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Abortion ban, vouchers, ‘divisive concepts’ dominate debate as Senate passes budget
The New Hampshire Senate voted to pass a $13.5 billion budget on party lines Thursday, handing the document back to the House after an exhaustive session stretching from morning into evening. But it wasn’t the state spending items that took up the hours of debate on the floor. A last-minute inclusion of a ban on […]
Sununu says he wouldn’t veto budget over abortion restriction
Gov. Chris Sununu signaled support Thursday for a proposal to criminalize abortions in New Hampshire after 24 weeks of pregnancy, a major announcement that could smooth passage of the Republican state budget this month. In an interview with talk radio host Chris Ryan Thursday, Sununu said he had no objections to the inclusion of the […]
Diversity council formed by Sununu drafting letter in opposition to ‘divisive concepts’ language
A week after the New Hampshire Senate Republicans unveiled the latest version of the “divisive concepts” bill, some prominent state officials are speaking out against it – including Gov. Chris Sununu’s Department of Safety commissioner. During a last-minute meeting Tuesday, the Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion agreed to send a letter to Sununu’s […]
Critics unpersuaded by Senate changes to ‘divisive concepts’ bill
When Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley introduced the latest version of the “divisive concepts” bill last week, he made sure to stress what it didn’t include. The newest version of the controversial anti-critical-race-theory bill does not stop teachers from teaching about racism in American history, Bradley said. It does not prohibit public employers from hosting […]
Liquor Commission poised to become direct shipper of alcohol
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is close to gaining approval to become a direct shipper of alcohol, with the House set to pass legislation that would send the long-held priority to Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk. Senate Bill 14 would permit the commission to register with the New Hampshire Secretary of State as a direct shipper […]
Senate Finance Committee signs off on state budget bills
A broadly altered version of New Hampshire’s two state budget bills cleared a key Senate committee Friday, setting the stage for a partisan floor fight when the whole chamber votes on June 3. In a 5-2, party-line vote, members of the Senate Finance Committee voted to recommend passage of a budget that would transform multiple […]
Senate committee adds amended ‘divisive concepts’ language to state budget
A key Senate committee moved forward an amended version of the “divisive concepts” bill, adding it to the New Hampshire budget and setting up another test for Gov. Chris Sununu. In a 4-2, party-line vote, Republicans on the Finance Committee voted to insert an amended version of the legislation into the budget trailer bill, adding […]
School voucher program added to budget
A controversial proposal to allow New Hampshire parents to use public funds for private school tuition will move ahead next month, after the Senate Finance Committee added the program to the state budget. Voting along party lines Wednesday, the committee attached the proposal, known as the “education freedom account” program, to House Bill 2, the […]
‘Families deserve a remedy’: Bill would allow lawsuits against school districts in bullying cases
The bullying started on the school bus in kindergarten. It continued for years, repeating nearly daily. Shannon Bouchard knew her daughter, who has a speech disorder, was being occasionally teased on the bus by a bully. But she also thought the school had a handle on it. “I thought it would stop,” Bouchard, who lives […]
Bill barring release of mug shots approved by Judiciary Committee
Senators on the Judiciary Committee approved a measure Tuesday that would bar police from releasing most mug shots after arrests, in a 3-2 committee vote that defied party lines. House Bill 125 would still allow police departments to take post-arrest photographs of accused perpetrators. But the bill would prohibit the release of the mug shots […]
Republicans on Senate Finance vote against aid for homeless shelters
Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee voted down a $20 million proposal to aid homeless shelters Monday, stopping an effort that Democrats and the state’s Department of Health and Human Services said was necessary to meet a growing need. In a 3-4 vote, the committee declined to pass the measure, presented as an amendment to […]
House lawmakers retain bill on calculation of school adequacy funding
A House committee on Thursday pushed aside an effort to give additional funding to New Hampshire schools after COVID-19, continuing a growing rift between House and Senate lawmakers over how best to help public schools. In a party-line vote, the House Education Committee voted to retain Senate Bill 135, which would have required the Department […]