Briefs
What’s keeping some at state hospital? No transitional housing
A lack of transitional housing is among the top reasons people remain in New Hampshire Hospital longer than needed, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. An unexpected delay in adding 22 more spots means that’s not changing soon. It also means that adults in a psychiatric crisis will continue to wait […]
Agreement reached on law to release ‘Laurie List’ on police misconduct
This story was updated April 17, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. Police unions, New Hampshire newspapers, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office say they have reached an agreement on a way to release the state’s “Laurie List” – a list compiled over decades of police officers with credible complaints of […]
Sununu says state mask mandate will not be renewed
New Hampshire’s mask mandate will become a mask recommendation – “when appropriate” – on Saturday. Gov. Chris Sununu announced Thursday at his weekly COVID-19 update that the state will not renew the mask mandate when it expires Friday. Businesses, cities, towns, and schools can continue requiring masks. He also announced that on May 7, he […]
State’s mayors seek restoration of revenue sharing
New Hampshire’s 13 mayors are turning to the Senate for an ambitious ask: a boost in municipal aid in the budget. In a letter sent Wednesday to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Gary Daniels, mayors from Claremont to Rochester urged Senate budget writers to restore revenue sharing to cities and towns – a once-standard budgeting approach […]
Efforts waylaid to make Indigenous People’s Day an official state holiday
When a proposal about Indigenous People’s Day in New Hampshire came out of a House committee, Paul Pouliot of Alton was surprised by what he saw – and not in a good way. It had changed so much that Pouliot was glad when the proposal was ultimately tabled. Pouliot is the council chief and speaker […]
Seventy-three bills killed after House crashes against mid-session deadline
Seventy-three bills failed to get a vote in the New Hampshire House after lawmakers missed a key deadline Friday, angering Democrats who accused House Speaker Sherman Packard of setting up the schedule to fail. In one fell swoop, as the House session came to a close Friday, bills ranging from voting to criminal justice died […]
Merrimack Republican Boyd wins House seat
Republican Bill Boyd captured one of the New Hampshire House’s 400 seats Tuesday evening, beating back a high-intensity Democratic challenge to succeed the late Republican Speaker Dick Hinch. In a 2,531 to 2,144 vote, Boyd prevailed against Democrat Wendy Thomas to win one of eight House seats in Merrimack. The town held a special election […]
State pauses use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
(This story has been updated to include additional comments from Gov. Chris Sununu.) The state is pausing use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone who has received it and experienced serious side effects within three weeks is urged to contact their health care provider. Gov. Chris Sununu’s announcement follows guidance from the […]
Bill moves state primary from September to June
New Hampshire’s state primary is currently one of the latest in the country. It is one of only four states that hold primaries after August. Last week, the House passed House Bill 98, which would move the primary up from the second Tuesday in September to the fourth Tuesday in June. Some political analysts say […]
Bill seeks to address shortage of meat-processing facilities
The New Hampshire Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources unanimously passed a bill that would create a study on the shortage of animal slaughter and meat-processing facilities in the state. The study would also look at implementing a meat-inspection program. There are only four USDA facilities in New Hampshire, and no poultry facilities, according […]