Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD – Today, Senate President Donna Soucy and Senate Finance Chair Lou D’Allesandro released the following statements regarding the announcement that Bill Dwyer will resign as Treasurer. Dwyer joined the State Treasury in 2010 and was elected State Treasurer in December 2014. “We are all thankful for Bill Dwyer’s years of dedicated service to the economic health of New Hampshire and wish him success in his next venture,” said Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester). “It has been an honor to serve alongside the Treasurer,” added Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester). “As the Chair of the Senat

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood) called on Governor Sununu to enhance both transparency and accountability in light of the delayed hiring of child protection staffing for DCYF. “This is about the Legislature holding Governor Sununu accountable amidst his ongoing failure to prioritize child protection,” said Senator Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood). ###

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Yesterday, Senator Martha Hennessey (D-Hanover) introduced SB 679-FN to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill mandates higher education institutions to adopt comprehensive policies and procedures in relation to sexual assault including educational information, awareness programming, a campus safety officer, confidential resources, and more. All programs and positions enacted by the institution would be aimed at combating sexual assault and violence on campus. After the hearing, prime sponsor Martha Hennessey (D-Hanover) issued the following statement: “Every student has the right to feel s

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) introduced SB 508 to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill, if enacted, would end the statute of limitations for civil action based on a sexual assault and allow an action at any time. Current state statute dictates when the victim of assault was under the age of 18 at the time of their assault, action must be taken within twelve years of the person’s eighteenth birthday or three years after the time of discovery. After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) issued the following statement: “The damage done by

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Melanie Levesque (D-Brookline) introduced SB 631-FN to the Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee. If enacted, the bill would authorize online voter registration through an online portal created and managed by the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Melanie Levesque (D-Brookline) issued the following statement: “New Hampshire takes pride in our dedication to the democratic process. Granite Staters have turned out in record numbers for our midterm and primary elections because this is a state that deeply values every in

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) introduced SB 486-FN, the Reproductive Health Parity Act of 2020, to the Senate Commerce Committee. The bill expands on insurance plan requirements to cover maternity benefits and fertility care by adding coverage for abortion services. The requirement will apply to state-regulated commercial insurance plans and those on the marketplace. After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) issued the following statement: “Everyone deserves reproductive health care coverage that meets their needs, including abortion, without barriers. Ne

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Shannon Chandley (D-Amherst) introduced SB 623-FN to the Senate Commerce Committee. SB 623-FN requires insurance coverage for perfluoroalkyls (PFAS) and perfluorinated compound (PFC) blood testing. This legislation follows the passage of two bills this year that also seek to address New Hampshire’s drinking water and waste water crisis, SB 287-FN and SB 486. After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Shannon Chandley (D-Amherst) issued the following statement: “We are taking significant action toward cleaning up New Hampshire’s drinking water and ensuring public safety. We must n

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator David Watters (D-Dover) presented SB 610 to the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill establishes a committee to evaluate the transportation climate initiative framework in reaction to the growing necessity of reducing New Hampshire’s carbon emissions. After the hearing, Transportation Chair and prime sponsor David Watters (D-Dover) issued the following statement: “Transportation emissions are responsible for around 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the mid-Atlantic and northeast. If we are serious about combating climate change, we must move forward with efforts to reduce

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) introduced legislation to the Senate Finance Committee that would allow the Department of Education (DOE) to circumvent the legislative process and accept a federal charter school grant that has twice been rejected by the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee due to concerns over sustainability. Last week, the grant was tabled by the committee. After the hearing, Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes (D-Concord) issued the following statement: “In two budgets, Governor Sununu refused to propose full funding for full-day kindergarten, refused to propose educa

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood) introduced SB 726-FN to the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee. The bill, referred to as the Veterans Bill of Rights, creates programs designed to aid veterans' access to employment, entrepreneurship, housing, health care, and college degrees. After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood) issued the following statement: “New Hampshire has a strong tradition of respect for military service and more than 100,000 veterans call the Granite State home. As a Legislature, we must act to support the growing community of act

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) introduced SB 493-FN-A to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The bill increases the register of deeds recording fee from $25 to $35 and comes in response to the increased funding needs of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP). The language of SB 493-FN-A mirrors that of SB 74 which was vetoed by Governor Sununu in 2019. After the hearing, prime sponsor Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) issued the following statement: “It has been clear this session that preserving New Hampshire’s historical and nat

Contact Name: Sara Persechino, Michael O’Brien Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us, Mike.B.Obrien@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Joint Legislative Finance Committee tabled a federal grant intended to fund the expansion of charter schools. After the vote, Committee Chair Representative Mary Jane Wallner (D-Concord) and committee member Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester) issued the following statement: “Commissioner Edelblut may have made cosmetic changes but this is still the same proposal Fiscal has twice rejected due to concerns over the sustainability of the funding which have been exacerbated by President Trump’s move to slash this program in his budge

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today the Senate rejected SB 617, prime sponsored by Senator Starr, which aimed to expand funding for the land and community heritage investment program (LCHIP), however, its reliance on a voluntary surcharge would not have produced consistent, reliable funding for the program. After the vote, Senator Martha Fuller Clark (D-Portsmouth) issued the following statement: “Preserving New Hampshire’s historical and natural beauty is of critical importance to all of us. The Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) has provided assistance to communities and non-profit organizations thro

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Senate voted in favor of Senator David Watters’ (D-Dover) bill, SB 668-FN, to establish an offshore wind commission and an office of offshore wind industry development in the department of business and economic affairs. After the vote, prime sponsor Senator David Watters (D-Dover) issued the following statement: “As we continue to push New Hampshire forward towards renewable energy sources it is critical that we gather stakeholders together to prepare the laws we would need to pass and ensure that the needs of the ratepayers are met. New Hampshire is uniquely positioned when it com

Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Senate voted in favor of two bills addressing statewide concern over PFAS contamination in public drinking water. The first, SB 287 sponsored by Senator Tom Sherman (D-Rye), sets state PFAS maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) at the same levels recommended by the Department of Environmental Services in 2019. The second, SB 496 sponsored by Senator David Watters (D-Dover) sets up a fund for municipalities to help finance remediation projects in response to PFAS contamination in both drinking water and wastewater treatment. After the vote, Senator Tom Sherman (D-Rye) and Senator David

February 13, 2020 Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Senate voted 14-10 in favor of SB 514, Senator Jeanne Dietsch’s (D-Peterborough) bill to establish a process for the approval of vendors offering alternative educational programs which may be accepted for school credit. After the vote, prime sponsor Senator Jeanne Dietsch (D-Peterborough) issued the following statement: “This bill provides students who want an alternative path to a career with more options, while retaining care for quality by local educators. It eases the path to alternative choices by providing a state-suggested list of providers, but clarifies t

Contact Name: Sara Persechino, Michael O’Brien Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us, Mike.B.Obrien@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Governor Sununu delivered his State of the State Address. After the address, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) and Speaker of the House Steve Shurtleff (D-Penacook) issued this statements. “While we can find areas of agreement with the Governor’s remarks today, his failure to mention the current state employee contract was a glaring omission. For nearly eight months, our dedicated state employees have worked without a contract – and Governor Sununu has failed to bring the fact finder’s report before the Executive Council for a v

February 13, 2020 Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Senate voted in favor of SB 421-FN which provides postsecondary educational assistance to members of the New Hampshire National Guard. SB 421, introduced by Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester), clarifies previous legislation by removing the provision that enrollment of guard members under the waiver is subject to space availability. The bill was amended on the floor to further expand tuition waivers to students who are under the care of DCYF. After the vote, prime sponsor Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D-Manchester) issued the following statement: “When a person jo

February 13, 2020 Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, the Senate passed SB 634 on consent, which establishes a peer support program in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Prime sponsor Senator Jon Morgan (D-Brentwood) first presented this bill to the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee at the request of DHHS in response to the growing need for state employees dealing with trauma on a regular basis, particularly caseworkers for the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), to have a space to debrief in a safe and confidential setting. After the vote, prime sponsor Senator Jon

February 12, 2020 Contact Name: Sara Persechino Phone: (603) 271-3479 Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us CONCORD - Today, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) introduced SB 744 which would establish the New Hampshire drug overdose fatality review commission. By reviving a commission established by an Executive Order issued by then Governor Maggie Hassan, this bill will assist in the continued fight against the opioid epidemic that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of New Hampshire residents. The commission will review information and data related to drug overdose fatalities in New Hampshire in order to inform comprehensive policy development to fight overdose fatalities. Af