Last Tuesday, as the House was wrapping up work on the 2020 legislative regular session, Gov. Chris Sununu told the Union Leader that “he had not reviewed the bills but that he would ‘err on the side of veto’ in dealing with them.”
The governor’s comments reflect a profound lack of respect for two pillars of our democracy: representative government and the balance of powers. They also make a mockery of the sacrifices made by our duly elected legislators, who showed up at great risk to their health and safety to fulfill their duties to the NH Constitution and their own constituents. Moreover, the comments raise the question: Why does the governor have so little trust in and respect for the voters of New Hampshire?
The bills that Sununu gratuitously threatened to veto address issues important to all of us. These are not partisan issues, these are Granite State issues. Of the 34 bills going to his desk, 25 had bipartisan support in the Senate. A full 32 had bipartisan votes in the House.
Much of the proposed legislation deals with concerns critically important to addressing the health and economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes COVID-safe elections, prescription drugs, oversight and funding for long-term care facilities, veteran protections, paid family and medical leave, telemedicine, an increase in the minimum wage, affordable housing and worker protections.
Other bills cover additional issues important to the people of New Hampshire, including criminal justice reform, expanded broadband, independent redistricting, kindergarten funding, drinking water safety and extreme-risk protection orders.
Why hasn’t Sununu read the bills? All have been published in the Senate calendar. Many have been available for weeks. The first omnibus bill was voted on in May. More importantly, why hasn’t the governor worked with the Legislature to forge compromise and agreement on both sides of the aisle in order to better serve the people of New Hampshire?
We have seen Gov. Sununu wield the red veto pen before. Last session, he vetoed 57 bills, a record that far exceeded any previous administration, Democratic or Republican.
His threats to do the same this time are even more concerning. New Hampshire faces a pandemic and an ongoing economic crisis best met with bipartisanship and cooperation. The governor has an essential role to play in building consensus and agreement. Instead, he has chosen to resort to partisanship and non-cooperation. Governing by veto, especially in this time of COVID-19, is a failure of leadership.
(Louise Spencer of Concord is co-founder of the Kent Street Coalition.)