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Bill to allow minors to seek therapy without parental permission faces hurdles
A bill to allow teenagers 16 and older to access mental health services without parental permission is drawing debate in Concord, and could be killed by the Senate Thursday. House Bill 114 would change New Hampshire law to state that “a minor 16 years of age or older may voluntarily consent to mental health services,” […]
New Hampshire church leaders speak out against ‘parental bill of rights’
Days before the New Hampshire House takes up a contentious vote on a “parental bill of rights,” a group of church leaders are voicing opposition. In a letter Monday, 80 religious leaders, including pastors, priests, rabbis, and nuns, urged the House not to pass Senate Bill 272, the latest bill attempting to require public schools […]
Bill to boost political finance transparency heads to Sununu’s desk
A bill to increase oversight of political advocacy organizations in New Hampshire is headed to Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk. House Bill 195 would expand which organizations would count as political advocacy organizations, a designation that requires them to register with the Secretary of State’s Office and report receipts and expenditures. Currently, the label applies only […]
Sununu signs bill allowing telehealth opioid prescriptions
New Hampshire residents will be able to continue to be prescribed opioids via telehealth even with the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, after Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill Friday. House Bill 500 was fast-tracked through the Legislature in order to arrive at Sununu’s desk in time for the expiration of the […]
New Hampshire Senate votes down cannabis legalization, snuffing chances of passage this year
The Senate voted down a bill to legalize cannabis in New Hampshire Thursday, closing off legalization supporters’ hopes for success this year. In a 14-10 vote, the chamber voted to kill House Bill 639, which would have legalized cannabis for adults 21 and older and created an opportunity for the state to regulate and tax […]
Why the lack of housing in NH? New map of local zoning offers answers.
As a member of Manchester’s planning board, Molly Lunn Owen knows the city’s housing landscape better than most. But that hasn’t helped her find a house to buy. With two young children and two incomes, Lunn Owen and her husband are ideal buyers for a starter home to replace their current rental apartment. But for […]
Senate committee recommends killing cannabis legalization bill
This story was updated on May 9 at 5:03 p.m. to include a statement from Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson on the committee’s recommendation. A key Senate committee recommended killing a cannabis legalization bill Tuesday, dealing a setback to an effort that passed the House with bipartisan support. In a 3-2, party-line vote, Senate Judiciary […]
As ChatGPT enters classrooms, teachers see a threat – and a tool
The first time Maureen Psaradelis suspected that artificial intelligence had infiltrated her high school English classroom came after an assignment about “The Great Gatsby.” Psaradellis had assigned an essay to analyze the themes of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, the widely studied story rooted in 1920s socioeconomic conflict. But one of her students turned in […]
Sununu signs bill mandating cursive in schools
Cursive and multiplication tables will be required teaching in New Hampshire schools next school year, after Gov Chris Sununu signed a bill Wednesday. House Bill 170 requires that schools must teach cursive writing “by the end of the fifth grade” as part of English language arts instruction. The bill also requires that multiplication tables be […]
Bail reform debate has some proposing an end to bail commissioners
For Thomas Anderson, a phone call at 2 in the morning is an invitation, not a nuisance. On the other line is likely a police department and a person who has just been arrested and charged. And as a bail commissioner, Anderson is one of 100 people in the state who can determine, at this […]
Bill would require landlords to inform tenants of legal aid when issuing evictions
New Hampshire senators are considering a bill that would require landlords to give information on legal aid to tenants who are being evicted. House Bill 379, which passed the House on a voice vote earlier this month, would mandate that eviction notices given to tenants also include the contact information for New Hampshire Legal Assistance, […]
New Hampshire Senate considers expansion of education freedom accounts
For Wendy Santiago, moving her son out of the public school system didn’t feel like a luxury. It felt like a necessity. By his third year in the Concord school system, Santiago’s son had been the subject of regular bullying, she testified to lawmakers. “He would come home from school with ripped pants, and at […]