NH Citizens for the Arts update

ADVOCACY UPDATE - HOUSE ED&A COMMITTEE VOTES UNANIMOUSLY AGAINST HB 561

On Tuesday, February 19, the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee (ED&A) voted 17-0 that House Bill 561, which sought to abolish the Department of Cultural Resources, was Inexpedient To Legislate (ITL). This vote recommends to the full House of Representatives that the bill be killed. HB 561, marked ITL, will appear on the Consent Agenda at the next meeting of the full House, Wednesday, Feb. 27.

ED&A Committee member Rep. Carol McGuire (R-Epsom) stated that once the Secretary of State's office testified that the bill would not save any money, it was not worth pursuing. She additionally commented that the Department of Cultural Resources is well run.

Thanks to all who contacted their legislators, attended the committee hearing and testified eloquently and effectively in opposition to the bill!

We are optimistic that the recommendation of ED&A will be upheld by the House.

New Hampshire Citizens for the Arts, a statewide, nonpartisan organization, advocates for enlightened public policy and public funding in support of the arts, at the municipal, state and federal levels. NHCFA is an all-volunteer organization. Join us! www.nhcfa.org

Learn more about the NH State Council on the Arts and what it does for NH: http://www.nh.gov/nharts/index.html