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Families and council members urge senators to oppose repeal of the New Hampshire Autism Council
Summary
At a public hearing on HB1337, dozens of parents, people with autism and council representatives told the Senate committee that the New Hampshire Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders has reconstituted after COVID, produced an annual report, promoted programs such as the "blue envelope" for police interactions, and serves as a centralized resource — they urged the committee to kill the repeal or amend the bill to preserve council functions.
Senators opened a public hearing on House Bill 1337, a proposal to repeal the New Hampshire Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders, and heard sustained testimony from the bill’s opponents: the council’s supporters, family members and people with lived experience.
Representative Jerry Stringham (Grafton 3) told the committee the council had largely ceased functioning during the COVID period but has since reorganized: meeting minutes and an annual report have been posted online, the governor recently filled six vacancies, and the council has standing subcommittees. Stringham asked the committee to consider an amendment to restore or reform the council rather than repeal it.
Multiple witnesses described what they say the council does for families across the state. Amy Ray, a parent and applied‑behavior analyst, said the council runs nhautism.org and the resource pages give families a single place to search for therapies and supports. She and others highlighted the council’s role in promoting the “blue envelope” program — a simple tool designed to help police and first responders know how best to interact with a person on the autism spectrum during a traffic stop or emergency.
Virginia Cannon, an adult with autism and a sitting council member, acknowledged past leadership lapses but said volunteers have rebuilt the council’s activity and that administrative support is limited (one part‑time/shared assistant). Marissa Berg, who provided the committee with the council’s 2025 annual report and membership list, said the council now has 21 seated members and that five or six of the new appointees have lived experience with autism or are family members.
Witnesses also described constraints: the council runs primarily on volunteers with modest administrative funding to comply with right‑to‑know requirements; members said some statutory charges (grant writing, program administration) exceed the capacity of unpaid volunteers. Several senators asked about a minority report that alleged limited transparency and possible overreach; council members said the transparency concern stemmed from a redacted personnel resume released in response to a 91‑A request and that the redaction was made under a personnel‑records exception.
Why it matters: supporters argued the council fills a gap for families who do not qualify for Medicaid waivers and provides statewide coordination on topics such as transitions out of school, assistive technology, and law‑enforcement interactions. Opponents (not represented in the hearing excerpt) have argued the council has been inactive and that statutory responsibilities are broad.
What’s next: the hearing closed after testimony from families, council members and providers; committee action was not recorded in the transcript excerpt.
