InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/author/garry-rayno-indepthnh-org/page/30/)
This week the House will take what is usually its most important vote before crossover, House Bill 1 and House Bill 2, or the state’s two-year operating budget for the next biennium beginning July 1.
The House Finance Committee put off a final vote on its work for the next biennial budget for several hours Wednesday, and then voted nearly down party lines to approve the two-bill package.
The proposed House budget does not adequately fund group homes for delinquent children that are essential to closing the Sununu Youth Services Center, members of the House Finance Committee was told Tuesday.
The budget being proposed by the House Finance Committee would slash the money going into the Education Trust Fund, while reducing its obligation to fund special education, school building aid and other programs.
The House has trimmed some of Gov. Chris Sununu’s proposed budget of $14.06 billion in total funds and $5.95 billion of general and education fund money.
Before the session ended, the House voted to put reproductive rights into statute, remove the criminal and civil penalties in the state’s 24-week abortion ban approved two years ago, and killed bills aimed at further limiting women’s reproductive rights.
A battle over the criteria for sending children to the Sununu Youth Services Center took more than an hour to resolve before the House approved spending $21 million on a new facility.
The House Wednesday overturned its House Executive Departments and Administration Committee and approved May 3 as the day to memorialize the “Old Stone Face” that graced the side of Cannon Mountain but crashed down May 3 20 years ago.
The House failed to reach the needed threshold to send a proposed constitutional amendment to the Senate that would allow state tax dollars to be used for religious schools.