AFSC-NH State House Watch, October 18 2013 Issue 28 We’re back with a short update on Medicaid expansion and the death penalty, plus announcements of lots of other activities that might attract your interest. We’ll be back on WNHN for a “State House Watch” radio show on Monday. Medicaid Right on schedule, the legislature’s Medicaid Study Commission released its final report (488 pages!) on October 15. The majority of commission members endorsed Medicaid expansion, including a provision that workers who meet the eligibility guidelines and who have access to health insurance through their employers have to use their workplace plans. But they can get a subsidy for the premiums through a state program. This twist will require the state to get a waiver from the federal government. But before that can happen, a plan has to win approval from the House and Senate. The day following the report’s release, Governor Hassan and the Executive Council summoned Representatives and Senators to Concord for a Special Session to consider Medicaid expansion. The House will convene at 10 am on Thursday, November 7. The two chambers will conduct a joint hearing on the proposal Tuesday, November 12. The House plans to meet again on Thursday, November 21, to vote on the proposal. We expect they will also put veto-override votes on the agenda the same day. The latest Senate Calendar is strangely silent on the issue. We are looking forward to an update from Deb Fournier of the NH Fiscal Policy Institute, who will be a guest on our “State House Watch” radio show Monday, October 21. The show’s not long enough to explore all the wonky details, but we’ll at least scratch the surface. Death Penalty Rep. Renny Cushing’s bill to repeal the state’s death penalty is the first of 630 new Legislative Service Requests posted on the General Court’s web-site. The NH Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty will hold a news conference in the Legislative Office Building at noon on Thursday, October 23, to launch the legislative repeal effort with religious leaders, lawmakers, murder victim family members, and former law enforcement officers in attendance. We are excited about what promises to be a vibrant, bi-partisan campaign to get the repeal bill through the House and Senate in 2014. To get involved or for more details, check out the Coalition’s newly revised web page. Educational Programs on Economic Issues We also want you to know about several great opportunities to learn and teach about fundamental economic issues in the next couple weeks. This includes a speaking tour with Hedrick Smith, author of Who Stole the American Dream?, the showing of the new film, “Inequality for All,” at the Red River Theatres, another film -- “The Economics of Happiness” -- being shown in Concord, and a visit by the incomparable Chuck Collins to Henniker. Hedrick Smith Book Tour Hedrick Smith is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and Emmy Award winning producer of PBS documentaries. In Who Stole the American Dream?, Smith delves into the story of how wealthy individuals and the corporations they control planned the takeover of America’s political institutions and succeeded in winning adoption of policies responsible for the widening gap between the ultra-rich and everyone else. His events will include: Tuesday, October 22 9 am - “The Exchange,” NH Public Radio 7 pm - Gibson’s Bookstore, Concord, talk and book-signing. RSVP by calling 603-224-0562 or email. Wednesday, October 23 Noon - NH Democratic Party HQ, 105 N. State Street, Concord, brown bag lunch 4 to 6 pm - Memorial Union Building, UNH, Durham, hosted by UNH Cooperative Extension and Carsey Institute 7 pm - Exeter Congregational Church, 21 Front Street, Exeter, hosted by We The People Thursday, October 24 7 pm - NH AFL-CIO, 161 Londonderry Turnpike, Hooksett. Please RSVP. Friday, October 25 2 pm - Campus Media Center, UMASS Lowell 5 pm - Peterborough Unitarian Universalist Church, 25 Main Street, Peterborough “Inequality for All” “Inequality for All” is a new documentary centered on former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich’s explanations of the reasons our economy has become so unequal over recent decades. Treading similar ground as Hedrick Smith’s book, this film uses humor, great graphics, and revealing interviews to shed light on what has to be seen as one of our major dilemmas. The film will be shown for a week at the Red River Theatres in Concord, starting Friday, October 25. Look at the Red River web page for times. Tickets are $5. “The Economics of Happiness,” Monday, October 21 On the one hand, an unholy alliance of governments and big business continues to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, people all over the world are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance, and starting to forge a very different future far from the old institutions of power. That’s the theme of “The Economics of Happiness,” which features interviews with Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten and others. It’s this month’s film in the “Building a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence” series that AFSC co-sponsors in Concord on the 3rd Monday of each month. Films are shown at 7 pm at Temple Beth Jacob, 67 Broadway, Concord. Look for more details on the AFSC web calendar. “Inequality Matters,” November 3 in Henniker Chuck Collins, founder of United for a Fair Economy and author of 99 to 1: How Wealth Inequality is Wrecking the World and What Can Be Done about It, will speak at a public event hosted by the Henniker Peace Community, 3 pm on Sunday, November 3 at the Henniker Congregational Church. Look for more details on the AFSC web calendar. “State House Watch” Radio We are back on the air Monday, October 21 from 5 to 6 pm with a re-broadcast Tuesday from 7 to 8 am. Our guests will be Deb Fournier, a health policy specialist with the NH Fiscal Policy Institute, and Henry Veilleux, who is following the never-ending casino gambling discussion at the State House. (We’ll also reveal connections between health and gambling through our musical selections.) You can catch the show on WNHN at 94.7 FM, listen live at wnhnfm.org, or download a podcast to listen to at your leisure. -Arnie and Maggie PS - Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook. Search for “American Friends Service Committee-NH” to “like” us. After all, we are your Friends. AFSC’s New Hampshire State House Watch newsletter is published to bring you information about matters being discussed in Concord including housing, the death penalty, immigration, and labor rights. We also follow the state budget and tax system, voting rights, corrections policy, and more. The AFSC is a Quaker organization supported by people of many faiths who care about peace, social justice, humanitarian service, and nonviolent change. Arnie Alpert and Maggie Fogarty staff the New Hampshire Program, publish the newsletter, and co-host the “State House Watch” radio show on WNHN-FM.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 22:59:30 +0000
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