Matcha & MOMentum with MacKenzie
HB 1250: This bill would’ve rolled back protections we just won in MOMnibus 2.0, requiring parents to give 15 days’ notice just to attend a postpartum or pediatric visit. We delivered stories and signatures from NH parents and caregivers opposing it, and the committee, then the House voted to kill the bill. This is an early win that we should celebrate.
SB 33: Yep, this book ban followed us into 2025. The House passed it on day one of session, but the Senate just non-concurred (didn’t agree) with the new version, so it is officially dead! This a second early win! Celebrate for a sec but then come back because…
SB 434: Book ban rebrand, round three. Since the last versions didn’t stick, lawmakers are trying another route to pressure schools into pulling books and materials just to avoid controversy. We’re not letting that happen.
SB 645: This bill would raise the income limit for NH’s Child Care Scholarship Program so more families qualify, and it’s the only bill this year talking about dedicated funding for child care.
HB 1798: This bill would let Medicaid cover diapers for babies in their first year, because diapers are essential and expensive. The House votes on this bill on Feb. 12, so by the time you read this we’ll have an update. Check our Facebook group for the latest and next steps.
So, that’s the tea! And that’s not even all of it! There’s so much more happening at the State House that impacts New Hampshire families. Every story, sign-in and email helps lawmakers remember who they work for. Let’s keep the MOMentum going! Love you, bye!
The Monthly Brew
Fellowship Beans
Before the end of the year, MomsRising celebrated our 2025 MomsRising NH Fellows! Twelve amazing, powerful Moms decided they wanted to hang out with us for the better part of a year to sharpen up their advocacy skills and build community. Our fellows played an active role in our Listen to Your Mothers campaign by hosting small in-person events to create space for sharing stories, connecting, and urging members of their communities to check whether their state lawmakers are truly working for them. And if not… hold them accountable. Fellows participated in roundtable discussions with members of our federal delegation, provided testimony in person and online for legislation that would impact moms and families, wrote LTEs and Op-Eds, spoke at rallies, presented at conferences, sat on panels, smashed things at the Break Room, and so much more! Congratulations to Shirley, Glory, Kadiesha, Susanne, Mandy C, Mandi M, Taylor, Kristen, Jenny, Amy, Carla, and Rachelle!
Our 2026 Fellowship is starting up soon, and we have ANOTHER amazing group of rockstar moms! Stay tuned for more updates about the powerful work they are doing.
Stirring it up with Storytellers
Join us in celebrating our AMAZING storytellers: Gloria Mukendi, Kristen Sheppard, Sarah Sadowski, and Melanie Odette Camelo!
These incredible advocates recently met with Congressman Chris Pappas and Senator Maggie Hassan to lift up the real-life impact of energy tax credits, Medicaid, and vaccines — and their voices made a difference.
On January 16th, Congressman Pappas hosted two roundtable discussions focused on the Energy Burden Tax Credit Act and proposed Medicaid cuts. Glory and Kristen shared powerful stories about how rising energy costs are affecting Granite State families and the steps they’ve taken to manage high bills. Kristen also spoke as both a parent and a provider, highlighting how Medicaid cuts directly impact the families she serves.
Then, on January 21st, Sarah and Melanie — alongside one of our incredible 16-year-old advocates who is a person with autism — joined Senator Hassan to talk about the importance of vaccines. They shared personal experiences about caring for immunocompromised, medically complex children and how anti-vaccine rhetoric disproportionately affects autistic individuals and their families.
Thank you to all of our advocates for showing up, speaking out, and sharing your stories. Stories matter — and they truly inspire change!
Unleash the Mandies Mocha
Raising our voices is not limited to roundtables and hearings! Members Mandy Carter and Mandie Michniewicz submitted an LTE and an Op-Ed to local papers on issues they care about.
Mandie M. wrote a Letter To the Editor (LTE) about her experience at the Pembroke School District meeting with state legislators, which led to a walkout by elected officials while a community member was sharing their concerns and asking a question about school funding.
Read Mandie’s Letter, ‘Our state reps aren’t listening’ here. Her words amplify what many of us are feeling right now. I encourage folks to give it a look!
Mandy C. wrote an amazing Op-Ed (Opposite the Editorial page) lifting up the urgency for Congress to act on the healthcare crisis. Appropriately titled: This New Year, Congress Must Fix Our Country’s Health Care Crisis, Mandy shares her perspective as a kinship navigator and community resource specialist at the River Center Family and Community Resource Center while weaving in her personal story on how the ACA has benefited her family and how ignoring the expansion of the ACA tax credits would be devastating. PSST Mandy C ALSO testified FOR THE FIRST TIME on legislation this month on expanding childcare subsidies to kinship families.
Brewing Buzz
What is Open Enrollment?
- Funding leaves too, following the student to the new district
- The home district loses money but still must pay for its building, staff, and required services; There is no established process for receiving districts to request or invoice funding from a sending district. Administrative burden is a concern, but some districts may never receive funds without a lawsuit.
- The receiving district may get more students than they have room or staff for
Open enrollment creates several major risks for NH:
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School closures in small and rural towns
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Less access for low-income families
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Weakened local voice and reduced voting power
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Unstable school budgets that make planning difficult
To learn more about Open Enrollment, our friends at Reaching Higher NH have produced a resource guide diving into the nitty-gritty of how Open Enrollment, though disguised as “choice,” actually is not, and how using mechanisms like cost per pupil to determine open enrollment tuition could harm districts and their students.
The Cream and Sugar (tips and tricks)
Not in brevi-TEA,
- Nancy, Lauren, Kenz, Alyssa, and the whole MomsRising.org & MamásConPoder Team
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