(CONCORD) Governor John Lynch has added his signature to legislation easing state restrictions on charter schools. The law lifts a moratorium on new charter schools in New Hampshire, giving the State Board of Education the authority to issue new charters.

House Bil 1495, sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Casey (D-East Kingston), also allows charter schools to have their approval renewed for five years at a time.

The Senate approved the charter school legislation by voice vote on April 28th and the House did the same a week later, but the bill has been awaiting the Governor’s signature for more than two months. State law provides that Governors must sign or veto approved legislation within ten business days, but a bill can be delayed indefinitely by the either the House Speaker or Senate President before it gets to the Governor’s desk.

Lifting the charter school moratorium is a reversal for the current Legislature, which last year considered capping charter school enrollment, a move which would have threatened students who had already been accepted for the just completed academic year.

State education officials consider lifting charter school restrictions as crucial if the Granite State is going to win federal grants under the “Race to the Top” program. In March, New Hampshire failed to make the cut for the first round of the federal education initiative, funded through last year’s stimulus act. The State Education Department submitted New Hampshire’s Phase II application to “Race to the Top” in June 1.

The New Hampshire Center for Innovative Schools, which helped push the legislation through Concord, celebrated the bill making it into law.

“A heartfelt thank you must go out to these two charter school defenders and the many other supporters that have worked so hard to pass this bill.”