| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/20/2013 3:13:27 PM Mike Donnelly--HSLDA Senator Hosmer Needs to Hear from You! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Senator Hosmer Needs to Hear from You! Dear New Hampshire Members and Friends, House Bill ("HB") 370, which repeals the education tax credit program that helps all families, including homeschool families, is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health, Education, & Human Services Committee this Friday, March 22 before being voted on in the Senate. Reports indicate the Senate vote may be very close, and your action is needed to defend the tax credit program and oppose HB 370. Senator Andrew Hosmer, a Democratic senator from Laconia, has indicated that he may be open to considering voting in favor of letting the tax credit program survive. Senator Hosmer is reported to have enrolled his children in a private school but is concerned about the impact the tax credit could have on funding to public schools. His vote could be the deciding factor, and so we are asking you to contact him if you live in his district. Senator Hosmer represents District 7 including Andover, Belmont, Boscawen, Canterbury, Franklin, Gilford, Laconia, Northfield, Salisbury, and Webster. We are asking Senator Hosmer's constituents to reach out to him thoughtfully and politely to explain why they believe the tax credit program is a good idea for New Hampshire. As homeschoolers we can support this program as one of the first in the nation to allow homeschoolers to benefit from scholarships for needy families who might otherwise have difficulty homeschooling their children. This is in addition to the benefits other families who have their children in public or private schools could potentially realize. ACTION REQUESTED Please contact the senator and, if possible, make an appointment to visit him either in the district or in Concord. Ask Senator Andrew Hosmer to oppose HB 370. In your own words, give Senator Hosmer the following message: "Senator Hosmer, I am respectfully requesting that you vote against repealing the education tax credit and against House Bill 370. The education tax credit will help many families who might otherwise have difficulty providing for their children's education. It is a worthy public policy goal for New Hampshire to support the education tax credit, which provides an incentive for businesses to privately assist needy families and receive a tax credit." "This program helps ALL New Hampshire families in need, regardless of their current educational setting and regardless of their religious beliefs. Although some argue that this program is unconstitutional, this very type of program has been held to be constitutional and effective in Arizona and other states." "New Hampshire's tax credit program is also innovative as the first in the nation to extend benefits to qualified homeschooling families. The $750 scholarships that are possible under this program per child would be very helpful to homeschoolers having difficulty funding their child's home education." "The tax credit program is capped in the early years at a relatively small amount, making the impact on funding for public education negligible and to allow the program to be evaluated. The program shouldn't be killed before it has a chance to prove itself. Please vote against House Bill 370." You can contact Senator Hosmer my mail, phone, or email: Legislative Office Building Room 5 33 North State Street Concord, NH 03301 (603) 271-3067 andrew.hosmer@leg.state.nh.us If you are able, please consider attending the public hearing this week to oppose HB 370. The hearing on HB 370 is at 1:00 p.m, on Friday, March 22, 2013 in Room 100, New Hampshire State House, 107 North Main St, Concord, NH. BACKGROUND HSLDA supports tax credit programs, which help families choose the kind of education their children receive. New Hampshire is the first tax credit program of this kind to allow for scholarships to homeschoolers. HSLDA is defending this program in the legislature and in court by authoring an amicus brief in favor of the program. The Institute for Justice is defending the law against an attack by the ACLU. If HB 370 passes and the law is repealed the court case will be moot, depriving the law of an opportunity be heard by the courts. Although the ACLU argues the law is unconstitutional because it selectively funds religious educations, that claim is factually erroneous. Furthermore, identical programs have already been upheld as constitutional by the United States Supreme Court. Thank you for all your work in defending homeschool freedom! Live Free or Die! Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. HSLDA Staff Attorney P.S. We greatly value you and your support--it is a privilege to serve you! If you or someone you know is not a member of HSLDA, will you consider taking a moment today to join or recommend us? Your support for our work enables us to defend individual families threatened by government officials and protect homeschooling freedom for all. Join now: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17717 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How long are you in for? Some families are facing what seems like a lifelong commitment to homeschooling, with children at both ends of the spectrum -- some graduating and some just reaching school age. If you're going to be "in" for a while, consider a lifetime membership with HSLDA. It's a good deal for families with more than 10 years of homeschooling ahead. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1936 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
