Long time NCFM member Mike Geanoulis announced that the New Hampshire Commission of the Status of Men (CSM) appears to have withstood efforts to sunset its authorization. CSM is arguably only one of four legislatively enacted bodies of its type in the United States.

Mike reports that even though the New Hampshire Legislative Committee to Study Boards and Commissions Committee on Committees (NHCOC) recommended closure of the CSM the Committee of Conference agreed to extend CSM two years and add two more seats to the — one appointment each from the House and Senate leadership. HB380 will be revised accordingly and resubmitted to the floor of the House and Senate.

Mike, a founding member of CSM, and others have been diligently lobbying to preserve CSM for well over a year. There was tremendous pressure to sunset the Commission. Without Mike’s commitment as well as others on the Commission and their supporters the Commission would have surely been closed.

On April 10, 2010 NCFM sent a letter of supprt to the New Hampshire Speaker of the House Terie Norelli. Harry Crouch, President of NCFM also made several phone calls lobbying for the preservation of the Commission including speaking directly with Ms. Norelli. Other NCFM members expressed their support as well.

Since Senator Groen and Rep Winter (COC members) were very supportive of CSM and pivotal influences in the Commissions preservation. In fact, both have expressed a desire to become members!

With such interest and support Mike feels CSM will be able to help even more citizens of New Hampshire than it has in the past.

Please send Senator Groen and Representative Winter a brief thank you since without their support CSM may have been shut down.

Fenton Groen
State House
Room 107
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603)271-2609

fenton.groen@leg.state.nh.us

Rep Steven Winter

PO Box 552
Newbury, NH  03255-0552
Phone: (603)763-9743
libertynh@myfairpoint.net