Karen Burnett-Kurie: The definition of absurdity happening within state budget

To The Daily Sun,

The New Hampshire Legislature is working toward passing a bill that will cost NH taxpayers $337,000 per year, according to their assessment. What does the bill accomplish?

It requires all NH public middle/high school and college students to watch two videos in health class. (Well not all. The law does not apply to homeschooled or voucher children.)

But the bill goes further. Bill HB 667 requires the Department of Education to conduct annual audits of school districts and public charter schools to ensure adherence to this law.

Since the law also applies to the Community College System of New Hampshire and the University System of New Hampshire there are additional costs certifying college students have viewed the videos as well.

The state estimates this bill will cost taxpayers:

• $102,000 in fiscal year 2026, and increasing in subsequent years for traditional and charter public schools
• $10,000 to $100,000 for the Community College System of NH yearly
• $135,000 for the University System of New Hampshire annually

The state is cutting entire departments and hundreds of positions, including 100 correctional employees in the prison system, to propose a balanced budget.

If it isn't absurd for the state to mandate the viewing of two videos in and of itself — it is certainly absurd to add this cost to the state budget now.

Karen Burnett-Kurie

Wolfeboro