Rally for New Hampshire - March 31, 2011. To read about the arts presence at the rally, click the photo.

The arts are important for the education of our children, the vitality of our towns and cities, the health of our economy, and the enjoyment of our citizens. NH Citizens for the Arts invites you to join us as an advocate for appropriate government investment in the arts: to create an atmosphere where the arts can flourish, and to strengthen opportunities for participation in the arts across our state. This web site will give you up-to-date information on legislation affecting the arts, and tools to become an effective advocate.

FEBRUARY 3, 2012: ADVOCACY UPDATE — ARTS BILLS HEADED TO FINANCE COMMITTEE

Here is the update on Wednesday’s vote on the two arts bills on the House Floor:

HB1274 (as amended, to make the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center a private entity): ought to pass, voice vote.

The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee. We expect the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, will request that the original language of the bill, to eliminate the Department of Cultural Resources, should be re-introduced.

HB1285 (to eliminate the State Art Fund, aka the Percent for Art Program): ought to pass, 214 – 108.

This bill also goes to House Finance. Both Rep. Spec Bowers and Rep. Dan Carol McGuire of the House Executive Departments and Administration Committee, which originally heard testimony on HB1285, spoke for passing the bill,  Rep. Randall Whitehead (R, Nashua, Ward 5), also an ED&A Committee member, spoke on why it should not pass.

ACTION SUGGESTED:  Nashua constituents of Rep. Whitehead  should write or email him to thank him for his support of the State Art Fund.  (Mailing address: 20 Palisade Drive, Nashua 03062; email: randall.whitehead@leg.state.nh.us.)

WHAT’S NEXT:

Once the bills are scheduled for a Finance Committee hearing, we will send out an update. It is not clear whether the hearing will take public testimony or be an executive session.

A LONG SEASON:

The Legislative season is only just underway. Once the bills finish up in the House Finance Committee, they will come back to the House floor for a final vote. At the end of March, all House bills will cross over to the Senate and will get hearings in the appropriate Senate Committees. Once through the Senate Committees, the bills will go before the full Senate for a vote.  Any discrepancies in the bills between the House versions and the Senate versions will eventually be worked out in a Conference Committee at the end of the Legislative Session.

Stay with us through June — these bills will  be alive until then.  And each step of the way, each contact we make with legislators, we build awareness and support for the arts!