N.H. Speaker: Public Should Demand Answers From Reps Who Haven't Signed Sexual Harassment Policy
New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper says he’s disappointed that roughly one-quarter of his chamber has not signed a form acknowledging they’ve read the official Statehouse sexual harassment policy. The way he sees it, “there should be 100 percent compliance.”
“That troubles me greatly, and I think that’s something that should be of interest quite frankly to the people who are electing these people,” Jasper told NHPR on Monday. “They ought to be looking and saying what is going on here, if I’m electing somebody who even refuses to acknowledge that they’re receiving this policy.”
As first reported by WMUR last week, just 280 of 400 representatives have returned that paperwork, after repeated reminders from House leadership to do so. Senate officials say all 24 members in that chamber returned the paperwork.
That policy spells out expectations of what kind of language and behavior is unacceptable and would be considered harassment. It also spells out how lawmakers, legislative staff, lobbyists or other members of the public can file a report if they feel they’ve been subject to harassment on Statehouse grounds.
Read more: http://nhpr.org/post/nh-speaker-public-should-demand-answers-reps-who-havent-signed-sexual-harassment-policy