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House Republicans continue pressing for bill to ban school mask mandates
As New Hampshire schools transition away from mask mandates, some lawmakers are looking to make the shift permanent. A Republican-backed bill this year would explicitly prohibit schools from requiring masks on school property “unless the facial covering is necessary for a specific extracurricular or instructional purpose, or is required by some other section of the […]
As school districts drop mask mandates, some say state’s order is not lawful
By mid-February, Dover School District officials were ready to revisit their mandatory mask policies. Case counts were down, hospitalizations had dropped, and the superintendent’s office said the risk would soon be low enough to drop the requirement. But they wanted to tie the move to a specific metric: case counts. As soon as the case […]
House committee votes against legislation on minimum lot sizes
The House Municipal and County Government Committee voted against a bill to limit town zoning ordinances related to minimum lot sizes, dealing a blow to a bill that supporters said would help introduce new housing to the state but that opponents said was overly restrictive. Voting 11-8, the Republican majority on the committee recommended that […]
Citing police concerns, lawmakers seek to pare back bail reform
This story was updated on Feb 24 at 5 p.m. to correct the window of time the ACLU used to analyze state arrest data. The data ranges from 2018 to 2020. Jency Diaz had been arrested and charged for domestic assault in the middle of the night – just past 1 a.m. He had been […]
Bill to expand anti-discrimination statute to private schools hits opposition
This story was updated on Feb. 22 at 4:36 p.m. to correct the day of the House Education Committee vote on HB 1607. Republicans voted against a bill to extend pieces of the state’s discrimination law to private schools Tuesday, contending that the expansion could target religious schools and muddle the existing process. In a […]
New rules bar schools from entering mandatory remote learning for COVID-19
New Hampshire schools are no longer able to enter mandatory remote learning as a result of COVID-19 infections, after lawmakers and State Board of Education members passed a rule paring back their emergency abilities Friday. In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules voted to pass the new rule. Members of […]
Despite attorney concerns, final rules for education freedom accounts approved
New Hampshire lawmakers and State Board of Education members approved final rules for the state’s “education freedom account” program Friday, overriding legal concerns from legislative attorneys and Democrats. Voting 6-3, the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules approved the final rules Friday morning. In an emergency meeting Friday afternoon, the State Board of Education approved […]
Advocates say $100 million could help grease wheels for more affordable housing
The details are still sparse, but affordable housing advocates say Gov. Chris Sununu’s newly announced $100 million affordable housing fund is cause for optimism. “We’re enthusiastic at the level of investment,” said Elissa Margolin, director of Housing Action New Hampshire, an advocacy group. “And, obviously, we recognize this huge opportunity: really once-in-a-generation federal investments coming […]
Energy efficiency, vaccines, and beyond: A roundup of House and Senate action
New Hampshire House lawmakers moved on Wednesday to approve the Senate’s version of a bill designed to save the state’s energy efficiency programs, NHSaves. Proponents of energy efficiency measures, such as weatherization and efficient appliances, have advocated for the program as the state’s one lever against rising electric and heat costs. Funding for the program […]
As state’s median home price surges toward $400,000, inventory remains scarce
When Brandy Blackinton prepares financing for interested homebuyers these days, the banking executive gives them cautionary advice: be patient. As retail lending manager at Claremont Savings Bank, Blackinton can do everything possible to prepare her clients for a sale. She can help them assess their goals and budget. She can walk them through the requirements […]
Education bills to watch on the House floor this week
The New Hampshire House is returning Wednesday for a two-day bill voting session. Since members last met in early January to take up holdover legislation, hundreds of bills have moved through committees. Here are some of the floor votes to watch for from House Education. The House is likely to vote down a pair Democratic-led […]
As school funding gaps persist, search for a solution continues
For many New Hampshire communities, town lines can still make a major financial difference. In Brookline, residents in a house worth $200,000 are required to pay $4,140 in annual local school property taxes, the highest rate in the state. One town over, in Mason, a home valued at the same $200,000 carries a tax bill […]