The Marriage Equality Discussion: A Good Day In The State House

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Feb 05, 2009 at 21:53:35 PM EST

Thursday was such a day.  Four bills were up for public hearing about LBGT equality.  Two would reduce our Civil Unions Law, and the other two provide full marriage equality and fighting discrimination based on gender identity.

The bills were in front of the House Judiciary Committee, chaired with the element of class by longtime Nashua Representative David Cote.  Dave's a Democrat, and a mighty good one.

One of our proudest accomplishments in the 2007 Legislature was the passage of Civil Unions, a move toward full equality for our New Hampshire gay and lesbian friends, family members, and neighbors.  It was fantastic to see Governor John Lynch sign the bill into law in May of that year.  During the past 13 months that Civil Unions have been allowed, 621 couples have made their commitment to share their love, caring, and lives together.

Granny D: A New Hampshire Treasure Made Of Gold

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Sat Mar 29, 2008 at 21:03:37 PM EDT

Back then, I was fascinated by this somewhat short and unassuming woman who seemed to have a lot of get-up-and-go.  I enjoyed campaigning for and voting for this visionary, very positive human being.

But only in the past two years or so have I seen her quite up close (REALLY close when she gives you the patented "Granny D Hug"), and come to know, better understand, and even get to love this 98 year old New Hampshire treasure who is made of gold.

I could write so much about her, but watching her for a couple of hours this past Thursday as she experienced one of her greatest victories -- the New Hampshire State Senate approving a bill that she and her cause has inspired -- kind of sums up all about her.  

That legislation, House Bill 794, called "The Granny D Bill," creates a seven-member Commission to craft and recommend a public financing program for New Hampshire.  Whether that can be done is not the question -- some dozen other states have similar programs for at least some of their candidates, and Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut have rather complete systems.  And whether it WILL be done here is not the question -- it will be someday, because it is at least a partial answer to improving democracy and making it more accessible by more of our citizens.  It will happen.  It has to.

And all that is Granny D's cause.  She says the same thing -- that this will happen -- that we must do this not for ourselves, but for our future, and our children.  To hear her say that makes you believe that it will be done.  Because it has to.  

But what was remarkable this past Thursday was to see this energetic woman walk the halls of the New Hampshire State House, a building only a little more than twice her own age, with just a cane while leading her troop of supporters at a fast pace.  More on that walk in a moment.  

After being introduced to the Senate by Keene Senator Molly Kelly and Senate President Sylvia Larsen, she sat for close to an hour in the historic chamber for her bill to come up and be voted on.  It passed unanimously after two speakers, one a Democrat (Senator Jackie Cilley of Barrington) and one a Republican  (Senator Peter Bragdon of Milford) recommended passage.  Then Granny D stood to the applause and thanks of a gallery full of her longtime supporters who came from throughout the state to cheer her on.  

Then she stepped -- "ran" might be a better description -- out of the Senate into her crowd of backers while she answered questions from reporters.  In the midst of all this commotion Governor John Lynch walked up the stairs going toward his office.  He stopped for a moment to say hello to Granny D.  It gave her a chance to corner him on her cause...(more below fold)

The "Granny D. Bill" Passes The New Hampshire House And Senate

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 18:31:01 PM EDT

House Bill 794 creates a seven-member group which will consider public funding options of certain campaigns in New Hampshire -- possibly Governor, State Senate, and Governor's Council.  So, this legislation could eventually dramatically affect for the good the way that democracy is exercised in our state.

After a public hearing early last year the bill was sent to a House Election Law Subcommittee which I chaired.  There I saw first-hand the enthusiasm for the concept of this bill that Granny D and others brought to her cause as we held a dozen work sessions on the bill.

The Subcommittee even met with Maine State Representatives to learn more about how public funding of certain campaigns works in that state.  Altogether, we had over 35 hours of discussion on this bill in the Legislature. HB 794 passed the House on January 16th on a roll call of 199 to 121.

I have dubbed House Bill 794 as "THE GRANNY D BILL," because this is her cause.  She walked across America in support of "clean elections."  In light of the ever-increasing costs of running for public office and the reliance on personal wealth or extensive fundraising in order to run for public office, this bill seeks to allow for a different approach to funding campaigns for potential candidates without such financial sources.

Legislation similar to the original version of HB 794 was almost passed by the 2000 Legislature.  A bill creating public financing of campaigns passed the State Senate that year, and came within 28 votes of passage in the then-Republican controlled House after a lengthy discussion.   GOVERNOR JEANNE SHAHEEN was prepared to sign the bill.

The people on the bipartisan Commission created by HB 794 will dedicate dedicate themselves in the next few months to the task of identifying alternative ways to fund state campaigns.  The  Commission will examine potential revenue sources for funding and develop recommendations to the legislative session of 2009.

This Commission, under the directives of the bill, may consider voluntary contributions, in-kind donations of services, and other means to generate revenue.  The Commission will include not more than three members of a political party.   No Commission members can currently hold elective office.   Two appointments are to be made by the House Speaker, two by the Senate President, two by the Governor, and one by the Secretary of State.  The Commission will report back by December 1, 2008, in time for legislative action in 2009.  

Some twelve states already have "clean election" laws at one level or another, with Maine, Arizona, and Connecticut having statewide versions affecting most elected offices.  This concept has been publicly endorsed by leaders and people who have run for "higher office" from both parties:  former GOVERNOR WALTER PETERSON, former Gubernatorial candidate JIM RUBINS, former Democratic U.S. Senate nominee JOHN RAUH, former Gubernatorial nominee PAUL McEACHERN and former State Senators CLIF BELOW and RICK TROMBLY, among others.  

In addition, SECRETARY OF STATE BILL GARDNER has been a strong advocate of the legislation and the public funding concept.  A number of other long-time supporters of the Granny D cause who have worked with her for the past decade also contributed to the success of the legislation to this point. Representatives of the League of Women Voters, NH Citizens Alliance, Americans for Campaign Reform, Public Action for Clean Elections, and Veterans for Peace NH have also supported the legislation.

I think the Commission will do its job well, and that it will come up with inventive, innovative ways to implement the concept here "The New Hampshire Way."  

House Bill 794 was cosponsored by Representatives PETER ALLEN, BETTY HALL, DANA HILLIARD, BARBARA RICHARDSON, SENATOR JACKIE CILLEY, and myself.   Several members of the House Election Law Committee worked especially hard on making the bill succeed, including DAVID PIERCE, who prepared the amendment creating the Commission, CLAUDIA CHASE and CHUCK WEED, who were on the Subcommittee which I chaired, along with David Pierce and Betty Hall and went to a number of meetings on the bill, and COMMITTEE CHAIR JANE CLEMONS, who helped in passage on the House Floor.

But this one really is a great victory for Granny D -- who repeatedly would tell us this isn't "about her," it's not even "about us," it's about our children, and our future.  

She's right.
 

The "Granny D Bill" Passes The House, Commission To Study Public Funding Of NH Campaigns

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Jan 17, 2008 at 00:05:49 AM EST

The legislation, House Bill 794, has gone through a thorough review during the past year.  After a public hearing last March it was sent to a House Election Law Subcommittee which I chaired.  We held a dozen worksessions on the bill.  The Subcommittee even met with Maine State Representatives to learn more about how public funding of certain campaigns works in that state.  

House Bill 794 is dubbed "THE GRANNY D BILL," because this is her cause.  She walked across America in support of "clean elections."  In light of the ever-increasing costs of running for public office and the reliance on personal wealth or extensive fundraising in order to run for public office, this bill seeks to allow for a different approach to funding campaigns for potential candidates without such financial sources.

Legislation similar to the original version of HB 794 was almost passed by the 2000 Legislature.  A bill creating public financing of campaigns passed the State Senate that year, and came within 28 votes of passage in the House after a lengthy discussion.   GOVERNOR JEANNE SHAHEEN was prepared to sign the bill.

Under this legislation, a bipartisan Commission of seven public members will be created to dedicate themselves to the task of identifying alternative ways to fund state campaigns.  The commission will examine potential revenue sources for funding and develop recommendations to the legislative session of 2009.

This Commission, under the directives of the bill, may consider voluntary contributions, in-kind donations of services, and other means to generate revenue.  The Commission would include not more than three members of a political party.   No Commission members would currently hold elective office.   Two appointments would be made by the House Speaker, two by the Senate President, two by the Governor, and one by the Secretary of State.  The Commission would report back by December 1, 2008, in time for legislative action in 2009.  

Some twelve states already have "clean election" laws.  This concept has been publicly endorsed by leaders and people who have run for "higher office" from both parties:  former GOVERNOR WALTER PETERSON, former Gubernatorial candidate JIM RUBINS, former Democratic U.S. Senate nominee JOHN RAUH, former Gubernatorial nominee PAUL McEACHERN and former State Senators CLIF BELOW and RICK TROMBLY, among others.  I think the Commission will do its job well, and that it will come up with inventive, innovative ways to implement the concept there "The New Hampshire Way."  

The original version of House Bill 794 was cosponsored by Representatives PETER ALLEN, BETTY HALL, DANA HILLIARD, BARBARA RICHARDSON, SENATOR JACKIE CILLEY, and myself.   Several members of the House Election Law Committee worked especially hard on making the bill succeed, including DAVID PIERCE, who prepared the amendment creating the Commission, CLAUDIA CHASE and CHUCK WEED,who were on the Subcommittee along with David Pierce and Betty Hall and went to a number of meetings on the bill, and COMMITTEE CHAIR JANE CLEMONS, who helped in passage on the House Floor.

But this one was really a great victory for Granny D -- who repeatedly would tell us this isn't "about her," it's not even "about us," it's about our children, and our future.  

She's right.  Now it's onto the State Senate.  

Barbara Richardson on Bill Richardson

by: Stephen Cassidy

Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 16:30:09 PM EST

What about Bill Richardson the person?  We can learn much from the person that has known him for forty three years of his life, Barbara Richardson.  They met when he was 17 and she was 16 and gave him a ride back to his school from the nearby town.