76: A New Declaration for the Granite State
A bold, nonpartisan blueprint to make New Hampshire fairer, freer, and more prosperous-rooted in the state's "Live Free or Die" ethos and built for people who want solutions, not slogans. Drawing on research, real-world case studies, and model bill language, Dexter Dow maps out seventy-six concrete reforms across justice, rights, the economy, education, housing, healthcare, climate, public safety, budgeting, and more. Each reform is designed to be drafted, passed, implemented, measured-and improved.
Who this book is for
Voters, select board members, legislators, policy staff, journalists, educators, organizers, business owners, and students who want to move past culture-war noise and deliver real improvements-schools that work, housing people can afford, safer communities, and a government that stays in its lane and delivers value.
Why it matters
From cash bail reform and clean-slate expungement to a statewide housing bank, right-to-counsel in eviction cases, ranked-choice voting, climate resilience, data privacy, worker protections, and smarter budgeting-this field guide treats policy as a toolbox, not a talking point. If you care about making life in New Hampshire simpler, safer, and freer, this is your playbook.
About the Author
Dexter Dow is a citizen-driven policy researcher focused on practical reforms that strengthen liberty, opportunity, and accountability in the Granite State.
Use it to: brief a committee, shape a campaign, build a coalition, or just get smart fast on what will actually move the needle in New Hampshire.
PROLOGUE: Why New Hampshire Needs These 76 New and/or Improved Laws.
This book presents a comprehensive examination of the challenges facing New Hampshire across multiple dimensions of public life. It delves into persistent shortcomings in essential sectors such as housing, healthcare, and education, highlighting barriers that prevent residents from accessing stable, affordable homes, quality medical care, and robust learning opportunities. The analysis also addresses the urgent crises of addiction and economic inequality, which strain communities and widen social divides. Additionally, the exploration considers the state's preparedness for a rapidly changing world, including its efforts-or lack thereof-to achieve energy sustainability and climate resilience. It scrutinizes the criminal justice system to identify inefficiencies and inequities while also evaluating the health of New Hampshire's democratic institutions and the accessibility of opportunity for all residents.
Recognizing the complexity of these overlapping issues, this report underscores the necessity for a bold yet pragmatic policy roadmap. Such a roadmap must not only acknowledge the depth of the state's challenges but offer actionable solutions that balance ambition with feasibility, guiding New Hampshire toward a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous future.
