Liberty Wins of 2011

Sept 14th: SB88 signed, This bill would recognize self preservation inside and outside the home. [Art.] 2-a. [The Bearing of Arms.] All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state. People in fear for their lives should not have to retreat but should be able to defend themselves. The right to bear arms requires that people be able to display the tools of self-defense to warn and discourage would-be attackers.

July 5th: SB0002 signed. This bill allows cities and towns under a charter, and towns, school districts, and other political subdivisions under the municipal budget act to adopt a tax cap to limit increases to the amount to be raised by taxes in the annual budget.

July 1st: HB109 signed. This bill prohibits local planning boards from requiring the installation of a fire suppression sprinkler system in proposed one- or 2-family residences as a condition of approval for a local permit.

June 14th: HB0276 signed. This bill allowed wine manufacturers to sell wine at annual fairs or similar events and eliminated the requirement that wine provided as samples by a wine manufacturer be purchased from the liquor commission.

June 8th: HB651 signed. This legalized monk parakeets.

June 8th: HB262 signed, this legalized nano-breweries.

June 7th: HB544 passes, protecting knife ownership in all towns and municipalities.

June 1st: SB151 passes, This bill requires the commissioner of the department of health and human services to consolidate contracts of the department and provides parameters for such consolidation. The bill requires the commissioner of the department of health and human services to provide reports on a quarterly basis for the biennium ending June 30, 2013 to the oversight committee on health and human services.

June 1st: SB70 passes, This bill would repeal unnecessary restrictions on rental property owners. Improves an owner’s control of his private property and reduces the burdensome regulation and costs of extended storage requirements. Rights to contract and property rights should be held sacrosanct by legislatures. Repealing last year's new requirement on owners to file an address for process service is a positive step towards reducing government regulation and deferring to personal responsibility. Regulations, reporting requirements, and fines all discourage investment in real property.

May 25th: SB162 passes, This bill would create a committee to provide legislative oversight during implementation of new, federal healthcare law. Prevents unelected state agents from taking any action regarding federally mandated health insurance, including rulemaking, without first receiving approval from an oversight committee of three representatives and two senators. As amended allows the oversight committee to revisit all existing rules regarding federal health care reform and allows the oversight committee to order the commissioner to withdraw them. This bill as amended eliminates the state position of health reform coordinator.

May 25th: SB93 passes, This bill would expand the number of pharmacist-administered vaccines. Expands consumer choice in the provision of health care. Has potential to decrease medical care costs.

May 25th: SB120 passes, This bill would loosen the speech restrictions on beer advertisements. A small step in the right direction, this bill removes some restrictions on advertising.

May 16th: HB143 signed, legalizing the sale, distribution, and possession of Stove Polish.

May 9th: HB0229 signed, repeals the tax on gambling winnings.

April 27th: SB157 signed, This bill would reinstate the ability for technicians to certify equipment as honest. For 20 years private parties inspected and certified weights and measures. The recent change requiring a government official to do the job makes the process more onerous and therefore more expensive for the business owner.

March 30: HB635 signed, This bill would require the governor to consolidate various service centers. Consolidating back-office services improves efficiency, thereby reducing government spending.

March 30: HB580 signed, This bill would restructure the retirement system so as to reduce taxpayer costs and better align the state system with private sector benefits. Begins to rectify the gross underfunding and unsustainability of this system. Increases age and years of service thresholds by 5 years, excludes various non-base pay compensation from formulas. Eliminates prolonged double dipping.

March 16: HB589 signed, This bill would restore protections associated with secret ballot elections for workers. This bill would uphold an individual's right to privacy when voting in an election of an exclusive representative of an employee organization. Unlike a secret ballot election, where a worker can make a decision without undue intimidation, under card check, there's nothing stopping union bosses from intimidating workers one-on-one - or three-on-one into signing so-called "union authorization cards" that are essentially irrevocable.

March 16: HB316 signed, This bill would ensure that homeowners retain the right of appeal in tax disputes. People should not have to give up their right to privacy in order to appeal an unfair tax assessment. Protects the constitutional right to due process in the property assessment process.

March 15: HB331 signed, This bill would mandate state agencies to track and publish their costs monthly. After twelve months, year over year comparisons will be available on an ongoing basis. Journalists and watchdog groups will have up to date budget facts rather than extrapolated conjecture. This will lead to a more informed citizenry. Inconsistencies may be caught and corrected early, which leads to better governance.

March 15: HB623 signed, This bill prohibits preferences in recruiting, hiring, promotion, or admission by state agencies, the university system, the community college system, and the postsecondary education commission. It prohibits preferential treatment or discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation.

March 2nd: HB441 signed, This bill would eliminate the prohibition on adjustable muffling devices on boats. Boaters will now be able to use their own judgment and common sense to reduce the noise of their motors, instead of having the letter of the current law trump the spirit of RSA 270:37.

Feb 23rd: HB187 signed, This bill would allow businesses to carry forward credits against the business profits tax for an extra year. The bill provides that certain tax credits from paying the Business Enterprise Tax will not expire for another year, offsetting losses from the recession. The bill makes sure that small and large businesses can continue to do business, invest, and create jobs.

Feb 15th: SB1 signed, This bill would repeal the evergreen clause currently forced into union agreements. Negotiators have always had the option to include an evergreen clause. This bill removes the mandate that one be included, leaving the decision up to the interested parties.

Feb 9th: HB155 signed, This bill would change charitable raffle permits from per event to per year. This will ease the paperwork burden on charitable organizations who wish to have multiple raffles in a year.

Feb 9th: HB125 signed, This bill repeals a regulation that prevents schools and teams from other states from seeking out New Hampshire athletes - and potentially providing them with financial opportunities.

Jan 26th: HB77 signed, This bill prohibits deletion of the substance of the original warrant article. All voters, not just the small percentage in attendance at deliberative session, should be allowed to vote on warrant articles, especially petitioned warrant articles. The right to vote on all articles by all registered voters is enhanced and preserved.