Democrats in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Senate recently took a moment to reflect on the spring legislative session and denounced Republicans for what they call “a radical and far-right social agenda.”

During a press conference at the State House in Concord on July 3, Democratic leaders said the Republican majority’s priorities are wrong for middle-class families. Although Republicans promised to focus on the economy, they instead introduced a number of controversial bills related to social issues, while also pushing legislation that jeopardized health care and public education, Democrats said.

Among those participating in the conference were House minority leader Terie Norelli of Portsmouth, Rep. Stephen Shurtleff of Penacook, Rep. Gary Richardson of Hopkinton, Sen. Lou D’Allesandro of Manchester, and Sen. Molly Kelly of Keene.

Norelli pointed out that Republicans attempted to eliminate guaranteed insurance coverage for women’s birth control. They made the largest single cut to a public university system in United States history, thereby raising tuition costs. They also cut funding for services related to mental health and developmental disabilities, while helping tobacco companies by cutting the cigarette tax.

“Next on their agenda is a state takeover of Medicare, which would allow politicians in the New Hampshire Legislature to cut benefits for seniors, increase premiums, and raise the eligibility age,” Norelli said.

D’Allesandro criticized House Speaker William O’Brien (R-Mont Vernon) and his fellow Republicans for making enormous cuts in the state budget that have dramatically reduced funding for higher education. O’Brien has proposed cutting an additional $400 million from the budget, further threatening education funds.

“The speaker’s proposed reductions and the current cuts already in place by the Tea Party legislature are enormous and devastating,” D’Allesandro said.

Kelly, too, attacked Republicans for their record on education, noting they attempted to eliminate mandatory kindergarten and lower the school dropout age. They also cut state aid to local schools, boosting local property taxes, she said.

“Simply put, Bill O’Brien’s Tea Party legislature has made it easier to break the law and buy cigarettes, but harder to afford an education,” Kelly said.

Shurtleff criticized the GOP for supporting a number of bills aimed at stemming abortions and reducing women’s health care rights. He noted Republicans pushed legislation requiring a 24-hour waiting period before abortions, defunding Planned Parenthood, and repealing mandatory contraception coverage.

The 24-hour abortion bill, Shurtleff noted, was attached as a non-germane amendment to a research and development tax credit that had bipartisan support. He said the GOP has not followed through on its promise to “focus on the economy like a laser.”

“The only laser-like focus I’ve seen this legislative session has been in advancing a radical and far-right social agenda,” Shurtleff said. “This is not the agenda the voters thought they were getting in 2010 and it’s not the agenda that the people of New Hampshire can afford in the future.”  

Democrats also accused O’Brien of frequently using strong-arm tactics, removing committee members and taking other actions against representatives who disagree with him. On July 2, O’Brien removed Rep. Kathleen Taylor (D-Franconia) from an oversight committee charged with implementing the federal health care law. Taylor was the only House Democrat on the committee.

“The actions of this legislature have not gone unnoticed by the people of New Hampshire,” Richardson said. “The voters are looking for more from us.”

Democrats held majorities in the N.H. House and Senate from 2007 through 2010, but Republican majorities took over in 2011. Elections to all state House and Senate seats will take place on Nov. 6, with primaries on Sept. 11.