[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6211603,"mediaKeyId","3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b","parentId",3693308,"title","Senate floor fights over expansion of Education Freedom Accounts, multiple repeal amendments defeated","audioSeconds",1522,"startMs",14160000,"endMs",15682000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b&start=14160&end=15682","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b/thumbnail_14160000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6211603/New-Hampshire/Senate-floor-fights-over-expansion-of-Education-Freedom-Accounts-multiple-repeal-amendments-defeated","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211603-cfa9e4699bf5fbd433313d47da08e690/orig.mp4?Expires=1775091798&Signature=fUFQf-PIlqrvw-0xxRJp2fO0jkUhA2TfTFBajBAwz2XM3uGpIOd0lq-9wnpYdCScItQHn5D9Uo-XML-Gv-BCzqA51bVBWCgefZHNi7VKieCWbAlHXrE2-MU5Y061ECx5JEparNIDNJAF5hUGTWnqCDPb01vUDqX1-4~vmTQUGPbelNsC2Oi6HPjfj~tY70QAYkYroWyrhwTlLjh4rSwKg9YDlYdzOUorvZTOz2xTXdYVg~furj1WCjX9xI8NoTgrcQbLthaq0FpTjSHL403LIm1GETSH99pjQZEHnSCO48UQzUhDvfXdiwsWlBiWEs~XGx5Zw75ZYPyXGUYd2-U8yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-06-06T02:31:41Z","article","Concord — The Senate floor spent much of the day debating changes to education freedom accounts, with multiple floor amendments that would reduce or repeal the program rejected after roll‑call votes.

Proponents of the universal EFA expansion argued the program provides choice and, they said, helps “middle class families” and low‑income children who benefit from alternatives to their assigned public schools. Senator Sullivan described families who had their children “literally been saved by education freedom accounts” and criticized repeated attempts to reduce the program.

Opponents pressed a different view. Senator Altschuler and others cited research from Ohio, Louisiana and Indiana at different points in floor debate, saying students using vouchers in those states “did worse” academically in some published studies and arguing that universal expansion would shift public revenue toward private tuition. Senator Rosenwald and others highlighted the budget cost: the expansion would increase state spending by roughly $30,000,000 over the biennium, and senators asked whether the state could afford that while funding housing and other priorities.

On the floor

- Multiple amendments seeking to roll back or narrow universal EFA eligibility were proposed and voted down; Senate roll calls recorded several failures (many amendments failed by margins such as 8–16 and 9–15 on recorded votes during budget debate).

- Senators asked whether the Department of Education had identified net savings to school districts from the program; one exchange noted the state currently pays about $0 per pupil for private students but would pay roughly $5,200 per pupil if a voucher were used, shifting costs onto the state.

Why it matters: Expanding EFAs shifts tax dollars from public districts to private accounts and has implications for school finance, local property taxes and equity. The floor debate showed the issue remains highly polarizing and tied to budget tradeoffs.

Ending

The Senate rejected several repeal or limit amendments and left the universal EFA provisions attached to the budget and related bills as the Senate advanced them to third reading. Because the budget process involves further reconciliation with the House, EFAs and the dollars attached remain a likely focus of final negotiations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Session (06/05/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","Senators debated and repeatedly rejected amendments to limit or roll back an expansion of education freedom accounts (EFAs) during floor consideration of the budget and related amendments; supporters say EFAs expand choice, opponents cite academic evidence and budget cost.","taxTitle","Senate , Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",29500,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6211608,"Senate adopts parental bill of rights after compromise amendment",309,1632000,1941000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b&start=1632&end=1941","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b/thumbnail_1632000.jpg","/articles/6211608/New-Hampshire/Senate-adopts-parental-bill-of-rights-after-compromise-amendment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211608-7b9f2fc10116caef9bec6816e6828abf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775091798&Signature=YwdiKHEkTtfj2ArrF0ffg9u-JPviB~eN0Pnrwu11z6uZxgrHbv0Pg3WfPX3nUPK0VfcEOsQYMJiAQS3gp2NsMWv91zVF5iaUmA4~rIUe-7wLlsm2J7Csbpei5VHdLE9bThS-anztyOOIy5NRUKNlBG7k9xq0~7IL2bAopsa0YIFJpzA4LwaB~don2Ryz84faMvh1HvKGajYGigtXiuIrpVFsb9ERoJi5ugj39ug22YdUsK0hs6wDeFyK9lSHlqEcs8JyWNdwNWn84PP3LEinmWcAPsU0rQMBtm~Y444Mt2GXyjA55BiPEnXS6iUMWH9CmrK9RWXADxC3tIxpCQkW1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Concord — The New Hampshire Senate moved House Bill 10 forward on an amended second reading Thursday, adopting a compromise floor amendment and ordering the parental bill of rights to third reading.

Senator Sullivan, reporting for the Senate Education Committee, told colleagues the bill “enacts a comprehensive parental bill of rights in New Hampshire law” and lists parental abilities such as accessing school and medical records, opting children out of certain instruction and data collection, and requiring districts to adopt written policies. After committee adoption of its amendment, Senator Birdsell introduced leadership floor amendment 2646 as a replace‑all aimed at addressing concerns about the bill’s health‑care provisions; he called it “a compromise between both bodies.” The Senate adopted the floor amendment.

Why it matters: The measure consolidates parental access and notification rules in statute and drew floor debate over how the law should balance parental access with situations involving child safety and medical privacy.

Contentious point on evidentiary standard

Senator Perkins Cuoco rose in opposition to the amended bill, urging senators to protect children by adopting a broader definition of “compelling state interest” and by using a lower civil‑law standard. “So as opposed to clear and convincing evidence … we would support preponderance of the evidence, which is the standard used by DCYF in looking into possible situations of harm to children,” she said on the floor.

Formal action

The committee amendment and the leadership floor amendment were adopted on voice votes and the Senate ordered House Bill 10 to third reading. The clerk recorded adoption of the committee amendment and later the motion to read the bill a third time and order it passed at the present time in the early session.

Ending

With the floor amendment adopted and ongoing debate recorded about evidentiary standards for health‑care exceptions, the bill moves to third reading. Proponents said it affirms parents as “informed partners” in their children’s education and health care; opponents flagged concerns about thresholds for state intervention.","The Senate voted to advance House Bill 10 — a statutory parental bill of rights — after adopting a committee amendment and a leadership floor amendment intended to limit health‑care provisions; floor debate focused on the legal standard for “compelling state interest.”",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6211613,"Senate adopts amended budget bills after hours of debate over Medicaid, housing and vouchers",853,4062000,4915000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b&start=4062&end=4915","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3693308-3a4ac361a3b5899b2d53ba3a2553d73b/thumbnail_4062000.jpg","/articles/6211613/New-Hampshire/Senate-adopts-amended-budget-bills-after-hours-of-debate-over-Medicaid-housing-and-vouchers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211613-2310bb72299bd45ec919d501b8295160/orig.mp4?Expires=1775091798&Signature=hXuZ0L8KqMS6RSKyhq-keKkLw1jPzau6wJBMAEDxzbp0UBegEl99AkyfED1mD1m2mgtIBvmCVXqPtOFwiboR6CX4rwkizubfR3vM12ZGCeHJsWSZv8h2PbXn07rsPkiR3QtGXkAGWlYiWGkF~13wDMew~0Ek9T-HTLBs9taQZFKXk6ARZcWCDOZlfPgTdQvNwmWk1f1WG8W8wlZq53AtXaO7QNAxv0K9N5IooCA1KJY-XwiIaT5vzvNeVf36zEHr5n5XNM6eTP08ftEJFrsgQh0qQvs5bban149xdjiOzVwggVke0iZhKFs95fEh6MUhhTrLoouhW7c~-TEI~z-8dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Concord — The New Hampshire Senate on a series of late‑day votes approved amended versions of the two main budget measures, House Bill 1A and House Bill 2, after extended debate that centered on Medicaid funding, housing, education aid and school voucher expansions.

The Senate Finance Committee recommended adoption of House Bill 1A “ought to pass” with amendments, and Senator Gray, the committee sponsor, said the panel had restored “the 3% house cut to Medicaid, funding developmental services to ensure … there’s no wait list, and funding the community mental health.” He asked colleagues to support the committee’s work in amending the House budget.

The bill passed the Senate on a roll call, with the clerk recording: “The ayes have it by a vote of 15 to 9. House bill 1A is adopted and ordered to third reading.”

Why it matters: The two bills together set the state’s spending priorities for the coming biennium and contain a number of policy choices that senators framed as either protections for vulnerable residents or tradeoffs to control overall spending.

Key decisions and votes

- House Bill 1A: Committee amendment adopted; final passage to third reading recorded as 15–9 in favor. Senator Gray framed restored items as responding to public testimony on Medicaid rates, developmental disabilities and community mental health. Senator Rosenwald and others warned that the overall package still included cuts to affordable housing, higher education and other services.

- House Bill 2 (general appropriations and policy): After lengthy committee work and many floor amendments, the Senate ordered House Bill 2 to third reading. The clerk recorded the final procedural vote (motion to order to third reading) as 14–10 in favor.

Major program changes and dollar items cited on the floor

- Medicaid: The finance committee restored rate changes the House had cut; Medicaid provider reimbursement and related policy were prominent in committee and floor debate.

- Developmental services and community mental health: Committee language aimed to prevent wait lists and restore funding the House had reduced.

- Education: The package was described on the floor as sending “more than a billion dollars in education adequacy payments” to local school districts in the next year; the committee and floor also debated targeted assistance and formula adjustments.

- Higher education: The Senate amendment increases state funding for the university system by roughly $85,000,000 a year according to Senator Gray’s floor remarks.

- Water/wastewater and local infrastructure: The committee recommended $71,500,000 for local water and wastewater projects and preserved room‑and‑meal revenue sharing at 30% for municipalities.

- Childcare and workforce: The package included $15,000,000 for childcare workforce programs; senators proposed additional childcare funding in floor amendments that were debated and defeated.

- Youth facility settlement fund (Sununu Youth Services Center/YDC): The Senate committed $100,000,000 to a settlement fund tied to the sale of the Manchester facility, and some senators pressed for larger appropriations; a floor amendment to add an additional $50,000,000 was proposed and defeated after a roll call.

What senators warned about

- Several senators, including Rosenwald and others, argued the package still represented net reductions in some high‑priority areas such as affordable housing and some human services programs, and urged caution about nonrecurring revenue assumptions (sale of property) used to fund the settlement account.

- Multiple floor amendments sought to reallocate or add funds for housing, childcare, higher education and renewable energy; several were debated and defeated on roll calls. Senator Perkins Quoca and others argued for greater housing investment and asked colleagues to prioritize housing over expansions of the voucher program.

Where things go next

The bills were ordered to third reading for final passage. Senate votes on amendments and the recorded roll calls will be part of the official journal and determine final numbers that will go to the House for concurrence or conference committee negotiations.

Ending

Senators used the floor process to press competing priorities—restoring provider funding and mental‑health resources while resisting several proposed additions. The budget’s broad contours are now set in the Senate; further adjustments are possible during third reading or any ensuing conference with the House.","The New Hampshire Senate approved House Bill 1A and House Bill 2 after extended debate and multiple floor amendments, restoring some cuts to Medicaid, developmental services and community mental health while rejecting several proposed additions; the full biennial operating and capital measures now proceed to third reading.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate floor fights over expansion of Education Freedom Accounts, multiple repeal amendments defeated

Senate adopts parental bill of rights after compromise amendment

Senate adopts amended budget bills after hours of debate over Medicaid, housing and vouchers