VoteBill/ResolutionWhat it doesCommentsPro-liberty voteDisposition
11 HB164 increases gross (insurance) premiums tax for certain unlicensed companies This tax increase, while small, is still a tax increase. Nay Passed by House and Senate, vetoed by Governor
18 HB579 Abolishes Title requirements for vehicles HB579 eliminates certificates of title for all motor vehicles, in addition to the fees that go along with them ($25 each). Not only would this save carowners money, it would allow New Hampshire residents to possess cars with one less government obstacle, and without getting the government's permission. Yea Defeated in House
22 HCR13 A health care declaration of rights One of the rights is, ". . . the right to access to health care." In a world where rights have been sacrificed to positive rights, such a declaration clearly means that health care is not only something that people should be free to purchase if they so choose, but that the government should provide health care to some at the expense of others. Nay Defeated in House
24 HB623 Eliminates interest/dividends tax Although New Hampshire does not levy an earned income tax, it levies a tax on interest and dividend income, and capital gains. This would repeal the latter. Yea Defeated in House
26 HB621 Establishes an early child literacy program Forcing some citizens to pay for services for other citizens is antithetical to liberty. Nay Passed by House and Senate, Not signed by Governor, Became Law
27 HB643 Calls for an expansion of the Family Division of Courts throughout the state There is nothing wrong with a judiciary itself, but this bill would have increased government expenditures. Nay Passed by House, Pending in Committee (Jan. 7, 2004)
50 HB603 Reimburses parents whose children don't attend public school This will vastly increase alternative educational options for New Hampshire youth. Yea Defeated in House
52 HB306 Positions candidates randomly on the ballot instead of based on the prior general election This would replace the current incumbent-biased ballot positioning law. About this bill someone commented: "Entrenched incumbency is the worst feature of oppressive government. Making it easier for challengers to toss out corrupt pols is pro-liberty." While I believe that technically entrenched incumbency could be a feature of a freedom-protecting government—if the incumbents were pro-liberty—a legislator willing to sacrifice his own power for fairness must be given credit. The object of this inquiry (the Liberty Index) is the balance of authority between the government and the individual, and to the extent that HB306 tips the balance away from the legislature, it is a pro-liberty bill. Yea Defeated in House
64 HCR14 Rejects NH Supreme Court directive regarding education A legislative rebuttal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court's Claremont decision. In part: "Whereas, for the judiciary to rule that the constitution of New Hampshire requires the legislature and executive branches to enact into law a certain system for funding public education or a system for funding public education based upon or incorporating certain criteria or parameters, or that the legislative and executive branches are required to enact into law any system at all for funding public education, adds legislative and executive powers to those of the judicial and unconstitutionally involves the judicial branch in the core policy-making functions of the legislative and executive branches; and . . . Whereas, the scope of part 2, article 83 is not limited to cherishing the interest of public schools alone, but expressly encompasses as well cherishing the interest of literature, the sciences, and all seminaries; and further expressly states there to be a duty to "encourage," "countenance" and "inculcate" many other pursuits and virtues as well; and Whereas, by its very terms, and in accordance with its original understanding, part 2, article 83 applies equally to the many matters therein enumerated, and the historical record is clear that it was left to the legislative branch to decide which of these matters, if any, would be funded from the public purse and, consistent with the fundamental principle of the separation of powers, these legislative decisions were not subjected to judicial review; and Whereas, acceptance by the legislative and executive branches of the judiciary's directives in the Claremont decisions would not merely be to surrender to the judiciary a portion of the legislative and executive power to set educational policy, but to set a precedent by which the judiciary may justify the exercise of legislative and executive policy-making powers over any number of other matters; and Whereas, the Claremont directives that the legislative and executive branches must enact a certain definition of an "adequate education," and "systems of accountability" and a certain system of funding public education constitute a palpable exercise by the judicial branch of powers not granted to it by the constitution of New Hampshire, and the legislative and executive branches have the right and are duty bound to prevent the exercise of such powers in order to maintain within their respective limits the three branches of the government of this state; . . . That the legislature, having fully considered the foregoing enumeration of constitutional principles and having fully considered the foregoing enumeration of deficiencies inherent to the Claremont rulings, finds that the directives of the judicial branch in the Claremont cases that the legislative and executive branches define an "adequate education," adopt "standards of accountability," and "guarantee adequate funding" of a public education are not binding on the legislative and executive branches. Yea Passed by House, Defeated in Senate
107 HB811 Limits firearm/ammo manufacturer liability for product "misuse" Although in theory judges and juries should be able to be trusted with these types of cases, this type of bulwark is necessary to protect the rights of manufacturers, sellers, and consumers to make, sell, and buy what they choose without having to pay for another entity's injurious action. Yea Signed into law