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‘It’s like a time of war’: Public meetings throughout the state marked by anger and harassment
This story was updated Oct. 7, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. to add two events attended by members of extremist groups. Yes, hate groups and right-wing extremists have made appearances in the increasingly angry fight in New Hampshire against vaccine mandates, mask policies, pandemic shutdowns, lessons on racism, unproven voter fraud, and even pronoun use. But […]
State officials hosting online forum to discuss secure psychiatric facility proposal
With nearly $40 million in place to build a new secure psychiatric facility near the state hospital, state officials are hosting an online forum Thursday evening to discuss their proposal and take questions and comments from the public. Currently, the state’s only secure psychiatric facility is within the state prison, where patients include jail and […]
Biden administration ends Title X ‘gag rule’ that affected state’s family planning centers
The Biden administration on Monday cleared the way for low-cost reproductive health care providers recently defunded by the Executive Council to reclaim federal funding they lost under a Trump administration “gag rule.” Most of the state’s low-cost reproductive health care providers left the Title X program after a rule change prohibited them from referring patients […]
Sununu says fiscal committee chairman should be removed over COVID vaccine misinformation
Gov. Chris Sununu said Monday he supports removing Rep. Ken Weyler as chairman of the powerful Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee following Weyler’s continued dissemination of unproven and outlandish claims about the COVID-19 vaccine, including octopus-like creatures living in the vaccine and vaccinated parents having babies with “pitch black” eyes and premature aging. Meanwhile, House Speaker […]
Report recommends replacing 144-bed Sununu Youth Services Center with 18-bed ‘home’
This story was updated Oct. 4, 2021 at 9 a.m. with a link to the report. The state Department of Health and Human Services is asking lawmakers to replace the 144-bed Sununu Youth Services Center for detained children with an 18-bed “home” that emphasizes therapeutic relationships, individualized learning, and a science-based, trauma-informed approach. “In creating […]
In wake of canceled meeting, Institute of Politics says it will no longer host public hearings
This story was updated Sept. 30, 2021, at 6 p.m. with information that Gov. Chris Sununu had canceled an event, citing concerns for ticket holders. A day after Gov. Chris Sununu downplayed a raucous protest that shut down an Executive Council meeting Wednesday, Attorney General John Formella announced he’s investigating whether any protesters broke the […]
Executive Council meeting canceled over safety concerns
This story was updated Sept. 29, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. with a comment from House Speaker Sherman Packard. It was updated again at 5:30 p.m. with follow-up comments from Gov. Chris Sununu and a group that organized a protest outside the Executive Council meeting. Citing concerns about the safety of state employees in the room, the […]
Committee signs off on amended bill that would eliminate ultrasound requirement for all abortions
With the support of a Republican lawmaker, the House Judiciary Committee narrowly passed, 11-10, an amended bill Tuesday that would eliminate the state’s new ultrasound requirement for all abortions. The amendment followed a confusing debate over competing language and landed in an unlikely place, House Bill 622, which sought to ban virtually all abortions except […]
Executive Council to vote on $5 million in federal money for agencies that assist crime victims
Advocates say the $5 million in federal funding for crime victims up for approval at the Executive Council Wednesday could not come at a better time. They were anticipating a drop in their usual grant funding just as reports of violence and abuse against adults and children have surged. “Core services will remain in place […]
Judge rules against plaintiffs in lawsuit over early end to enhanced federal unemployment benefits
A state superior court judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed against the state challenging Gov. Chris Sununu’s early end to federal pandemic unemployment assistance. In her ruling, Judge Jacalyn Colburn refuted the plaintiffs’ arguments that the state had no authority to end a federal program prematurely. The lawsuit, brought by four people who received federal […]
For some nursing students, vaccine mandate is a deal breaker
As the state prepares to hire a recruiting firm to bring desperately needed health care workers to New Hampshire, some nursing students with safety concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine are leaving their nursing programs over vaccine mandates. A new state law prohibits most of their colleges from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine, but their clinical sites […]
Lawmakers urged to extend changes to child tax credit
Carrie Duran, a single mother of three and a full-time student, has a reminder for federal lawmakers opposed to extending changes to the child tax credit that have been credited with decreasing child poverty by 40 percent. The additional financial support is keeping her ahead of her bills, including tuition. “As a working mom, as […]