Each week, get a run-down of what is happening on the New Hampshire political front when Morning Edition host Rick Ganley interviews Senior Political Reporter, Josh Rogers.
The New Hampshire House makes its first key vote as the casino bill is voted on by a supercommittee comprised of the House Finance and Ways & Means Committees; various amendments will be considered on Tuesday, with a committee vote and recommendation coming Wednesday. The New Hampshire Senate, meanwhile, continues to work on its budget, and the Senate Finance Committee prepares to hear from some of the larger state agencies - Health & Human Services, Transportation, and Environmental Services - on their budget needs.
With April being a big month for state revenue, New Hampshire could end the biennium in the black; things are looking tougher for the casino proposal, as the legislature continues to work on the budget; Senator Ayotte held a handful of town halls meetings last week, getting questions and a bit of backlash on her gun control positions.
In the wake of the bombings in Boston, NH Senator Kelly Ayotte and other lawmakers are arguing for treating the remaining suspect as an enemy combatant, which would break new legal ground; the national gun bill fails to pass, with Senator Ayotte being the lone New England Senator to oppose the bill; the casino bill backed by Governor Hassan and the NH Senate is now being examined by the NH House Finance and Ways & Means committees; both branches of the NH Legislature continue to work on their budgets.
The House votes this week on their State budget bill; an as-yet-introduced amendment to the casino bill seeks to limit any future casino from competing with the Verizon Wireless Arena with a large audience entertainment venue; gambling looks to have staying power in the legislative budget process.
The House votes on the "Stand Your Ground" repeal, which would again require people to attempt to retreat before using deadly force, and a bill to increase the state's gas tax; gambling remains a heavily-debated issue, with differing proposals in the House and Senate, and one that could be affected by who replaces Michael Delaney as Attorney General.
Some key votes are coming up within a busy House docket: the tobacco tax increase, expected to pass, but at less than the Governor's proposed level; freezing the second phase of the Voter ID law, halting provisions set to take effect this fall that would eliminate some of the current acceptable forms of identification, namely college students' school IDs; a change of the "Stand Your Ground" law, reinstating the requirement that people make an effort to retreat before using deadly force.
The casino proposal faces its first major vote this week, is expected to pass in the Senate; the gas tax comes before the House Ways & Means Committee; medical marijuana legislation may have new life with Governor Hassan in the corner office; the House works on a revised budget.
Votes are expected in the House this week on whether the state will allow the building of one casino, as outlined in Governor Hassan's budget, and the proposed raise to the gas tax; The House Finance Committee gets to work on the budget.
The New Hampshire House votes this week on whether to raise the gas tax for the first time since 1991; considerations over this proposed tax and expanded gambling will affect implementation of the governor's budget.
Taking a look at how Governor Maggie Hassan handled her first weather-related test in the recent storm and what may be coming up in her budget proposal, being introduced on Thursday; Representative Annie Kuster's tax delinquency troubles.
The Local Government Center looks to replace its executive director; a look at bills that are coming down the pipe, including a bill to allow businesses to receive tax credits for donating private and home school scholarship funds, and a repeal of the Voter ID law.
The New Hampshire Republican Party voted this past Saturday and chose former Congressional candidate Jennifer Horn to be their latest chairperson; and a repeal of the "Stand Your Ground" law comes up before committee in the House of Representatives.
New Hampshire Republicans are set to choose their new leaders; Governor Hassan prepares her budget proposal, amidst debate over increased gambling; David Campbell's projection to raise infrastructure funds through an increase to the gas tax and vehicle registration fees; and the House looks at N.H.'s "Stand Your Ground" law.
The legislature starts hearing bills this week. On the agenda are Medicaid expansion, straight ticket voting, 911-related immunity; off the table is an education funding amendment
