State House review: Democrats team up with Republican minority to win key votes
Congressional Republicans have an unwritten policy, the Hastert Rule, whereby the House Speaker will not bring a bill to the floor unless a majority of the majority party supports it. The New Hampshire House has no such provision.
Coincidentally, the same week that U.S. House Speaker Boehner was forced to abandon the Hastert Rule in order to fund the Department of Homeland Security, a minority of New Hampshire Republicans teamed up with House Democrats to pass (or thwart) several pieces of high-profile legislation.
Despite a 237-161 Republican majority, the prevailing side in five key roll call votes on Wednesday included support from a united Democratic caucus – at least 90% of the voting members – plus a significant minority of Republicans.
Ten Republican lawmakers voted with the Democrats on all five roll call votes. Another 40 GOP representatives voted with Democrats on four of the five votes. It’s notable that 20 of the 50 are part of Speaker Shawn Jasper’s leadership team. The list includes Majority Leader Jack Flanagan (R-Brookline), Deputy Majority Leader Stephen Schmidt (R-Wolfeboro), Deputy House Majority Whip Kathleen Hoelzel (R-Raymond), nine committee chairs and eight vice-chairs.
In contrast, former Speaker Bill O'Brien, who leads the shadow caucus of dissident Republicans, voted with the GOP majority and was on the losing side for all five votes.
Here are the five roll call votes from Wednesday’s session. (Democratic Party vote totals include the votes of Rep. Janet Wall, who was on the ballot for both parties, and Independent Rep. David Luneau, who caucuses with Democrats.)
CACR 1 – Requiring a supermajority vote to increase taxes
House lawmakers overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have required a 3/5 supermajority vote in the House and Senate to impose new or increased taxes and fees. The vote was 128-226 against the proposed constitutional amendment. Republicans supported the measure by a 126-85 margin. Democrats opposed it, 2-141, with Manchester Free Stater Reps. Amanda Bouldin and Elizabeth Edwards casting the only Democratic votes in favor.
House Bill 404 – Repealing “ballot selfie” prohibition
By a 131-233 margin, the House voted not to repeal 2014 legislation that specifically prohibits sharing a photograph of a marked ballot on social media. House Republicans supported the measure 122-95. Democrats voted 9-138 against repeal.
House Bill 136 – Banning minors from tanning booths
The House voted to ban those under 18 years of age from commercial tanning booths. The final roll call vote was 199-162 in favor of the bill. Democrats supported the measure 132-14. A majority of Republicans opposed it by a 67-148 margin.
CACR 9 – Requiring impeached officials to forfeit state pension
House lawmakers rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would require an official impeached by the state Senate to forfeit his or her state pension. Republicans supported the measure 115-96. Democrats opposed it by a 6-139 margin. The amendment failed by a 121-235 vote.
House Bill 416 – Increasing pay for Coos county convention members
In a 163-191 roll call vote, House lawmakers voted not to kill legislation that would raise the daily compensation of members of the Coos county convention for attendance at county convention meetings. A majority of Republicans supported killing the measure 153-57. Democrats opposed it 10-134. The bill was subsequently approved in a 200-155 division vote.