Committee Summary for House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs (02/20/2026)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HCR14 2026-0578h 00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM	Executive Session	condemning the assassination of Charlie Kirk and reaffirming the state's commitment to freedom of speech and civil discourse.	Barton, Joseph(R)[A-]2025
HR26 2024-0849s 00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM	Executive Session	supporting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.	Georges, Mary(D)[D-]2025
HR37 00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM	Executive Session	recognizing the United Nations universal declaration of human rights and urging the responsible and moral oversight of and accountability for military equipment used by international allies especially in Gaza.	Beauchemin, Paige(D)[F]2025
HR34 00:52:00.000 - 12:50:52 PM	Executive Session	declaring that Sharia law and political Islam represent an existential threat to the state and country and that any deference to Sharia law by a government institution is prohibited.	Sabourin dit Choinière, Matt(R)[A-]2025

HCR14 2026-0578h: Representative Lloyd Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Moved to adopt amendment #0578 which broadens the language to condemn any politically motivated assassination while still specifying Charlie Kirk, to make it more enduring given polarized times.
HCR14 2026-0578h: Representative Swanson Information Only00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Asked for clarification if the vote was on the amendment or OTP.
HCR14 2026-0578h: Representative Foss Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Supported the amendment as it honors the spirit of the resolution, keeps the condemnation of Charlie Kirk's assassination, but broadens to other attempts in violent times.
HCR14 2026-0578h: Committee Vote00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Voted unanimously 16-0 to adopt amendment #0578.
HCR14 2026-0578h: Representative Lloyd Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Moved Ought to Pass as amended (OTPA).
HCR14 2026-0578h: Representative Foss Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Seconded the motion for OTPA.
HCR14 2026-0578h: Committee Vote00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Voted unanimously 16-0 for OTPA on HCR 14.
HR26 2024-0849s: Representative Seibert Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Moved Ought to Pass as amended (OTPA) after amendment adoption.
HR26 2024-0849s: Representative Foss Support00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Seconded the motion for OTPA.
HR26 2024-0849s: Chairman Moffitt Information Only00:17:30.366 - 12:16:22 PM; Noted the prime sponsor Representative Georges is present and shared background on learning about Congo from her.
HR26 2024-0849s: Committee Vote00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Voted 15-1 for OTPA on HR 26 (Representative Mannion voted no).
HR26 2024-0849s: Representative Seibert Support00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Moved to Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL) with minority report anticipated.
HR37: Representative Mandelbaum Oppose00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Moved Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL) on HR 37, citing concerns over the resolution being used for anti-Semitic rhetoric despite the bill itself being unproblematic.
HR37: Representative Gagne Oppose00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Seconded ITL motion. Argued the resolution blames Israel for the crisis in Gaza, but Hamas is responsible for civilian deaths by using human shields, building infrastructure under civilian sites, and preventing evacuations. Cited atrocities by Hamas on October 7th.
HR37: Representative Seibert Support00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Disagreed, referencing Israeli leaders' statements indicating intent for annihilation of Palestinians to eliminate Hamas.
HR37: Representative Manohar Information Only00:32:30.366 - 12:31:22 PM; Noted lack of proportionality in Israel's response to October 7th events.
HR37: Unnamed Representative Information Only00:47:30.366 - 12:46:22 PM; The speaker described the initial attack as horrible and the early response as understandable, but questioned the proportionality as casualties rose from 20,000 to 70,000. They suggested investigating underlying motives, positing that the Israeli government, particularly Netanyahu facing indictment, might be prolonging the war to maintain power, explaining the disproportionate response.
HR37: Chairman Moffitt Information Only00:48:30.000 - 12:47:22 PM; The speaker agreed with Representative Mandelbaum on Hamas as a terrorist organization and with Representative Manar on proportionate response, avoiding moral equivalency. As a historian, they compared Israel's situation to the U.S. response to Pearl Harbor, which ended with atomic bombs killing many civilians, debating proportionality and justification in terms of ending the war and saving lives. They noted the ongoing debate on Israel's response as existential and urged following personal consciences.
HR34: Representative Plant Oppose00:52:00.000 - 12:50:52 PM; Representative Plant moved for interim study, apologizing for missing the public hearing but having reviewed testimony. They argued the resolution is unnecessary and contradicts the Constitution it aims to protect. While disagreeing with extreme Sharia tenets, they noted no U.S. killings under Sharia and that existing laws already prohibit crimes and foreign laws superseding U.S. or NH constitutions. Singling out one faith creates bureaucracy, judges beliefs over actions, invades religious thought, and promotes fear over rule of law in a live-free state. Urged interim study to understand sponsors' intent.
HR34: Representative Mienhofer Oppose00:54:00.000 - 12:52:52 PM; Representative Mienhofer seconded the motion and agreed fully with Representative Plant's remarks.
HR34: Representative Foss Oppose00:55:00.000 - 12:53:52 PM; Representative Foss enthusiastically co-signed Representative Plant's remarks. They recalled preparing an amendment but instead highlighted the 1993 Supreme Court case City of Hialeah on animal sacrifice, a unanimous decision including Scalia, Thomas, and Souter. Quoted Justice Kennedy on government's duty to religious tolerance, pausing on animosity toward religion, ensuring secular reasons for laws, and not devising mechanisms to persecute religions.
HR34: Representative (Co-sponsor) Support00:57:00.000 - 12:55:52 PM; The co-sponsor noted their name on the resolution and explained doing it last for full perspectives, anticipating majority and minority reports. They read from Secretary Marco Rubio on radical Islam's revolutionary nature seeking expansion and control, a threat to the U.S. Later, responding to concerns, they shared a video of American Muslims advocating Sharia implementation through politics, targeting local governments, declaring Islam as jihad and a political system to replace the current one, and framing it as dismantling injustice or being against them. Argued these show real threats to overthrow government. In response to Representative Swanson, clarified not anti-Muslim, sharing story of book co-authored with Afghan Muslim Fahim Fazli, a Hollywood actor who served in Afghanistan post-9/11, beloved by troops, targeted by Taliban, emphasizing opposition to those wanting to overthrow government regardless of ideology.
HR34: Unnamed Representative (Unitarian Analogy) Oppose01:02:30.366 - 1:01:22 PM; The speaker found it difficult to separate the resolution's intent from singling out Islam due to Islamophobia mentions, supporting interim study to assert legal independence and church-state separation. Argued that some individuals' claims do not represent the religion's goals, using analogy of a Unitarian Universalist wanting to change the national anthem to 'Simple Gifts,' which their church sings every Sunday, questioning if Representative Lloyd's does, emphasizing it does not make it the religion's agenda.
HR34: Representative Swanson Oppose01:05:00.000 - 1:03:52 PM; Representative Swanson noted resolutions against specific beliefs like Sharia undermine confidence in the Constitution, which derives laws and poses no threat if believed in. Many organizations seek government change, so singling out Sharia panders to fringe theory, not ought to pass. Acknowledging it would imply the Constitution is at risk, fostering fear of Muslims or other sects, but as long as faith in Constitution and U.S. laws exists, such groups get attention but should not be amplified.
HR34: Representative Lloyd Oppose01:07:00.000 - 1:05:52 PM; Representative Lloyd changed their vote to interim study, noting the resolution extremely misrepresents the Muslim faith based on their psychology background focused on religion-psychology intersection. Suggested interim study to seriously read the Quran and understand the faith. Later, asked the sponsor if they have a definition for Christian nationalism. Expressed honor in watching the discussion, appreciating real questions, arguing the analogy to Christian nationalism shows the resolution protects against imposition by law on unwilling communities, noting political Islam's historical conquests from 636 to 711, taking Christian North Africa as an existential threat.
HR34: Prime Sponsor Support01:10:00.000 - 1:08:52 PM; The prime sponsor offered four scholastic definitions of political Islam. Responded to the chair's concern on 'political Islam' vs. 'radical Islam,' noting political Unitarians or Catholics exist but not wanting their practices as law. Addressed Representative Lloyd's question on Christian nationalism, stating it's not about that but courtesy to respond; defined political Islam as imposition by law, not the religion itself, drawing historical parallels to conquests after Prophet's death. Noted studying for 45 years, careful not to overstate.
HR34: Unnamed Representative Support01:17:30.366 - 1:16:22 PM; The speaker found the prime sponsor's response quite compelling and thanked them for being present.
HR34: Representative Manohar Oppose01:18:00.000 - 1:16:52 PM; Representative Manohar supported interim study, drawing from Indian background where independence from Britain was peaceful but followed by partition violence. India has 200 million Muslims post-partition, with concerns about Sharia and political Islam, but studied extensively. Suggested interim study examine how India handled it in its messy, linguistically divided context without fragmenting, learning from its constitution.
HR34: Representative Foss Oppose01:20:00.000 - 1:18:52 PM; Representative Foss praised Representative Manohar's point as fantastic, noting the co-sponsor's analogy of Christian nationalism to political Islam proves need for time to improve the resolution, making it more expansive to cover First Amendment threats to church-state separation, better expressing intent.
HR34: Representative Seibert Oppose01:21:00.000 - 1:19:52 PM; Representative Seibert agreed, stating they cannot address one religion without others like Southern Baptist Convention or Catholicism, which have political cohorts.

Moffett, Michael(Chairman)(R)[B+]2025	Mandelbaum, Jennifer(Clerk)(D)[D]2025	Rollins, Skip(V Chairman)(R)[A-]2025
Jeudy, Jean(D)[D]2025	Budathoki, Suraj(D)[D-]2025	Foss, Lily(D)[D-]2025
Gagne, Larry(R)[B+]2025	Lundgren, David(R)[C+]2025	Leavitt, John(R)[B-]2025
Belcher, Mike(R)[B+]2025	Plante, Raymond(R)[B+]2025	Hemingway, Wayne(R)[B]2025
Mannion, Tom(R)[A+]2025	Lloyd, Christal(D)[F]2025	Seibert, Christine(D)[CT]2025
Jones, Philip(D)[CT]2025	Manohar, Sanjeev(D)[D-]2025	Bennett, Cindy(R)[B+]2025