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House minority leader Renny Cushing takes leave of absence
Rep. Renny Cushing announced Wednesday he will be taking a temporary medical leave of absence from his duties as House minority leader. Deputy Democratic leader David Cote, who represents Nashua, will take over the role in Cushing’s absence. Rep. Mary Jane Wallner of Concord will become the party’s deputy leader. In a letter read by […]
A community divided by a derelict dam
The town of Durham is divided over the fate of the historic Mill Pond Dam, as residents and environmental organizations pushing for its removal have met with resistance from a group intent on its preservation. After the town council voted, 7-2, in favor of removing the dam in September, proponents of keeping it gathered around […]
House committee recommends rejection of climate provision
A bill instructing the Public Utilities Commission to take climate change into account when setting electric rates failed to gain the support of the House Science, Technology, and Energy Committee in a vote on Monday. The committee voted, 12-10, in favor of killing House Bill 1250, a recommendation that will go before the full House […]
Bill to prohibit gerrymandering rejected as poll shows most Granite Staters find maps unfair
A proposal to prohibit gerrymandering failed to advance in a party-line vote last week on the Senate floor. The Democratic-backed proposal was voted to interim study during a session where concern over gerrymandering has taken center stage as the Legislature works on the once-in-a-decade task of redrawing voting districts. Senate Bill 255 would have added […]
What a new law on energy efficiency means for New Hampshire
On Thursday, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a new law setting a course for the future of state energy efficiency programs run through NHSaves. House Bill 549 was rushed through the legislative process after a November decision from the Public Utilities Commission to cut the program’s funding while also denying a three-year consensus plan for unprecedented […]
Dogs allowed to join in outdoor dining, per new state law
A new state law will allow dogs to partake in outdoor dining after Gov. Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 17 on Thursday. The measure will go into effect on April 25, 60 days after it was signed. It allows restaurants to permit dogs in outdoor dining areas alongside their owners if they satisfy a list […]
Senate to vote on changing voting requirements in state constitution as House takes up debate
Both chambers of the Legislature have taken up proposals to change the wording in New Hampshire’s constitution about who gets to cast a ballot in the state. The two versions of the legislation do the same thing, changing the word domicile to primary residence, and stipulating that only citizens of the country and state have […]
Wentworth Cheswill portrait: Commemorating Black history in the State House
A new portrait commemorating Wentworth Cheswill – said to be the first African American elected official in the country – would be hung in the State House if a bill passed by the House on a voice vote last week becomes law. Cheswill (sometimes spelled “Cheswell”), born in Newmarket in 1746, fought in the Revolutionary […]
To rebuild a life: the first months of resettling Afghan refugees in New Hampshire
When Safiya Wazir arrived in New Hampshire 15 years ago, she was fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan. Although her circumstances were different than those of the new Afghan refugees now resettling in the state, there are some similarities in their experiences. Wazir knows the trauma of war, the difficult task of adjusting to a new […]
New Hampshire last among neighbors in SNAP enrollment, new analysis finds
This story was updated on Feb. 23, 2022 at 10:14 a.m. to clarify that analysis by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute addresses potential eligibility for SNAP programs. Uptake of SNAP programs in New Hampshire lags behind neighboring states, according to a new analysis estimating that only 30 percent of potentially-eligible Granite Staters are using […]
Nearly 42 percent of federal ARPA money has been allocated, analysis finds
New Hampshire has approved the expenditure of nearly $415 million out of the $995 million total it received in American Rescue Plan Act money, according to an analysis by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. As of late January, around 42 percent of the funds had been earmarked for different uses in the state to […]
Consumer advocate challenges decision on $5 million Clean Energy Fund
Years of inaction on a $5 million Clean Energy Fund culminated in a decision this month to enact only half of a consensus plan to spend the money, an outcome the consumer advocate is challenging. Funds have been available since 2018 but have not been deployed. Consumer Advocate Don Kreis called the decision unconscionable in […]