NH house kills bill to prohibit 'bullying' in the State House

By GARRY RAYNO
State House Bureau

Published Feb 22, 2012 at 10:11 am (Updated Feb 22, 2012)

CONCORD – The House voted 224-78 to kill a bill that would have prohibited bullying in the State House and Legislative Office Building.

House Bill 1533 was sponsored by Rep. Susan Emerson, R-Rindge, who had a well-documented confrontation with House Speaker William O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon, over amendments she proposed to the budget bill last year.

Deputy Majority Leader Shawn Jasper, R-Hudson, told House members “If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

He said the leadership of both parties needs to be able to control what goes on in the House, noting it is a place where politics is the name of the game.

“If you're upset because you were told you may not have the committee you want or you don't get an aisle seat,” Jasper said. “Then maybe you don't belong here. I'll say it again. If you can't stand a heat get out of the kitchen.”

The Constitutional Review and Statutory Recodification voted 31-2 to recommend killing the bill.

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Robert Rivett said:

Or, how about if you can't stand the legislature, get into the kitchen.
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Spike said:

We can no more guarantee niceness under the golden dome with a longer rulebook and more bureaucrats than we can use the same methods to guarantee that schoolchildren do not ridicule fellow kids when they do ridiculous things. Does Rep. Susan Emerson not understand the limits of rulemaking? one of which is that you cannot control your superiors using an ethics process that your superiors will surely administer. If she thinks interpersonal niceness should be legislated, she does not belong in the House.A Republican Party whose leadership could not use strong-arm tactics to get the members in line would be a Party that would still be debating a bill to regulate foreign-language signage in the windows of private shops, and the hundreds of other distracting bills that leadership has leaned on committee members to kill.Rep. Emerson, so you want to write the budget? First, start your own political party. Second, win 201 seats.
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Keith Michael said:

Oh look, it looks like even many Democrats voted against this bill. Of course, most of the Republicans also disagreed with Rep. Emerson.
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Sue Grant said:

Bullying....do you NOW get the meaning of "bullying"?!? Our children in our public schools are being labled as BULLIES. I really don't think people could make themselves look more unprofessional!! Is it possible to run a gov't WHILE ALL BEING IN TOTAL AGREEMENT? You people .... you LIBERALS... lable people who don't agree w/you as a bully! Well, I think we need to put the lable ...WIMPS ...all over your WIMPY selves! The last time I checked we were still considered a democratic gov't....not a DICTATORSHIP gov't!!! So, take your BULLY title & go sit in a closet w/all of your wimpy friends & let the STRONG LEADERSHIP get this country/state on the track of a respectable....orderly....constitution honoring state! Quit wasting the tax payers money.There are so many serious items that need to be adressed....you people are bringing such disgrace onto yourselves! Do you have no shame? Do you not understand the importance of the state of our country? STOP IT ALREADY....PLEASE!!!!
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Robin Curtis said:

Sue, re-read the article. The bill was sponsored by a Republican, therefore not liberal. Quit spewing political hate.
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Sue Grant said:

@Robin...who cares if there is an "R" after her name? I got it the 1st time Robin, don't need to re-read it! I'm FOR MY COUNTRY continuing as a free market society....so, in my world people like you, those who are blindly focused on the R or D title need to wake up ...unless you don't care if you wake up tomorrow & discover that your country has now come under socialist....communist....dictator rule! I DO care & I don't care WHO introduced the bill, its rediculous & it shows how far from reality people running our gov't really are! In my city....there are a few people who have run as R because they know how some people are ... who continue to vote straight ticket ... and this is the only reason they have stayed in an elected office! You know, kind-of like the two Senators in Maine...who we all know are liberals w/the big "R" after their names! You prove me right all the time by trying to put a lable on me because I don't agree w/something! That means I'm spewing political hate? You are a sad example of an uninformed citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!! I just hope that you wake up Robin, because you can love your country & want to stop madness w/out it being HATE!!! Seriously.... if it weren't so serious I might find your pethetic statement funny!
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Bill Siroty said:

I wonder how many Republican legislators were bullied to vote against this bill?I wonder what the results of a 'division vote' (I think that is what you call it) where the votes are anonymous would be?
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Michael Stevens said:

�you LIBERALS... lable people who don't agree w/you as a bully! Well, I think we need to put the lable ...WIMPS ...all over your WIMPY selves!�-Sue Grant Spike will probably label me a troll for pointing this out, but yes Sue as Robin pointed out previously this was a Republican thang this time; however thank you for your wonderful demonstration in name-calling. Your rebuttal was equally chilling. I�ll go back under my bridge now.
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Karen Newton said:

I cannot believe the stupid bills that our new legislative are coming up with.....they should be bullied out of office. How ridiculous.
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John Rowe said:

All legislators need to feel like they can become a bully and thug when it is their turn!!! This is the reason voters send them there--isnt it??
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John Rowe said:

After all, they have armed themselves with Glocks and such.
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Geoffrey Niswander said:

I just hope sensible people in southern NH will send that flat lander back to Taxachusetts. He is an embarassment to anyone who can think.
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Joan Burns said:

How can they possibly prohibit bullying in the Legislature. No one would be there to conduct any business. If they aren't bullying the citizens of NH with their unceasing attacks on individual freedom, they would't be able to get out of bed in the morning.
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James Goodgame said:

Just when I thought I could go after Spike in a court of law, they chicken-out on me.
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Jeannine Richardson said:

I think they all need to put on their big boy pants and deal with each other. Look at the Brits and how their legislators argue? I think it's refreshing. I think this bully thing is way overused.
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Robert Rivett said:

Hey whiner Rep. Emerson, take your crying towel and go home. You apparently aren't ready for prime time.
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Bill Hubbard said:

HOUSE BILL 1533AN ACT prohibiting bullying in the state house and legislative office building.SPONSORS: Rep. Emerson, Ches 7; Rep. Pepino, Hills 11; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills 22; Rep. Pantelakos, Rock 16; Rep. Grassie, Straf 1; Rep. A. Perkins, Rock 14; Rep. Shurtleff, Merr 10; Rep. Weber, Ches 2; Rep. J. Brown, Straf 1; Rep. Matt Quandt, Rock 13
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Phil Gagnon said:

Define bullying. Then after we do that we can introduce a bill to compel these people to have "thick skin". Then we can introduce a bill to keep them from giving the "stink eye". Then we can...........
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Nick Michael said:

Ok then, I guess the legislature can go on recess now since there doesn't seem to be any other important issues left to discuss and act on. Wow, and it's only February and they have all the States' 'problems' all taken care of.
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lloyd clement said:

Is this for real? I mean, "bullying," sounds like the cologne bill they had to vote on. Two years ago it was transgender bathrooms the liberals had to bring to the table. No wonder nothing is getting done, or getting done at a snail's pace. Hey, it's only our tax dollars at work, right?Don't try to teach a pig to sing; wastes your time and annoys the pig.
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NH house kills bill to prohibit 'bullying' in the State House

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