB 396: Has Biological Sex Ceased to Exist?, an op-ed originally published in the Union Leader by Cornerstone Executive Director Shannon McGinley.  |
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