State House
Starting next month, kids under 14 can legally sell lemonade without a permit
There’s a new exemption for young entrepreneurs in New Hampshire: They can sell lemonade without a permit. The exemption applies to other soft drinks, too, as long as they are being sold on family property. House Bill 183 was signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu at the end of July and will go into […]
Some executive councilors say they’ll oppose contracts with advance payments
Some members of the Executive Council have told the state Department of Health and Human Services they will oppose all future contracts that include advance payments for startup costs. The department said that decision would jeopardize its ability to provide mental health care, support for kids, and other services. Prepayments have been included in 39 […]
What New Hampshire residents should know about the new eviction moratorium
After days of pressure from congressional Democrats, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a revised eviction moratorium Tuesday, reversing course from its previous decision not to do so. But the new emergency order does not apply to all tenants in New Hampshire. Instead, the moratorium protects certain tenants based on their income level […]
Feds order new eviction ban in counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates
WASHINGTON — Federal health officials on Tuesday announced a new, narrower moratorium on evictions through Oct. 3, which would protect struggling renters in areas of the U.S. that have been hit hardest by soaring COVID-19 infection rates. The targeted eviction ban comes days after a federal moratorium in place since September expired on Saturday. The […]
Bill changing the date of the state primary vetoed by Sununu
Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a proposal to hold the state primary earlier in the year. House Bill 98 would have moved the state primary from the second Tuesday in September to the first Tuesday in August, a change proponents said would level the playing field between incumbents and newcomers. The bill, whose prime sponsor was […]
For many in New Hampshire, earned income tax credit is a missed opportunity
The “earned income tax credit” is a big tax break that could use a better name. One in four eligible New Hampshire residents failed to claim it in 2018, giving up nearly $50 million, a problem many attribute to poor marketing by the IRS. There are fears those numbers will grow this year under expanded […]
New laws bolster animal protection in the state
Gov. Chris Sununu signed three animal protection bills into law on Wednesday during a ceremony at the Salem Animal Rescue League, a nonprofit no-kill shelter, with lawmakers and advocates in attendance. House Bill 174 requires a driver who hits a cat to report it to either the animal’s owner or to a police officer. Under […]
American Rescue Plan money setting town and city projects in motion
This story was updated July 29, 2021 at 3 p.m. with information about Claremont’s plans for its federal aid. Nearly 70 New Hampshire cities and towns have received the first half of the nearly $112 million coming to them as part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed in May. Sixty others have submitted requests […]
Bipartisan group of senators and Biden strike deal on $550B in new infrastructure spending
WASHINGTON – A bipartisan group of U.S. senators say they have worked through the sticking points on a major infrastructure package, paving the way for a vote to begin debate on that proposal as soon as Wednesday evening. That announcement came a week after Republicans blocked a test vote on the deal, with GOP senators […]
Latest UNH poll shows opposition to state’s new abortion ban is growing
Opposition to the state’s new 24-week abortion ban, which mandates ultrasounds and carries criminal penalties for doctors who violate it, grew by 10 percentage points in a month, according to the UNH Survey Center’s most recent Granite State Poll. The ban has gotten significantly more attention in the last four weeks, and new wording in […]
Sununu signs election-related bills into law
Gov. Chris Sununu signed a handful of Republican-sponsored election bills into law late last week. That includes House Bill 77, a measure requiring town and city clerks to provide daily notifications to the Secretary of State’s Office of any filings for elected office. Rep. Ralph Boehm, a Litchfield Republican, was the prime sponsor. House Bill […]
Senators urge bankruptcy court to reject Purdue Pharma plan
Six U.S. senators, including Maggie Hassan, are requesting that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York reject Purdue Pharma’s requests for executive and employee bonuses. Purdue’s requested $34.7 million in employee bonuses, including $5.4 million for its top executives, could amount to more than payouts for victims and families, the senators […]