Free-Staters in the NH Legislature: What Have They Done?

In 2006, a Free-Stater was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives. In 2008, he was joined by 3 more.

You may ask,  "What have they done? What does it mean to have 4 libertarians elected to state office?" It's amazing to look at the list of bills sponsored by these initial four Free-Staters -- there's some great stuff here! And some of these bills even passed into law.

Below, I have listed bills sponsored by these Free-Stater legislators. Note that these are the bills I believe I understand reasonably well. There are more bills sponsored by Free-Staters that may be relevant, but I didn't include them if I didn't understand them well.

In many cases, other Free-Staters and I did our respective parts to help with these bills:

• Calling our own local State Representatives
• Emailing Committee members
• Writing Letters to the Editor
• Showing up to observe and/or testify at hearings

That's activism that's quick, easy, costs nothing, and has a big impact! I also talked about some of the bills on my cable-access TV show.

Before we get to the list, some notes:

• More bills die than pass -- that's part of the beauty of the structure of NH government. Most bills (of any sort) die. Hallelujah! The upshot is, you gotta throw a lot on the wall to get anything to stick.
• Sometimes official titles of bills are quite lengthy; I sometimes shortened them to just the salient info.
• Often more than 1 Free-Stater co-sponsored a given bill. I listed such bills only once, not necessarily according to who was the "prime" sponsor.
• Where no status is listed, the bill died somewhere along the way. Click the bill number for details.

2007
Winters
HB685 - prohibiting New Hampshire from participating in a national identification card system - PASSED INTO LAW
HB745 - prohibits secret databases
2008
Winters
HB449 - changing auto inspections to bi-annually instead of annually
HB1197 - eliminates restrictions on “happy hour” advertising - Passed House; died in Senate
HB1233 - requires the attorney general to secure habeas corpus in the event a person domiciled in New Hampshire is denied such
HB1234 - establishes an affirmative defense to prosecution for a possession offense if a person has a lawful prescription for a controlled drug. - PASSED INTO LAW
HB1464 - requires that proposed amendments to bills and resolutions before house and senate committees shall be available to the public on the Internet.
HB1592 - requiring road toll revenues to be spent on highways and bridges.
HCR12 - urging the federal government to withdraw the United States from NAFTA

2008 -- ELECTION!  -- WINTERS IS JOINED BY COFFEY, MCGUIRE, AND PRATT

2009
Winters
HB127 - protecting pregnant prison inmates - Passed House; died in Senate
HB157 - extends the confidentiality of library records to materials that have been viewed or stored electronically - PASSED INTO LAW
HB254 - commission to study the effects of inflation on New Hampshire and possible remedies
HB312 - permitting a person to record a law enforcement officer in the course of such officer's official duties. ("audiorecord cops" bill) - Passed House; died in Senate
HB404 - require alphabetical (as opposed to incumbency) order for listing candidates on election ballots
HCR1 - urging congress to withdraw the United States from the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America
HCR10 - urging modification of NAFTA - Passed House; died in Senate
Coffey
HB387 - establishes a right to observe voter registration - PASSED INTO LAW
HB478 - prohibits the implantation of RFID in a human without the individual’s informed, written consent
McGuire
HB257 - If a warrant article involves spending, the amount and the estimated tax increase necessary to pay for it shall be included in the warrant article
HB500 - repeals the authority for an exclusive representative of an employee organization to conduct collective bargaining for employees
Pratt
HB348 - relative to criminal penalties and alternatives to incarceration. (this one merits some detail...)
I. Requires the prosecuting attorney, in all misdemeanor or felony cases for which incarceration is a possible penalty but which do not involve the use or threat of force or violence, to submit to the court a written statement explaining why incarceration is necessary and why alternatives to incarceration would be unsuitable.
II. Authorizes the sentencing court or the superintendent of a county correctional facility to order the release of a person sentenced to incarceration for the purpose of participating in a day reporting or work release program or for home confinement.

2010

2010 bills are not yet available online. Below are the LSR (pre-bill status) titles. I'm cherry-picking the most libertarian-oriented here. Where the title says "relative to" such-and-such and so could mean anything, bear in mind that a Free-Stater is sponsoring the bill -- that should give you an idea of the nature of the proposed change!

Winters
2010-H-2386-R   relative to the definition of "party" for election purposes. (ie, let the Libertarians on the ballot!)
2010-H-2436-R   relative to homeowner's insurance and the ownership of certain breeds of dogs.
2010-H-2437-R   relative to possession of controlled substances obtained by valid prescription.
2010-H-2439-R   establishing a committee to study permitting a person to record a law enforcement officer in the course of such officer's official duties.
2010-H-2440-R   establishing a committee to study the effects of current state and federal laws on illegal drugs and the possession and use of such drugs.
2010-H-2441-R   relative to the prohibition against participation in a national identification card system.
2010-H-2442-R   relating to judges and sheriffs. Providing that judges and sheriffs may serve after the age of 70 years.
2010-H-2444-R   relative to the availability of proposed amendments to bills and resolutions.
2010-H-2445-R   relative to certain bank practices.
2010-H-2616-R   relative to the possession of a firearm in a locked vehicle.
2010-H-2617-R   relative to the regulation and taxation of marijuana.
Coffey
2010-H-2014-R   relative to the sale within the state of firearms manufactured in New Hampshire.
2010-H-2015-R   relative to the penalty for using a stiletto, switch knife, dagger, or dirk-knife in the commission of an offense.
McGuire
2010-H-2067-R   relating to taxation. Providing that a 2/3 vote is required to pass legislation imposing new or increased taxes or license fees
2010-H-2194-R   establishing a commission to study issues related to children and families.
2010-H-2195-R   relative to fire sprinkler systems.
2010-H-2198-R   relative to the business profits tax and federally exempt transactions.
2010-H-2507-R   repealing the wartime registration of aliens laws.
2010-H-2508-R   reducing the number of required number plates for motor vehicles from 2 to one.
2010-H-2509-R   repealing the prohibitions on Sunday business activities.
2010-H-2510-R   repealing the crime of adultery.
2010-H-2511-R   relative to the use of state-owned vehicles.

Whew!
All of that is with just one to four people elected to the House of Representatives. Imagine what more could do...