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Ominous, thick, low-hanging clouds produced by Republican supermajorities in the state legislature created two damaging lightning strikes. Then, surprisingly, two shafts of sunlight broke through the GOP overcast.
The legislature is currently engaged in a series of override votes in response to vetoes of legislation by Democratic governor John Lynch. If at least two-thirds of the members present in both the House and Senate vote to override a gubernatorial veto, the measure in question will become law.
First, those damaging lightning strikes. Republican supermajorities in both the State Senate and the House successfully overrode the Governor's veto of SB 88, the so-called "Stand Your Ground" gun bill. Current New Hampshire law allows people to use deadly force for self-defense in their homes (the "Castle Doctrine"). They can also use deadly force in public to protect themselves or others if they can't safely retreat. The new bill (SB 88) would eliminate the provision that a person must attempt to retreat before using deadly force in public.
That doesn't sound like much of a change, but the new bill drew virtually unanimous opposition from law enforcement officers in New Hampshire. They pointed out that the current law has worked flawlessly - citizens have been able to legally defend themselves. Thus, the new law is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Moreover, under the new law, people have a legal right to shoot someone anytime they feel threatened. That provides criminals with the opportunity to claim self defense in court.
In reality, the override occurred because Republican legislators are intimidated by the gun lobby, and will back virtually anything that lobby promotes in order to appease it. Of the 251 votes in the House to override the Governor's veto, 246 came from Republicans. In the Senate, all 17 votes to override came from Republicans.
Based on Republican efforts to dismantle state government and allow unrestricted use of guns, a friend suggests (jokingly) that the GOP will attempt to change the name of New Hampshire to New Somalia. (Somalia is the African country with no central government where armed gangs rule by terror.)
Unfortunately, lightning did strike twice. Thanks to Republicans, usurious car title loans may return to New Hampshire. Three years ago, the Democratically-controlled legislature passed a law capping car title loans at 36 percent interest per year. SB 57 would remove that cap and allow title loan lenders to charge up to 300 percent interest per year. The Senate overrode the Governor's veto of SB 57 on a 17 to 7 vote. All 17 votes to override came from Republicans. An override vote has yet to be taken in the House, so the Governor's veto could yet be sustained there, preventing SB 57 from becoming law.
Every dark cloud has a silver lining - happily the Governor's vetoes were sustained on two other pieces of legislation. Under the terms of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), New Hampshire is one of 10 Northeastern states participating in a cap-and-trade program for carbon dioxide. Industries producing excessive carbon dioxide (which contributes to global warming) must reduce pollution or bid at auction for allowances giving them the right to exceed carbon dioxide limits. UNH found that through 2010, RGGI auctions produced more than $16 million in revenue for New Hampshire. Since the Governor's veto of SB 154 was sustained in the Senate, no vote is necessary in the House, and the current RGGI law remains intact.
You won't have to show that unflattering driver's license or passport photo to amused election officials. Governor Lynch's veto of the photo ID bill (SB 129) was sustained. According to this bill, voters would be required to show a government-issued photo ID to verify their identities before casting a ballot.
So many things were wrong with this bill that it collapsed of its own weight. It was cumbersome, expensive, delayed final vote counts, discouraged people from voting, and discriminated against groups who normally vote Democratic (thus accounting for Republican enthusiasm for this bill). Since the override of SB 129 was defeated in the Senate, no vote is necessary in the House, and voting procedures will remain the same.
Don't relax. The Big One is yet to come - the attempted override of the Governor's veto of the Right to Work bill (HB 474). Because he doesn't have enough votes to override the Governor's veto, Republican speaker Bill O'Brien keeps delaying this vote from one month to the next hoping that on some particular day enough opponents will be absent that he can sneak the override through the House.
O'Brien has until the start of the next legislative session in January to hold this vote. Perhaps, he is hopeful that a blizzard in December will come to his rescue and create the absences he needs. Note to legislators: Put snow tires on your cars now.
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