Gambling Testimony

On March 16, 2010, three Dartmouth student researchers in the Rockefeller Center’s Policy Research Shop—Anya Perret ’11, David Lumbert ’12, and Boyd Lever ’10—presented their findings on the social costs of gambling in formal testimony before the New Hampshire Gaming Study Commission in Concord. The 15-member Commission was created by Governor John Lynch to investigate the costs and benefits of expanding gambling in New Hampshire to include casino gambling. The students were commended on the breadth and detail of their report by commission members.

State Park Funding Testimony

On March 4, 2010, Christopher Whitehead ’12, Daniel Van Deusen ’11, and Travis Blalock ’12 of the Rockefeller Center’s Policy Research Shop made a presentation in Concord to legislators from three committees of the NH House of Representatives as well as to officials from the Department of Resources and Economic Development. The students presented their findings to more than 30 members of the Executive Departments and Administration Committee, the Resources, Recreation, and Development Committee, and the Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee, including all three committee chairs.

Biomass Boiler Testimony

On February 2, 2010, three Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop students, Brendan McVeigh ’10, Elizabeth Mitchell ’10, and Ian Rorick ’10 testified in Concord before the New Hampshire House Executive Departments and Administration Committee, chaired by Rep. Anne-Marie Irwin and the Science, Technology and Energy Committee, chaired by Rep. Naida Kaen. The joint session served as a review of House Bill 1688 which proposes change to state regulations regarding the installation and operation of boilers and pressure vessels in New Hampshire. The bill considers altering state regulation to allow European biomass boilers to enter the New Hampshire market.

Third Party Ballot Access Testimony

On January 12, 2010, two Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop students, Jeremy Kaufmann ’12 and William Hix ’12, testified in Concord before the New Hampshire House Committee on Election Law, chaired by Rep. Jane Clemons, on a proposed third party ballot access bill. Jeremy and Will provided written testimony in the form of a policy brief, made a ten-minute Powerpoint presentation to the members of the committee, and responded to questions from committee members. Their presentation was preceded by testimony from NH Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan, Rich Tomasso, Chair of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire, as well as representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations.

Testifying before the Interbranch Criminal and Juvenile Justice Council in Concord

On Monday, May 18th, three Policy Research Shop students, Schuyler Evans, Christopher Zablocki, and Kahlie Dufresne testified before the Interbranch Criminal and Juvenile Justice Council (ICJJC) in Concord, New Hampshire. The ICJJC is chaired by John T. Broderick, Jr., Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The testimony provided research results and policy recommendations on the students’ report entitled, “Improving Coordination of the County Jails and State Prisons to Meet Mental Health and Substance Abuse Challenges.”

Chief Justice Broderick and Commissioner William Wrenn, Department of Corrections, welcomed the students to the Council and thanked them for their work. This experience provided the students with an invaluable opportunity to hear directly from state officials who are working on one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

Policy Research Shop Students Testify before the New Hampshire Mental Health Caucus in Concord

On Thursday, April 23, 2009, four Dartmouth students from the Policy Research Shop in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center traveled to Concord, New Hampshire to testify before the New Hampshire Mental Health Caucus on the topic of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Insurance Parity. The Caucus is an informal legislative group comprised members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and Senate, but it also includes representatives of outside stakeholder organizations from around the state.

Rockefeller Policy Research Shop Students Testify on Public Transportation in Vermont

On Wednesday, April 15, 2009, four Dartmouth students from Policy Research Shop in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center testified before the Vermont House and Senate Transportation Committees in the historic Vermont Senate Chamber. Dartmouth seniors Kahlie Dufresne and Tara Wohlgemuth and sophomores Chase Raines and Christine Souffrant presented the key findings in their report, “Public Transportation in Vermont: An Assessment of Applicable Methods of Improvement and Funding for Vermont Transportation.”

Two Policy Research Shop Groups Testify in Concord

The Policy Research Shop was a busy place during the last week in April. Two groups of PRS students traveled to Concord to testify before the Executive Departments and Administration Committee in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, chaired by Rep. Anne-Marie Irwin. The theme for the committee hearing was the financial well-being of New Hampshirites at all stages of life. The committee hearing began with opening remarks from Rep. Laurie Harding, sponsor of the PRS research, followed by testimony from the New Hampshire Women's Policy Institute; NHWPI staff presented data on the financial fate of elderly women in New Hampshire.

Policy Research Shop Students Testify Before the Committee on Election Law and the New Hampshire Legislature

On Thursday, March 12th, three Policy Research Shop students, Brian Freeman, Michael Fields, and Raymond Rodriquez testified in the New Hampshire Legislature at the request of Rep. David Pierce. The testimony provided an overview of the students' policy report, "Voter Suppression: New Hampshire's Response to a National Problem." Rep. Pierce serves as the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Election Law wherein he has sponsored several pieces of legislation to increase criminal penalties for those convicted of voter suppression activities in New Hampshire. The students were welcomed in the capitol by a bipartisan gathering of about 25 legislators, including the Deputy Secretary of State. This testimony represents the first of several scheduled events for this academic year.