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House committee takes public input on a bill to ban Native American mascots
Members of the public weighed in on a bill to ban the use of Native American mascots during a hearing before the House Education Committee on Tuesday. The bill garnered support from the ACLU, two tribal leaders, a member of the Concord School Board, a retired teacher, and a youth group leader. House Bill 1261 […]
Senate committee advances energy efficiency bill
This article was updated at 2:44 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2022 to correct Bill Newell’s name. A bipartisan bill that would restart state energy efficiency programs could reach the governor’s desk as early as February, after it passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee in a unanimous vote on Tuesday. The version […]
Redistricting listening sessions did little to influence House-approved maps
The New Hampshire House last week approved the Republican-backed plans for redistricting the congressional, House of Representatives, and county commissioner districts. Nonpartisan watchdog groups have decried the congressional maps for gerrymandering: making the 1st Congressional District more friendly to Republicans and the 2nd District more firmly Democratic. And criticism has also been leveled at the […]
Utilities commission denies motion for rehearing on energy efficiency decision
The Public Utilities Commission on Friday denied a motion for rehearing on a contentious energy efficiency decision it issued in November. This comes after the state’s utilities, along with environmental, clean energy, and consumer advocates, asked the commission to reconsider the decision. Instead, the commission doubled down on its initial decision, dismissing claims about due […]
It’s been a busy week for state lawmakers: Here’s what was passed and what was tabled
In vote after vote Thursday, the message was clear: House lawmakers wanted to get out of there. Over a series of tabling motions, the New Hampshire House pushed off final votes on a number of bills, with House leadership citing a predicted snowstorm Friday and the need to shrink the planned three-day voting session to […]
Losing winter – and big chunks of New Hampshire’s identity
All of the seasons in New Hampshire are warming as a result of climate change, but none as rapidly and dramatically as winter, climate scientists have found. Those seasonal changes, and the loss of winter, threaten to significantly alter the culture and economy of the state, warn the authors of a new study, which finds […]
Watchdog group criticizes Senate Republicans for proposed redistricting maps
Senate Republicans and Democrats released their plans for redrawing Senate and Executive Council maps last week. As expected, the parties disagree about how voting districts should look for the next decade. An initial independent review of the maps by Open Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit, found the Republican proposals for Senate districts were “atrocious,” worse than […]
Gardner, the nation’s longest-serving secretary of state, retiring
Bill Gardner, who has served as New Hampshire’s secretary of state since 1976, announced on Monday that he plans to retire this week. David Scanlan, the current deputy secretary of state, will take over the post, according to Gardner. The decision, which came as a surprise, opens the possibility of a multi-candidate race for secretary […]
Lawmakers seek to add PUC deadline to energy efficiency legislation
Rep. Michael Vose, an Epping Republican, and Sen. David Watters, a Dover Democrat, have drafted an amendment to House Bill 549, which would increase funding for state energy efficiency programs. The bill – not including the latest amendment – will be up for a vote this week, during a flurry of voting as legislators take […]
Vaccine, environment, energy, and abortion will dominate legislative session
Lawmakers won’t have a budget to write, debate, and negotiate this session, but with at least 900 bills awaiting their return on Jan. 5, it will be another busy year. We told you about some of the under-the-radar bills last month. We’re back with a preview of the bills that will be front and center, […]
Report: Disparate outcomes for girls tied to race, geography, and gender
While most of New Hampshire’s girls are white, the population of diverse girls increased by 61 percent between 2006 and 2019, according to a new report by the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation. Of the 125,000 girls who live in New Hampshire, 7 percent are Hispanic or Latina, 5 percent are multiracial, 3 percent are Asian, […]
Assistance for farmers will cover organic certification costs
Pandemic assistance is now available to cover certification costs for farmers who have switched or are in the process of switching to organic agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing a total of $20 million that farmers can apply for to cover certain expenses from 2020 and 2021 – including the cost of organic […]