State Senate Victory

The board is proud to announce that NHLA-endorsed Rep. David Boutin won the February 16th special election for State Senate. We extend our congratulations to Senator Boutin on his victory and look forward to working with him.

This victory may indicate that the electorate is dissatisfied with tax-and-spend legislators. The NHLA Political Action Committee will play a part in advancing liberty in this year’s elections. You can help by donating to our PAC Fund http://www.nhliberty.org/donate, so that in November, we can celebrate victories by more pro-liberty candidates.

Special Election Victories

The board is proud to announce that the three candidates endorsed by the NHLA won in each of their special elections. We extend our congratulations to:

• Kenneth Weyler in Rockingham District 8 who defeated Norman Hurley in the general election for State Representative by a vote count of 1,005 to 287;
• Steve Cunningham in Sullivan District 2 who defeated Arthur Jillette in the general election for State Representative by a vote count of 616 to 319; and
• Representative David Boutin in State Senate District 16 who defeated Terry Pfaff in the primary election by a vote count of 1,670 to 857. The general election for this race is February 16^th when Rep. Boutin will face Representative Jeff Goley to determine who will fill Ted Gatsas’s senate seat. Joseph “JR” Hoell, who was running as an independent in this race and who scored a 100% score on the NHLA candidate survey, was unable to fulfill the required number of signatures to be on the ballot.

Bill Review System and Training

Thank you to all who attended the first two Bill Review training sessions this month. There were over 35 people who participated—our volunteer base, and your influence in Concord, are growing!

There are two more Bill Review training events currently scheduled. The next training/refresher session will be on Sunday, December 27 in Epsom at the home of Dan and Carol McGuire, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Denis Goddard will host a training session in Hopkinton on Sunday, January 10 at 1:00 p.m.

Veteran reviewers and first-timers alike are encouraged to attend. It is advisable to attend more than one class if possible. Email chair@nhliberty.org for more details or to sign up for one of these (free) training sessions.

More classes may be added; check the NHLA calendar periodically (http://calendar.nhliberty.org/).

Kudos and thanks to Jeremy Olson for his efforts in updating the Bill Review System on our website.

Countdown to Bill Review Season

The date has been set for the release of the 2010 House bills. Over 680 bills will be available for viewing beginning Thursday, Dec 10. A copy of the new proposed legislation will be on the NHLA website as part of the Bill Review program.

Bill reviewing is an integral part of the NHLA activism and we are encouraging members to take part in the Bill Review process to help identify pro- and anti-liberty bills that need our attention.

We have made bill reviewing easy with the Bill Review checklist provided on the website. Best of all, you can do it anytime, anywhere. If you’ve never done this, but believe that you are a principled supporter of liberty and would like to have something to say about proposed legislation, this is your chance!

If you would like to know more about this process or want to volunteer as a reviewer, please email Jeremy at research@nhliberty.org.

Bill Review Season

The time is upon us for the next bill review season. New bills are expected to start coming out any day now. We are encouraging all members to take part in the bill review process to help identify pro- and anti-liberty bills that may need our attention.

Bill reviewing has been made easy with the bill review checklist provided on the website. Best of all, you can do it anytime in the comfort of your home. If you’ve never done this, but believe that you are a principled supporter of liberty and would like to have something to say about proposed legislation, this is your chance!

To become involved in the bill reviewing process, please email Jeremy at research@nhliberty.org.

Political Director

to Rep. Joel Winters on being elected by our members as the new Political Action Director. Rep. Winters is a second-term legislator from Manchester and a long-standing supporter of the NHLA. Rep. Winters is replacing outgoing director Rep. Dan Itse.

Thank you Dan for your outstanding service to the organization.

New Treasurer

It’s official; Rep. Carol McGuire stepped down as Treasurer. We would like to thank Carol for her many years of tireless service.

To serve out the remainder of Carol’s term, the Board has appointed Steve Villee as Treasurer. This term lasts until April, 2010, when the positions of both Treasurer and Membership Director are voted upon by the membership. If you are interested in serving in any one of the Board positions next year and would like more information, please contact president Dawn Lincoln at chair@nhliberty.org.

Welcome aboard, Steve!

Membership Dues

Our new membership structure is now active. In order to provide the members with a more affordable way to support the NHLA, we have adopted this new menu of choices to select from.

• Basic Membership is still free and entitles an individual to access the discussion forum, receive periodic electronic newsletters and bulletins, and sign up as a bill reviewer.

• New Full Membership is only $20 per 2-year term and entitles you to access the discussion forum, receive periodic electronic newsletters and bulletins, sign up to be a bill reviewer, vote in NHLA elections, and serve on the board.

• Lifetime Membership is a $100 one-time fee and entitles you to the same benefits as Full Membership without ever having to renew your membership.

Remember, your dues allow us to continue pro-liberty outreach, helping to cover printing costs for the Gold Standard, Liberty Ratings, the useful tri-fold NHLA promotional brochure, and contributions to pro-liberty candidates.

To upgrade your Basic Membership to either the Full or Lifetime Membership plan, go to http://www.nhliberty.org/donate. Select the plan you want to purchase, click on “Buy Now”, and fill in the appropriate information. Your support is appreciated!

Liberty Dinner

Liberty Dinner was a huge success. This was the first year that the Liberty Dinner actually sold out. The food was delicious, the V.I.P. reception was packed, the conversations were lively, and everyone had a great time. Thank you to all who came and supported the NHLA. Hope to see you again next year.

A special thank you to Clifton Labree, this year’s guest speaker, for sharing with us his research and book on the life of General John Stark. His book is available online at http://thelabreefamily.com/Fading%20Shadows%20Imprint.htm.

Liberty Dinner

Liberty Dinner is less than two weeks away. If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, better do so today. Space is limited and tickets are going fast.

When: Friday, July 10
Where: McNeil Conference Center (adjoining KC’s Rib Shack), 837 Second Street, Manchester.

Festivities will begin at 6:00 pm and the keynote speaker will be Clifton Labree speaking on the life of General John Stark. We will also be awarding the Legislator of the Year, Activist of the Year, unveiling our annual Liberty Ratings, having our annual gun raffle, plus more.

Board Election Results

Congratulations to Mark Warden and Paul Comeau, Jr., winners of the April Board of Directors election. Mark joins the board as Vice Chair, replacing Shuvom Ghose, and Paul joins as Secretary, replacing Steve Villee. Many thanks to Shuvom and Steve for their service this past year.

Liberty Dinner

This year’s Liberty Dinner will be held on Friday, July 10 at the McNeil Conference Canter (adjoining KC’s Rib Shack), 837 Second Street, Manchester. Space is limited, so reserve (and pay for!) your seats ASAP.