FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 1, 2008

CONTACT: Speaker Terie Norelli’s Office,

(603) 271-3664

STATEMENT FROM SPEAKER NORELLI ON

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

CONCORD – Below is a statement from Speaker of the House Terie Norelli on an amended version of CACR 34 that was offered before the House Finance Committee this morning. CACR 34 is a proposed constitutional amendment on funding of public education in New Hampshire. The complete text of the amendment is below.

“This amendment reflects three core principles,” said Norelli. “First, the state has a constitutional responsibility to raise and appropriate 100% of the statewide cost of adequacy. Second, state money for education should be distributed fairly based on educational need and fiscal capacity of local school districts – which allows for targeting within adequacy. Third, it does not change the court’s standard of review.”

“Over the past dozen years, 33 amendments have been offered relative to education funding,” Norelli continued. “Not one of them has passed. But they continue to be offered because of the desire to target funds as efficiently as possible to help those most in need. Unlike previous amendments, we are not going to restrict the court’s scrutiny or change our level of commitment to providing an education to all New Hampshire students.”

“Legislators from both parties, as well as many in the public, believe we need more flexibility in targeting education dollars, and this amendment accomplishes that.”

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Text of today’s proposed amendment:

Amendment 1639:

Every child is entitled to the opportunity for a public school education that prepares the student to become a productive and contributing citizen. It shall be the duty of the legislature to define the content of an adequate education and determine the total statewide cost of providing that education to all public school students. In fulfillment of the duty to fund this education, the legislature shall have the authority and responsibility to raise the funds that total the statewide cost of an adequate education and to distribute these funds in a manner that alleviates local disparities in educational opportunity and fiscal capacity.

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