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House moves toward using Medicaid data to enroll families in free and reduced-price lunch program
This story was updated on March 31, 2023 at 1:27 p.m. to correct the name of the representative who is quoted opposing the bill. The House Calendar, which first published the remarks, had misidentified the name of the representative. For families making up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level, New Hampshire public schools […]
House budget writers seek to cut Sununu’s housing fund, delay new prison, boost Medicaid rates
When Gov. Chris Sununu addressed lawmakers to deliver his budget address in February, he promised “a smart and targeted budget that sets us all up for an even brighter future.” But not all of the governor’s proposals have been embraced by House Republican budget writers. There’s a $40-million-a-year gap between Sununu’s revenue estimates and those […]
Parental bill of rights narrowly fails in NH House, but debate isn’t over yet
The New Hampshire House on Wednesday voted down an effort to require educators to tell inquiring parents whether their child had made any changes to their pronouns at school – or face jail time. But the chamber left open the possibility of revisiting the issue when a similar Senate bill crosses over to the House […]
As Republicans seek repeal of communications service tax, Democrats warn it’s too soon
This article was updated at on March 21 at 10:20 a.m. to clarify that the communications services tax revenue is equivalent to half the annual budget of the state’s community college system. Since 1990, New Hampshire has taxed telephone communications, collecting $30 million a year in revenues from service providers who pass the tax onto […]
Senate passes controversial parental rights bill, sending it to House
The New Hampshire Senate passed a parental rights bill on party lines Thursday, sending to the House legislation that would require schools to disclose changes to a student’s gender identity if a parent asks. Senate Bill 272, which passed the Republican-led Senate on party lines, would help inform parents of a number of existing rights […]
Public schools slow to embrace new law allowing ‘innovation plans’
As middle school students returned to the classroom after remote learning during COVID-19, Concord School District officials knew they needed a new learning approach. Kids were disoriented after remote and hybrid learning had disrupted their ability to socialize. So the district looked outside of its own walls for solutions. In May 2022, Concord received state […]
Trans youth feel unheard as Republicans debate parental rights in State House
Three years ago, when Flynn Ortiz came out as transgender, they followed a deliberate strategy. First, they told a friend. “I was like, ‘Do you mind calling me these pronouns? This name?’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, sure,’” Ortiz, now a high school senior, recalled Tuesday. After waiting to get used to the change, Ortiz […]
The 2023 parental rights bills, compared
Republicans in the Legislature are pursuing two bills focused on parental rights in schools this year – and putting significant political effort into passing them. But while both the House and the Senate have their own versions, the two bills have some major differences. Here’s what you need to know about where the two bills […]
Department of Education requests new power: subpoenas for teachers
When the New Hampshire Department of Education investigates a teacher for a potential code of conduct violation, they send a notice in the mail. Under a new proposed law, that teacher could also be served a subpoena. The New Hampshire Department of Education is pushing to be given the power to subpoena teachers or school […]
8 items in Sununu’s budget that didn’t make his address
Gov. Chris Sununu wants to do much more than give state employees a big pay raise, put millions into housing, build a new men’s prison, and double funding for “education freedom accounts” in the next two years. The so-called “budget trailer bill” released Wednesday evening runs more than 220 pages and gives a clearer picture […]
State launches ad campaign to encourage reading lessons
New Hampshire residents could soon see simple words on billboards across the state, from “cat” to “star” to “wow.” And their parents might see a bigger message attached: Reading is a joy. State officials kicked off a campaign Wednesday to encourage literacy learning among children, highlighting National Reading Month as the state grapples with a […]
In Spokane, Washington, officials test a housing strategy rejected by NH lawmakers
When a proposal for a statewide law allowing single-family homes to be subdivided hit the New Hampshire House floor last week, the outcry was swift. House Bill 44 would have allowed any single-family homeowner connected to municipal sewer and water lines to apply to split their home into a maximum of four distinct housing units. […]