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‘Missing middle’ housing bill tabled by House
This story was updated on March 22 at 5:35 a.m. to correct Rep. Max Abramson’s party affiliation. The New Hampshire House tabled a bill to override local zoning ordinances barring multi-family housing lots last week, dooming legislation advocates said could help address the housing crisis. In a 167-157 vote during Thursday’s House session, the chamber […]
To address housing shortage, bill targets sweet spot between homes and complexes
It’s one of the most common questions for clients approaching Lyme Properties, a real estate development company in West Lebanon. Can I subdivide my home into apartments? The desire is understandable: New Hampshire’s Upper Valley is mired in a housing shortage crisis. Employers like Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the medical device manufacturer Simbex are struggling […]
Outlook for ‘teacher loyalty’ bill dims as House Education Committee recommends it be killed
A bill to prohibit New Hampshire teachers from advocating for theories “promoting a negative account or representation of the founding and history of the United States of America” appears unlikely to advance this year after the House Education Committee recommended it be killed Tuesday. House Bill 1255 would amend an area in New Hampshire statute […]
Progressive candidates prevail in school board elections despite passionate campaigns on right
In Bedford, teacher Andrea Campbell unseated a conservative school board member, as town officials recorded a 36 percent increase in turnout. In Exeter, five left-leaning candidates held off challenges from opponents on the right, many by slim margins. And in Londonderry, voters opted against a warrant article that would have stripped away the authority of […]
After cookie-themed mock session, lawmakers get set for real return to House chamber
Two years after the New Hampshire House left Representatives Hall, Rep. Carol McGuire returned to the chamber’s podium to talk about Oreos. “As you know, the classic dunk is milk,” said the Epsom Republican last week, speaking from the traditional “well” to an assembly of lawmakers below. “But that tends to be discriminatory to our […]
Lawmakers move closer to merger of Granite State College and UNH
Senate lawmakers appear poised to move ahead with a plan to merge Granite State College in Concord with the University of New Hampshire, a move officials say is necessary to deal with enrollment challenges across the state. During a hearing Tuesday on the bill to authorize the merger, House Bill 1218, state university representatives said […]
Renny Cushing, longtime lawmaker and activist, dies at 69
Rep. Renny Cushing, the former House Democratic leader and a decades-long champion for criminal justice reform, died of cancer Monday, the House Democratic caucus announced Monday. Cushing had been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in August 2020. He was 69. “He was a citizen of New Hampshire, but also a citizen of the world, […]
New Hampshire labor market recovery lagging behind country, says Moody’s
New Hampshire’s labor market has recovered some of the ground lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it remains below its pre-pandemic highs, economists testified to lawmakers on Friday. And the state is lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to the percentage of residents participating in the workforce, according to an analysis […]
Republican bill would penalize school officials who deny local officials access
House Republicans are pressing for a bill that would bar school districts from denying elected school officials access to facilities or documents, and make it a misdemeanor offense for school officials who violate the law. House Bill 1072 would prohibit elected members of school boards, budget committees, “or any other elected school district position” from […]
House Democrats seek to expedite lawsuit to force remote participation
As the House Speaker’s Office begins preparing for the chamber to return to Representatives Hall this month, House Democrats have sought to speed up a decision in their federal lawsuit to require remote participation. In a pleading to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston Monday, House Democrats argued Republican Speaker Sherman Packard’s announcement […]
House Republicans move to allow budget caps for school districts
New Hampshire towns could vote to impose budget caps on their school districts under a bill heading to the House floor this month. House Bill 1393 would allow towns to vote to introduce a budget cap that would apply a base rate per attending student and allow that rate to rise with inflation. That rate […]
Planned return to Representatives Hall unleashes a mix of emotions in State House
This story was updated on March 1 at 10:22 a.m. to correct the partisan makeup of the vote on House Bill 1609. In March 2020, members of the New Hampshire House met for a 19-hour, deadline-driven session in Representatives Hall that didn’t end until 4 a.m. “Let’s never do that again, okay?” wrote one representative, […]