Dear Local Presidents and Legislative Contacts,

Thank you everyone who showed their support for fallen fire fighter LT. James Clark this week. A special thanks to Sec-Treasurer Lt. McQuillen, Bedford President  Jon Snow, the entire Bedford Local, and those members who lead in helping to make the funeral and wake commendable and moving.
• Bedford Bids Farewell to Fallen Firefighter: Hundreds attend funeral for longtime Bedford Fire lieutenant.

Right to Know
• President Lang this week was presented with the opportunity to speak with 20 Middle Eastern diplomats about New Hampshire’s Right to Know laws, and his experience with this law and fight for increased transparency at the Local Government Center. The members of the delegation were extremely interested in our health care system here in New Hampshire.

Legislation
HB 124: relative to the determination of gainful occupation for a group II member receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance from the retirement system.
• Will most likely be voted on next week by the Senate ED&A Committee
• The retirement system has suggested they make one small change in order to capture pension earning depending on the calendar year. The difference would be that the dozen or so impacted Group II members could still see a pension reduction next year based on their 2012 earnings unless the legislation specified otherwise.  It sounds as if the committee is amenable to that.

HB 364: relative to notice required concerning employment of a retired member of the New Hampshire retirement system of the limitations on part-time employment.
HB 342: relative to reporting of compensation paid to retired members of the retirement system.
• Senator Carson, chair of the Senate ED&A committee made it known on Wednesday that her intent is to combine HB364 and HB342 to make one big tracking bill.
• She said on Wednesday work needs to be done on both and that she believes it a more streamlined process to combine both of them and work on one bill.
• The retirement security coalition members are working to ensure that the integrity of each bill stay intact during this process.
• The committee will likely work on the bills next week and vote the following week.

SB 166, relative to critical incident stress management and crisis intervention services.
• After some work in the Senate, this bill got to a place where we were very happy with it. It came out of the Senate unanimously, and moved over to the House Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs this week. The bill was met with enthusiasm. As you know this bill makes confidential any information that might be divulged during a critical incident stress management and crisis intervention incident. This is a good bill, that the PFFNH feels very strongly about. About five law enforcement officials spoke on this bill, along with President Lang. They all recognized that a peer counseling during  and after critical incidents makes their departments stronger. In President Lang’s testimony he mentioned that the fire service has had this program for about ten years, and it works.  This bill will strengthen the program. He said to the committee, that when we witness critical incidents on TV, we often wonder how first responders can run TOWARDS the incident. We watch in shock and wonder what we can do to help these individuals. Passing this bill will help provide those answers.
• This bill will be voted on in its committee on Tuesday, and then heads to the House floor. It will likely go to a second committee.

HB 178, relative to public employer collective bargaining agreements.
• This bill came out of the house in a voice vote. A subcommittee was formed for this bill, chaired by Representative and Member Chris Andrews. The amendment that came out of this subcommittee and passed in the House did two things: added an educational element to the PELRB website, and adds a tracking element by keeping record of which bargaining units are out of contract and for how long. If this bill is passed we can help better understand where negotiations break down and how to solve it in the future.
• This is a good bill, and we would like to see it passed in the Senate as well, and go on to become law.
• A public hearing is scheduled in Senate Public and Municipal Affairs for Wednesday morning at 9:30. 

SB 152, relative to video lottery and table gaming.
• This bill had a public hearing on Tuesday in front of a packed Representatives Hall. President Lang testified on behalf of the PFFNH in support of this bill.  36 individuals testified in favor, while 25 testified against the bill. President Lang spoke of the fact that we have an obligation to responsibly fund our state, and that our local communities are seeing the affects when the state does not meet its obligations. He said that we are “running New Hampshire with a 19th century philosophy and a 20th century tax structure, in a 21st century economy”. This bill now goes to subcommittees before it is voted on in the House.
• Have you talked to your state reps about this bill?! What do they think? We want to know!
• In addition, Last week, UNH released a new poll showing that 63% of New Hampshire residents support expanded gambling. You can see the full poll memo at this link.
LOCALS in the NEWS
Portsmouth Fire Fighters Son Help Victims of Bombing
North Hampton to demand refund from LGC chief
Firefighters use special breathing mask to save dogs from house fire sparked by cigarette
Somersworth council votes to switch ambulance providers
• On a vote 7-1 and one abstention, the Somersworth City Council accepted the RFP from American Ambulance Services and did not renew their contract with AMR.
• This is a very serious situation and we should be concerned. American Ambulances Services in owned by an international company known as Falck, who also owns Wackenhut. Their purpose is to privatize emergency services and fire fighting operations.
• If you hear anything about American in your own town or city, anything about an upcoming RFP process – get to us immediately.
• We have always and continue to support Fire based EMS. This is the strongest and most effective way to bring the best care to the members of our communities.