HB 180 -- Stronger Lobbying Laws Needed to Prevent Undue Influence

Public Hearing: Tuesday, January 25th @ 11:00 AM LOB 104

A bill to strengthen the NH lobbying laws comes before the House Legislative Administration committee on Tuesday at 11 am in Room 104 of the Legislative Office Building.  

This is an extremely important bill for any parent who wants home school freedom in New Hampshire.  Over the last 20 years parents have struggled unsuccessfully against the undue influence of out-of-state lobbyists, who refuse to register as lobbyists while drafting legislation and influencing our legislators.  

HB 180 requires registration as a lobbyist for any person who is employed for consideration by another and who presents testimony for their client(s) at public hearings before the legislature, or who drafts documents, such as legislative proposals, for a public proceeding, such as a public hearing before the legislature.

Lobbyists are required to wear orange badges so legislators can determine with whom they are speaking.  Is his person is being paid to present these ideas? Without an orange badge, legislators assume that the person is not a paid lobbyist.

This hearing is a great opportunity for parents, who believe that out-of-state lobbyists have undue influence over our legislature, to speak out. 

A Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) attorney from Virginia delayed a public hearing in Reps Hall while he met secretly with legislators and submitted a last minute amendment to the original home education bill.  Again this year another HSLDA attorney  drafted legislation and visited NH to lobby legislators and legislative-candidates for their support.  All of this influence without once registering with the NH Sec. of State and wearing an orange badge.

HSLDA’s current bill, LSR 827, is an abomination, proposing to criminalize parents who “fail to educate” their children properly.  Ironically, the “Live Free or Die State” will be the First-in-the-Nation to grant such oppressive power to the State should this onerous bill pass.