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State seeks increase to benefits under homeowner assistance fund
State officials are hoping to expand payouts from a COVID-19-related homeowner assistance program, as the state continues to see lower-than-expected participation. In a request due before the Executive Council Wednesday, the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) is asking for approval to increase the maximum payments per household for the New Hampshire Homeowner […]
Safety measure or book banning tool? K-12 obscene materials bill sparks heated debate
It wasn’t a physical school library book that sent Betsy Harrington into a state of alarm about high school reading material. It was an app. Harrington’s son, a student at Hillsboro-Deering High School, had found a book on Sora, an app that gives students in participating schools access to thousands of e-books to borrow on […]
Sununu’s budget, by the numbers
Gov. Chris Sununu’s proposed budget includes a number of new spending items, from one-off payments toward affordable housing and planning for a new men’s prison to longer-term expenses such as an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates. Here’s a look at some of the numbers. Overall spending: Sununu’s budget would spend about $14.9 billion in total […]
Sununu’s budget suggests fears of harsh recession are easing
When Gov. Chris Sununu held budget hearings back in November, he gave his commissioners a warning: Prepare for an economic downturn. “There’s really no way to avoid some form of a national recession,” Sununu said at the time. “It is real. It is coming.” Three months later, the outlook of the governor – and many […]
Pay hikes, school funding, licensing reform highlight Sununu budget address
This story was updated Feb. 15, 2023 at 9:50 a.m. to correct the professions that are regulated by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. Gov. Chris Sununu has big plans for the state’s $330 million surplus and what he predicts will be ongoing strong tax revenue. He gave lawmakers a budget Tuesday that would […]
State joins lawsuit targeting federal ban on pistol braces
New Hampshire’s attorney general has joined 24 other states in a lawsuit against the federal government over a new rule limiting the use of pistol braces, the office announced Friday. In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in North Dakota, the states, led by West Virginia, are challenging a “final rule” implemented Jan. […]
New ‘provisional ballot’-type system to debut next week during Rochester special election
For the candidates in next week’s special House election in Rochester, the circumstances may feel familiar. Republican David Walker is facing off against Democrat Chuck Grassie in a rematch, after the election in November resulted in a dead tie. But this time around, the process will be slightly different. The Feb. 21 election marks the […]
Defying DNC, state Senate passes unanimous resolution supporting first-in-the-nation primary
In a unanimous vote Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate affirmed its support for the state’s first-in-the-nation primary, passing a resolution 23-0 that clashed with the recently passed demands of the Democratic National Committee. Passed by voice vote with all but one senator present, Senate Resolution 1 advocates for New Hampshire’s position at the front of […]
PUC report spurs concerns about future of state’s energy efficiency programs
In 2021, New Hampshire’s Public Utilities Commission sent the state’s energy utilities into turmoil: It approved a plan to slash funding for the “NHSaves” energy efficiency program down to 2017 levels, sparking an outcry and legal challenges from the utilities. After lawmakers and Gov. Chris Sununu joined in the criticism, the Legislature passed an emergency […]
Bill requiring single-sex school bathrooms divides parents, students
New Hampshire House lawmakers are considering a bill that requires all multiple-stall bathrooms in public schools to be restricted to one sex, continuing a years-long debate around rights for transgender students. Sponsored by Rep. Michael Moffett, a Loudon Republican, House Bill 104 states that “all multi-stall bathrooms and locker rooms in all New Hampshire public […]
DNC delivers blow to New Hampshire, Iowa with overhaul of primary calendar
This story was updated on Feb. 5 at 10:40 a.m. to correct the Michigan primary date. The Democratic National Committee approved a presidential primary calendar Saturday that placed South Carolina as the first nominating state in 2024, pushing back New Hampshire and Iowa from their traditional spots in a party-wide effort to diversify the early […]
New Hampshire House rejects bill enabling rent controls
The New Hampshire House overwhelmingly rejected an effort to allow towns and cities to impose controls on rent increases and notices Thursday, after a majority argued it would harm the housing market. In a 301-63 vote, lawmakers killed House Bill 95, which would have enabled towns and cities to pass bylaws regulating rent. “This would […]