| IT'S HARD not to get cynical about our national politics these days. But here in New Hampshire, Senate Republicans have led the way to get things done for New Hampshire working families. We are proud of what we've done this year to keep New Hampshire the best place to live, work, and raise a family. Our top priority is always to keep Granite State families safe. For several years, we have worked to fix the state's broken bail system. This year, we have finally gotten meaningful bail reform over the finish line. While no one will be denied bail simply because they cannot afford it, we have set up a system that requires violent and repeat offenders to go in front of a judge or magistrate before being released. We've taken proactive steps to address our nation's border crisis by making sure the Northern Border Alliance has the tools and resources to stop illegal immigration into New Hampshire and the resulting drug smuggling and human trafficking that comes with it. Lack of affordable housing continues to be a major hurdle, both for New Hampshire families and our state's economy. Last year, we dedicated $35 million to the Affordable Housing Fund, an additional $10 million to InvestNH, $5 million for Housing Champions, and $10 million in state aid for homelessness programs. This year we worked to lower bureaucratic hurdles that stifle housing development and allocated $2.5 million to increase rates for shelter programs. We also protected the rights of property owners by prohibiting squatters' rights. During the last legislative session, the Senate led the way in passing more than $500 million in property tax relief for cities and towns. We built on that record this session, sending nearly $2.7 billion in state aid to cities and towns, including $683 million in new state aid. That includes the $169 million increase to local school districts under our Student-Centered Education Funding Formula, $90 million for water and wastewater infrastructure and treatment programs, $40 million for municipal roads and bridges, and $260 million in local Rooms and Meals revenues over the biennium, double the amount going back to towns from just four years ago. We stood up for vulnerable New Hampshire children, putting new protections in place for kids placed in the state's care, increasing penalties for child pornography and violations of privacy involving minors, and banned life-altering and irreversible gender reassignment surgery for children. We kept our promise to fight for New Hampshire families, passing a Parents Bill of Rights that would guarantee every parent has a right to know what's going on with their children in New Hampshire schools. We voted to protect girls by allowing schools to distinguish bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams based on biological sex. We passed legislation to provide a clear complaint and appeals process for parents who believe school materials are inappropriate. We also expanded eligibility for New Hampshire's wildly successful Education Freedom Account program, which is already helping 4,200 working families choose the best educational path for their children. We will always protect the New Hampshire Advantage. We blocked big spending bills that would force us into an income tax, sales tax, increased property taxes, or the return of donor towns. We will never tax our way to prosperity. Instead, we passed a balanced budget that has produced a revenue surplus of $146.5 million through the end of June. This fiscal discipline and common-sense policy making has helped make New Hampshire not only the freest state in the nation, but the safest, the healthiest, the best for economic opportunity, and the best for child well-being in the nation. There are always new challenges ahead. Senate Republicans stand ready to face them with the same dedication and commitment that we've shown over the past four years. We will never take for granted the trust that Granite Staters have placed in us to get things done for New Hampshire working families. Senate President Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) represents District 3. Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) represents District 14. | 
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