NH Politics

It’s a pregnant moment for state education policy. Republicans control Concord, and Gov. Chris Sununu ran on a promise to change how education is delivered here. Key aspects of that debate – full-day kindergarten, broad school choice, and the power of the state education commissioner were all debated Tuesday by lawmakers. But the message was mixed, and decidedly less conservative than last year's election results would suggest.

  New Hampshire's law granting certain immunity to people who report drug overdoses is poised to stay in place for the indefinite future.

A law signed last session would've repealed the immunity law, sometimes known as a "Good Samaritan" law, in 2018. But lawmakers are moving to repeal the repeal, meaning the law will stay on the books.

Senators say the legislation is saving lives as New Hampshire continues to deal with an opioid crisis. Nearly 500 people died from drug overdoses in 2016, a record high for the state.

Money that Congress approved last year to help states combat the opioid epidemic is headed to New Hampshire.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says $485 million in grants will soon be administered to states. The money is part of the 21st Century Cures Act that was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen held several public events in the state Thursday. She started the day in Durham and ended it at a town hall in Nashua where residents’ concerns focused on uncertainty in Washington.

Fantasy sports companies estimate more than 200,000 people in New Hampshire are participating in their games. Now, lawmakers want to get in on the cash.

A bill before the Senate on Thursday would make New Hampshire the latest state to legalize, regulate and tax fantasy sports run by companies such as DraftKings and FanDuel. Companies running fantasy games for the general public would have to register with the state, pay an annual fee of up to $5,000 and face a 5 percent tax.

  A group of House Republicans plans to start a political action committee to push back against New Hampshire House Speaker Shawn Jasper in the next election, the latest chapter in a growing GOP feud.

The New Hampshire House Freedom Caucus, which models its name after a group of conservative Republicans in Congress, announced the PAC's creation Wednesday. Members say they'll use the money to support candidates who believe in "limited government and personal liberty."

The Division of Children, Youth, and Families has been under intense scrutiny in recent years, after two toddlers who had been involved with the agency were killed by their mothers in a span of just ten months.

The fallout has included legal battles, the director's ouster, and an independent investigation that revealed an agency beset by high turnover, an overworked staff, limited funding, and restrictive policies.

Tuesday saw Gov. Chris Sununu’s maiden visit to testify before a legislative committee, on a bill to expand full-day kindergarten to more school districts. And from the start, Sununu made it clear he sees the policy as one that could define his time as governor.

Gordon MacDonald is officially New Hampshire’s new Attorney General. He was sworn in Thursday by Gov. Chris Sununu at the State House in Concord.

Peter Kujawski, Governor Sununu's pick to be the state’s top environmental regulator, faced questions about his background during his confirmation hearing Wednesday.  

When it comes to Senate Bill 7, which lowers the income threshold for food-stamp  eligibility, among other changes, Democratic state senator Dan Feltes has some choice words:  "One of the worst bills I've ever seen."  And, also, "horrible." 

Feltes joined The Exchange this week, along with Republican state senator Jeb Bradley, co-sponsor of SB7, who  sees things vastly differently.

How many retirees represent Merrimack County in the Legislature? What percentage of state reps are under the age of 35? And how does the State House's male/female ratio vary by political party?

The makeup of the New Hampshire House of Representatives has a major impact on daily life in the state. After all, these are the people who make the laws that govern us.

The New Hampshire Senate began its work on the state’s next two-year budget Monday.

Senate budget writers are using Governor Chris Sununu's proposal as a starting point, after the House failed to pass a budget plan of its own last week.

After the New Hampshire House failed to pass a budget proposal of its own last week, the state Senate begins its budget-writing work Monday.

Dates have been set for the special election to fill a recently vacated state Senate seat.

The Executive Council Wednesday voted to set the primary date for June 6th and the general election for July 25th for the District 16 special election.

The seat became available after Senator Scott McGilvray died last month. 

So far Republican David Boutin, who previously held the seat for four terms, and former State Representative Joe LaChance, a libertarian, have said they're running.