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More information about New Hampshire SB 193

The program created by SB 193 would be administered by private “scholarship organizations.” In other states, this has led to abuse due to an additional level of bureaucrats — those running scholarship organizations — who are entitled to keep 5 percent of all the public school taxpayer dollars they move.

SB 193 also contains an unusual provision allowing public funds to be diverted not only to private schools, but also to “tutors” and “online learning programs.” This presents another obvious risk of abuse. Anyone claiming to be a tutor, and any website advertising a “learning program,” would be eligible to receive taxpayer funds with virtually no accountability. In other states, new private school funding programs have been rife with fraud and abuse. For instance, taxpayers in Florida and Wisconsin have lost millions to fraud when money was given to unaccountable private educational institutions. Once fraud is discovered, it is often too late to recover the money.

If parents don’t use the full balance of their scholarship, those funds still don’t go to public schools. Instead, SB 193 allows parents to transfer account funds to their Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, which receive tax-advantaged treatment. Parents are allowed to put taxpayer funds into their private account, and then could use the balance to pay for expenses that are not allowed under this proposed voucher program.
Persuading even one committee member that this bill should die could make all the difference. Many legislators have been skeptical of this bill so far. It passed the senate by a narrow margin, with only 14 senators voting in favor of the bill, passed the House Education Committee by a vote of 10–9, and passed a preliminary House vote, while acknowledging that the bill was not yet ready to pass as written, by only 22 votes (184–162).

This is a perfect opportunity for activists to defend public schools and to stop the government from funding religion with taxpayer dollars.

Take action to save New Hampshire’s public education

Please contact the New Hampshire House Finance Committee asking it to stop a school voucher bill that would endanger the state’s education!

The committee will hold a hearing next Tuesday, Jan. 16, on a bill that has the potential to devastate public schools across the state. Please take immediate action by calling and emailing the Finance Committee and, if you are able, attend Tuesday’s hearing and voice your opposition to this disastrous bill.

Senate Bill 193 would allow “education freedom savings accounts,” which the state would fill with taxpayer funds that are currently promised to public schools. The account holder could then divert the money to private schools, including religious schools, homeschooling expenses or various other private uses. This is nothing more than an attempt to defund public schools that need our support and opens the door for widespread abuse and fraud.

Click here for more information. 

CONTACT

Email all committee members at [email protected]
If one of the committee members below represents your district, please reach out to them in a separate email as well.

Mary Allen (Republican) (603)382-5665

Frank Byron (Republican) (603)889-7424 [email protected]

Peter Spanos (Republican) (603)524-2960 [email protected]

David Bates (Republican) (603)894-6987 [email protected]

Mary Jane Wallner (Democrat) (603)225-5249 [email protected]

Marjorie Smith (Democrat) (603)868-7500 [email protected]

Thomas Buco (Democrat) (603)986-5629 [email protected]

Robert Walsh (Democrat) (603)622-1023 [email protected]

Karen Umberger (Republican) (603)356-6881 [email protected]

David Danielson (Republican) (603)472-3833 [email protected]

Andrew Renzullo (Republican) (603)882-8962 [email protected]

Erin Hennessey (Republican) (603)991-7572 [email protected]

Sharon Nordgren (Democrat) (603)643-5068 [email protected]

Cindy Rosenwald (Democrat) (603)595-9896 [email protected]

William Hatch (Democrat) (603)466-9491 [email protected]

Patricia Lovejoy (Democrat) (603)778-9662 [email protected]

Timothy Twombly (Republican) (603)888-4466 [email protected]

J. Tracy Emerick (Republican) (603)926-8316 [email protected]

Robert Theberge (Republican) (603)752-5672 [email protected]

Gerald Griffin (Republican) (603)673-7467 [email protected]

Daniel Eaton (Democrat) (603)446-3535 [email protected]

Peter Leishman (Democrat) (603)924-0004 [email protected]

Katherine Rogers (Democrat) [email protected]

Freedom From Religion Foundation