Here's highlights from the NH House Science, Technology & Energy Committee's Executive Session on SB434 (which the NH Senate amended to try to get NH back into the REAL ID hunt). 1:15 worth of debate in about 0:24, from 4/1/2008. I'd hoped to get this posted last night, but with the first of spring's wind and thunderstorms, and much associated LAN and internet outage, not to mention gnashing of teeth and hurling about of cats and such...
It's stressed several times that the REAL ID amendment is dead, regardless, and will almost certainly be stripped out on the floor of Representatives' Hall. No one disagreed. As to the original bill, some members wanted to kill the whole thing, and recommend a clean bill be introduced next session. But others believed there had been too much work done on the nevertheless deeply flawed original portion, too many issues uncovered -- issues the Senate had somehow failed to see -- to simply ITL it, likely to make a different committee start over. Therefore, only 8-5 ITL. No additional amendments even voted on.
Last week's preceding public hearings can be seen here and here. More related video and commentary strewn about the place. Check the 'Frequent Topics' list for 'REAL ID'.
The full House will take up SB434 soon. Watch the House Calendar for its scheduling. And if you can't make it to the Gallery to observe in person, you can still play along at home or the office with the live online stream, or eventually the archive.
But before then, contact your NH Representatives. Ask them to support the Committee's ITL recommendation. Ask them (despite any extension requests now being a moot issue -- for the time being) to kill REAL ID. Again. No backsliding.
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