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Concord, N.H. - Today, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 170-159 to take up the House Finance Committee's recommendation to send the school voucher bill, SB 193, to interim study. SB 193 would have unconstitutionally diverted millions of taxpayer dollars away from public schools to unregulated private, religious, and parochial schools. This bipartisan vote effectively kills Governor Sununu's biggest priority of the legislative session. Republicans hold a majority of more than 40 seats in the New Hampshire House. NHDP Chair Ray Buckley released the following statement: "New Hampshire students, parents, and teachers can breathe a sigh of relief now that one of Governor Sununu's key legislative priorities was resoundingly rejected by a bipartisan group of legislators in the State House. SB 193 would have forced students to choose between using a school voucher to attend an unregulated private, religious, or parochial school or staying at a public school with severely decreased funding. Republicans and Democrats recognized this when they agreed with the House Finance Committee's recommendation to send the bill to Interim Study. With this vote, yet another Sununu priority has failed. This comes as no surprise to Granite Staters who have been forced to witness Sununu's govern-by-photo-op leadership style for a year and a half. Sununu was happy to smile in front of the cameras to introduce SB 193, but ultimately neglected to do any of the work necessary to get his own party on board with the bill. This utter failure to deliver on his promises is why voters will make him a 1-term governor in November."
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