This section will detail the "how, why, and what" I am voting on as your State Representative. 

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For an up to date (updated by 6pm the days of session) roll call list, please visit: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/membervotingrecord.aspx?member=376929
 

March 2, 2011

• Voted against Inexpedient to Legislate on HB29, permitting a person to petition the superior court for any action pertaining to a pistol or revolver license. This bill simply adds "Superior Court" to the list of sources someone can go to for a grievance hearing on issuance of a firearm license. Motion failed 167-168.
• Voted in favor of a motion to recommit on HB240, allowing voters to vote for multiple candidates for an office. I was a co-sponsor on this bill. This bill would have made a change in the way we vote for candidates in a variety of races. It would been a cost effective alternative to a runoff election or Instant Runoff Voting. There was a tremendous amount of misinformation being spread about this bill. It was being mistaken for IRV and other systems that are not only costly, but are proven to be more difficult for voters and to be less reliable in providing a winning candidate that the highest number of voters approve of. HB240 would have solved that. HB240 also aligns with the Republican agenda of spending and tax cuts as it would have a very minimal cost to implement. IRV, on the other hand, costs millions of dollars. We wanted to have this recommited so that the Election Law Committee, which I serve on, could look at it more compared to other systems and look at possible ways to make the bill work for the committee (i.e. allow for a trial in volunteer towns/cities, exclude Presidential primary, etc). The motion to recommit failed 68-272.
• Voted against Inexpedient to Legislate on HB240, allowing voters to vote for multiple candidates for an office. See above for details. Motion passed 303-44. This means that the bill can not come up again until 2013. A side note on HB240. Some have expressed dismay that this was brought up in a time when we need to be working on fixing government (i.e. creating jobs, fixing the economy). I agree that taxes, spending, the economy, job creation, and other matters are very important. Be rest assured that these are being worked on within their proper committees and I will support efforts once they come to me for a vote or for further work. That said, perhaps with Approval Voting, we could elect better representatives of the people and therefore fix more easily these problems through the electoral process.
• Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate on HB448, relative to spice incense products. This bill would have prohibited the sale of spice/K2 type products in the state of New Hampshire. This is a matter (while I do not agree with federal intervention on state issues) being dealt with by the federal government. In addition, the primary concern was that "children" are getting their hands on these products. Why not offer an amendment then to prohibit sales of this to minors? The motion failed 158-188.
   

February 16, 2011

• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on SB1, eliminating the automatic continuation requirement for public employee collective bargaining agreements. This does not eliminate the option for this, but gives local control to the process. Motion passed 282-70.
• Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate on HB202, relative to road salt applications. This bill took a small sample size to create a regulation that would be costly to the private sector and is not really proven to be a problem in our state. Motion passed 302-53.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB440, requiring that New Hampshire join the lawsuit challenging federal health care reform legislation, and repealing the authority for state implementation of federal health care reform. Health care should never  be a federal issue and we must protect our State and US Constitutions by suggesting that state rights prevail on this issue. Motion passed 267-92.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass/Amended on HCR6, requiring the Congress of the United States to reaffirm its adherence to the Constitution of the United States regarding international agreements and treaties. Treaties and international agreements should be voted on by Congress, but this is sometimes bypasses. We must stop this from happening. Motion passed 215-140.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB166, reducing the rate of the meals and rooms tax. This would take the rate from 9% to 8%. This was tabled afterward. I reluctantly supported the tabling vote because we need to understand our revenues and balance our budget before we eventually reduce this tax. I would like to see us reduce this tax even further than the 8% that this bill provided. Motion passed 285-78.
   

February 15, 2011

• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB125, relative to lawful commerce in firearms, including manufacture and sale, in New Hampshire. This provides that firearms, firearm accessories, etc. that are manufacturered in New Hampshire are exempt from federal law and regulation. Motion passed 240-120.
• Voted against Ought to Pass/Amended on HB84, relative to establishing a statutory commission on motor vehicle recycling issues. This would add more regulation to an industry where they could self-regulate. Motion failed 121-237.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass/Amended on HB113, prohibiting the use of state funds for New Hampshire public television. While there is good educational value to some of state television, much of this can be found on other television channels or by using other technological resources (i.e. the Internet). Motion passed 263-102.
• Voted against Ought to Pass on HB185, relative to determining bargaining units for purposes of public employee collective bargaining. I believe this is best left to the towns and localities. Motion passed on voice vote.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass/Amended on HB474, relative to freedom of choice on whether to join a labor union and eliminating the duty of a public employee labor organization to represent employees who elect not to join or to pay dues or fees to the employee organization. I believe that the amendment that led to the elimination of having to represent an employee who does not pay union dues made this a very good bill and will help attract new businesses and jobs into our state. Motion passed 221-131.
   

February 9, 2011

• Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate  on HB101-FN-A, relative to the development of an industrial hemp industry in New Hampshire. This motion passed 304-51. While I support industrial hemp, I do not support the growth of government to create this industry.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB136-FN, which repeals the uniform athlete agents act. This passed 264-103. I believe in the free minds of athletes, their parents, and their coaches to make decisions without interference from the government.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB89, requiring the attorney general to join or file lawsuits challenging the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's cap and trade program. This motion passed 267-103. I believe that Obamacare is Unconstitutional and I believe that we should do anything we can to opt out of it as a state. Individual health care freedom should be respected. 
• Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate on HCR1, urging the congressional delegation to begin the process for a constitutional amendment establishing that human beings, not corporations, are entitled to constitutional rights. This motion passed 280-93.
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HB130, which gives an additonal method for a school system to demonstrate that it provides an opportunity for an adequate education. This motion passed 349-21. I believe that anything that gives freedom to school systems to make decisions is a benefit to the education system in our state.
• Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate on HB180, dealing with lobbyist registration. Motion passed 278-95.
• Voted against a motion of Inexpedient to Legislate on HCR4, dealing with nuclear energy usage in New Hampshire. This motion passed 310-59. I voted against this because I wanted an opportunity for a floor amendment from Representative Andrew Manuse to be heard. His amendment would have made the HCR more liberty friendly and would have provided that the House believes in further nuclear energy use in our state (leading to energy cost savings).
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on HRC6, requiring the Congress of the United States of America to reaffirm its adherence to the Constitution of the United States regarding international agreements and treaties. This motion passed 254-115. 
• Voted in favor of Ought to Pass on House Resolution 11, which provided information on revenue projections. This motion passed 266-95. This resolution offered insight into revenue numbers that included a repeal of the gambling revenue tax, a 30% reduction in the cost of inspection stickers, the roll back of the rooms and meal tax, etc. I support this because it is a step in the right direction of rolling back government spending.

January 26, 2011

• Voted against the Inexpedient to Legislate recommendation from the committee on HB48, relative to incompatibility of town offices. I believe that the voters should decide who holds elected office. Motion passed 301-36.
•  Voted in favor of Inexpedient to Legislate recommendation from the committee on HB49-FN, relative to toll-free use of the New Hampshire turnpike system by vehicles with purple heart license plates. This bill violates Part 1 Article 10 of the New Hampshire State Constitution. Motion passed by voice vote.

January 5, 2011

 Voted in favor of adopting the House Rules as presented to the body. 

December 1, 2010

 For Speaker of the House --> Bill O'Brien (also voted in Republican Caucus for Speaker O'Brien) I voted for Bill O'Brien because I feel he best aligns with Constitutional principles of freedom and limited government.