Ellen Read | |
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Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from the Rockingham 17 district | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office December 2016 | |
Personal details | |
Political party | Democratic (2016-2021) (2022-Present) |
Other political affiliations | Independent (2021-2022) |
Residence(s) | Newmarket, New Hampshire, U.S. |
Alma mater | University of New Hampshire (MA) Vanderbilt University (BS) |
Website | https://www.ellen4nh.com/ |
Ellen Read is a New Hampshire politician. She is a Democratic member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Career
On November 8, 2016, Read was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives where she represents the Rockingham 17 district. Read is a Democrat. Read serves on the Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee. Read endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. She is the founder of the New Hampshire Progressive Caucus. She has served on the Special Committee on Housing since its formation in 2022.
In 2021, Read left the Democratic party to sit as an independent. She cited issues with Democratic Party leadership, specifically with alleged corruption by Representative Cathryn Harvey. She caucused with fellow independent Tony Labranche for the remainder of the term. In 2022, Read re-joined the Democratic Party and won another term as State Representative. She was re-elected again in 2024.
Personal life
Read grew up the eldest of five in south Memphis, Tennessee. Read holds a master’s degree in liberal studies – environmental and socioeconomic ethics and policy from the UNH (2011), as well as a BS in molecular and cellular biology from Vanderbilt University (2003), with a double minor in religious studies and Japanese. She has worked as a high school teacher in Japan (2003-2006) as well as an adjunct professor of American government at Great Bay Community College. Read has resided in Newmarket, New Hampshire, since 2009.
Political positions
Read is considered a progressive representative.
Constitutional reform
In 2018 and 2020, Read sponsored a constitutional amendment to the New Hampshire Constitution to allow for recall elections.
In 2022, Read co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to allow for citizen-led initiatives.
In 2024, Read introduced a constitutional amendment to make the default oath of office be the non-religious oath.
Criminal justice reform
In 2022, Read co-sponsored a House Resolution urging Congress to remove the exception from the 13th Amendment: "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted."
In 2024, Read co-sponsored a bill to establish an affirmative defense to the crime of resisting arrest that the arrest was unlawful or constitutional.
Electoral reform
Read has been vocal about overturning Citizens United v. FEC and has proposed multiple bills that have to do with corporate and private funding of elections. in 2024, she introduced House Resolution calling on Congress to pass a constitutional amendment to distinguish between corporate and individual rights.
In 2017, Read sponsored a bill to allow for no-excuse absentee voting.
In 2019, Read co-sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment to allow for no-excuse absentee voting.
Read is a leading advocate for ranked choice voting. Read has repeatedly introduced bills to implement ranked choice voting in New Hampshire.
Read has repeatedly introduced bills to create an Election Day Holiday.
Environment
In 2024, Read co-sponsored a bill to prohibit "single-use disposable plastic foodware accessories.". Read also co-sponsored a bill to limit the use of unmarked police cruisers in traffic enforcement. Read also co-sponsored a bill to require all municipal police department owned vehicles bear a municipal police license plate and prohibiting officers from using a vehicle that does not bear such plate.
Housing policy
In 2022, Read co-sponsored a bill to abolish single-family zoning and allow up to four units by-right.
In 2023, Read proposed a bill to limit rental application fees. Read also sponsored a bill to limit municipal zoning ordinances to only those dealing with the health and safety of residents. Read also introduced a bill to create a right to legal counsel for tenants in eviction proceedings. In 2024, Read proposed a bill to allow two Accessory Dwelling Units by-right. Read proposed a bill to allow municipalities to adopt rent control measures. Read co-sponsored a bill to prohibit zoning ordinances from restricting the number of occupants in a residential rental property to less than 2 occupants per bedroom.
Reproductive rights
In 2024, Read proposed a bill to create a right to sterilization.
Workers' rights
In 2022, Read introduced a bill to require certain large employers to post work schedules seven days in advance and additionally provided for rest periods for employees. Read also co-sponsored a constitutional amendment that would provide "that all workers have a right to a minimum wage that provides them with well-being and a dignified existence.".
2024 Read introduced legislation to create a 4-day work week.
References
- ^ "Representative Ellen Read (D)". New Hampshire General Court. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
- "Ellen Read". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- "Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee Webpage". Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- "Bernie 2020 rolls out New Hampshire endorsements". vtdigger.org. VTDigger. May 15, 2019. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ Graham, Michael (2022-01-04). "NH Rep Dogged by Ethics Questions Steals Magazines Over Anti-Dem Articles". NH Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- Graham, Michael (2022-01-19). "BREAKING: Two More NH House Dems To Defect From Caucus". NH Journal. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- "Ellen Read". Citizens Count. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 18". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 16". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 17". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 21". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HOUSE RESOLUTION 18". General Court of NH.
- "HB 1026 relative to resisting arrest". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1147 relative to permissible campaign contributions by business organizations and labor unions". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HR 26 urging Congress to adopt a constitutional amendment to distinguish between corporate and individual rights". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HOUSE BILL 622-FN-LOCAL". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 6". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1264 – As Introduced". 2022.
- "HB 1482-FN – As Introduced". 2022.
- "N.H. considers ranked-choice voting for primary". Press Herald. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- "New Hampshire Considers Ranked Choice Voting for Primary". New Hampshire Public Radio. 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- "Advocates make their case for ranked choice voting | Manchester Ink Link". 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
- "HOUSE BILL 1213-FN". General Court of NH.
- "HB 1207 relative to single-use disposable plastic foodware accessories". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1237 relative to the use of unmarked or stealth police vehicles for traffic enforcement". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1238 requiring all municipal police department vehicles to bear municipal police license plates". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HOUSE BILL 1177". General Court of NH.
- "HB 283 relative to rental application fees charged to prospective tenants". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1297 relative to the authority of municipalities to enforce ordinances related to health and safety". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 379 requiring notice be provided to tenants during residential eviction proceedings regarding legal counsel". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HOUSE BILL 1291". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1362 relative to authorizing municipalities to stabilize rent increases in rental housing". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1281 relative to zoning restrictions on residential rental property". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1067 relative to a patient's right to sterilization treatment". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HOUSE BILL 1094". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 28". The New Hampshire General Court.
- "HB 1668 relative to establishing a 4-day work week". The New Hampshire General Court.
Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives | |
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168th General Court (2023–present)
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