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Republicans voice support for expanding ‘education freedom account’ program
Nearly two years after creating the “education freedom account” program, a growing number of New Hampshire Republicans are looking toward expanding who can access it. During an Oct. 25 Bulletin/NHPR debate, Gov. Chris Sununu said he would support raising income caps on the program. In a Tuesday WMUR debate, he repeated that position. And one […]
Additional $2.5 million in rental relief money not enough to save state program, officials say
New Hampshire will receive an additional $2.5 million in rental assistance funding from the U.S. Treasury, the department announced last week. But state officials say the extra money is not enough to stop the end of the state’s aid program next month. In an announcement Friday, the Treasury Department revealed that New Hampshire would receive […]
In Senate debate, both Hassan and Bolduc put spotlight on Hassan’s record
Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan faced off against her Republican opponent, Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc, in a debate co-hosted by New Hampshire Public Radio and the Bulletin on Thursday. And between the candidates, one focus reigned above all: Hassan’s record in her first six-year term in office. Hassan sought to highlight that record, pointing to […]
End of federal rental relief funding sparks pleas for backup plan
A year-and-a-half-long rental relief program is likely coming to an end soon, state officials announced last week, after the U.S. Treasury left New Hampshire out of the latest round of funding. Now, housing advocates are urging the state to develop and present a backup plan – before the federal funding runs out on Dec. 29. […]
Pappas talks inflation, abortion, border policies amid tight race against Leavitt
With U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas in a tight race to keep his 1st Congressional District seat, the Democrat has been increasingly comfortable voicing disagreement with President Joe Biden. But his conservative opponent, Karoline Leavitt, has built her campaign around tying Pappas to the Biden administration to draw a sharp ideological contrast. Those dynamics came through […]
Republican lawmakers explore expanding role of school boards
As New Hampshire lawmakers look ahead to a new slate of education laws next year, some are pushing to give school boards a more central role. Representatives on the House Education Committee grappled with a bill this month that would require school boards to approve textbooks and classroom content, draft policies allowing parental review of […]
Poll: Granite Staters support raising teacher pay; majority oppose ‘divisive concepts’ law
A majority of Granite Staters appear supportive of their local teachers and opposed to a recent law restricting them from certain teaching topics, a new poll from the University of New Hampshire suggests. The poll, released Thursday, found that 51 percent of respondents thought the quality of their local public school teachers was “good” or […]
Democrats continuing Legislature remote access case despite U.S. Supreme Court denial
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear an appeal in a lawsuit by New Hampshire House Democrats seeking remote participation in the state Legislature, dealing the effort a major setback. But Democrats say they’re not finished litigating. In March, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled against the Democrats’ effort; the […]
School districts struggle to balance transgender protections, parental notification
For seven years, the New Hampshire School Boards Association had a model policy for how schools should treat transgender students and uphold their rights. And for years, many school boards in the state adopted the policy. In February, that came to an end. As conservative criticism of LGBTQ+ school policies grew and the political rhetoric […]
State seeks $6.4 million in COVID-relief money to build up court access services
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch is seeking to use $6.4 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to help boost remote access to the court, fund court navigators, and increase civil legal resources. In a request to the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee, the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery says the money would help with […]
State misses deadline for program to expand school lunch aid
Last month, a bipartisan majority of state senators sent Gov. Chris Sununu a letter with a last-minute request. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was continuing a program to allow states to automatically sign up eligible public school students for the free and reduced-price lunch program using their families’ Medicaid enrollment information. Twenty-seven states were already […]
Taxpayers ask court to block statewide education property tax
A group of New Hampshire taxpayers have chosen a new target in their quest to sue the state over its school funding system: the statewide education property tax. In a filing in Grafton Superior Court Wednesday, the taxpayers are asking the court to grant an injunction against the tax to stop it from being implemented […]