M A R C H 5 , 2 0 2 1 : I S S U E # 8 LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP

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S E N A T E C O N T I N U E S R E M O T E W e e k i n R e v i e w A C T I V I T Y N e x t W e e k ' s H e a r i n g s This week Senate Committees continued to I n t h e N e w s meet remotely via Zoom. Thursday the Senate met in Session via Zoom. The Senate will be meeting in session again next week on Thursday at 10AM.

To sign in to speak, register your position, and/or submit testimony, please visit: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee /senate.aspx Week in Review This week we were joined by Senator Becky Whitley to discuss child care scholarships, HHS committee hearings, session, and the Sununu Youth Services Center

Senator Rosenwald’s Restaurant Relief Act of 2021 Unanimously Passes Senate Ways and Means Committee March 1st “The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating economic impacts on our restaurant and lodging industries. As amended, the Restaurant Relief Act of 2021 puts money directly back in the pockets of our restaurants and lodging industries, providing much needed financial relief and saving thousands of jobs across the state. I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support and look forward to bringing this important legislation before the full Senate.” - Prime Sponsor Senator (D-Nashua) Senate Republicans Support Irresponsible Tax Breaks for Out of State Corporations March 1st Republican members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to pass SB 13 in a vote of 3-2. Section I of SB 13 makes an irresponsible change to the business profits tax and business enterprise tax that will cost $79 million in the next budget. “Section I of SB 13 is a fiscally irresponsible measure that will not provide relief to New Hampshire’s businesses. Now is not the time to offer tax breaks to out of state corporations that will cost the state $79 million during a time of economic instability with no real proposal for making up the loss.” - Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) and Senator Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester)

Senator Perkins Kwoka Advocates for Fair and Transparent Redistricting March 1st “This year, more than ever, we must each do everything we can to protect our democracy and ensure that no voter has reason to doubt the integrity of our process. Far too often there’s at least a perception that legislative district maps are drawn behind closed doors. Passage of this bill would help ensure a fair, open, and honest redistricting process. The majority of Granite Staters support independent redistricting, as illustrated by the resolutions that have been passed in communities across the state; including two communities in Senate District 21. The message from the voters of New Hampshire is clear: we must prioritize independence and fairness in our redistricting process.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D- Portsmouth) Senate Ways and Means Unanimously Passes SB 101, Relieves Tax Burden for Small Businesses March 1st “New Hampshire’s economy is driven by small business owners and self employed entrepreneurs. SB 101 is a common sense measure that will relieve thousands of our small businesses of an unnecessary financial and administrative burden. I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support of this important measure.” - Prime Sponsor Senator (D-Manchester) Week in Review Senate Energy Adopts The Inclusive Outdoors Act Despite Pushback March 2nd The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee voted to pass SB 114-FN, known as The Inclusive Outdoors Act in a vote of 3-2 with Senator (R-Warren) and Senator (R-Nashua) voting against the bill.

“Today’s vote to pass SB 114 was a vote to make New Hampshire a safer, more inclusive place to live and recreate for all Granite Staters. This bill seeks only to ensure that our beautiful public lands can be equally enjoyed by all, without fear of discrimination, harm, or threats of violence. This legislation was reached through a very collaborative process, has been fully vetted, and is entirely consistent with the LEACT Commission’s findings and recommendations. I am grateful for the support of my colleagues Senators Gray, Perkins Kwoka, and Watters, but deeply disappointed by the comments made by Senator Avard and Senator Giuda that reflected a lack of understanding of the experiences of the Granite Staters who testified about the discrimination they have experienced. I would like to thank Senator Gray in particular for his comments in support of promoting inclusivity and acceptance for all in our state, and I am glad this legislation will move forward.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton)

Senate Commerce Adopts SB 107, Advances Financial Assistance for Businesses Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic March 2nd “When GOFERR created the Main Street Relief Fund last year, it was specifically designed to assist small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, in an unintended consequence of its design, newer small businesses weren’t able to take advantage of this program. This cut out a large segment of our small businesses, which are filling new needs and creating new jobs in our communities. SB 107 will make sure these newer businesses can access any future discretionary federal relief funds coming to the state, regardless of their date of establishment.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D-Portsmouth)

Senator Perkins Kwoka Introduces SB 126-FN, Relative to Landlord Tenant Proceedings March 2nd ““This legislation is an effort to make small tweaks to give folks a little extra room in the face of extraordinary circumstances. After receiving input from stakeholders, I’m pleased to offer an amendment to the bill that will ensure that tenants be allowed to make payment on their rent up to the date of their eviction hearing, thereby protecting landlords income and keeping tenants in their homes. Additionally, the legislation enables struggling tenants to apply for and receive rental assistance prior to an eviction notice being issued. This creates a critical guardrail for tenants struggling to pay their rent, and will help to ensure situations don’t hit a crisis point before they can be remedied.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D- Portsmouth) Senate Finance Passes SB 44, Senator Kahn’s Workforce Pathway Program March 2nd “The Workforce Pathway Commission established in SB 44 will identify how to align existing federal and state job training resources and federal student aid grants to offset the costs of education providers preparing unemployed and underemployed adults for the high demand jobs needed by NH employers, building a better credentialed workforce. I thank my colleagues for their continued bipartisan support of creating pathways into short-term workforce training programs for our most in-demand jobs in health care, advanced manufacturing, technology, trades, and automotives.” - Prime Sponsor Senator (D-Keene) Week in Review Senate Republicans Continue to Push Flawed School Voucher Legislation March 2nd Senator (R-Wolfeboro) introduced SB 130 to the Senate Education Committee, a near mirror bill to HB 20 which was unanimously retained by the House Education Committee.

“New Hampshire overwhelmingly rejects the idea of a school voucher program. SB 130 is a dangerously flawed piece of legislation that diverts public taxpayer dollars away from our public schools and to private, religious, and out-of-state institutions with no real plan for quality oversight. Investing in our public school system gives every student the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. SB 130 is wrong for our students and wrong for New Hampshire” - Senator Jay Kahn (D-Keene) and Senator Sue Prentiss (D-West Lebanon) Senator Watters Introduces Legislation to Expand Access to Electric Vehicles, Lowering Greenhouse Gas Emissions March 3rd Senator David Watters introduced Part I of SB 131, relative to electric vehicle supply equipment and infrastructure and relative to state motor vehicle fleet management.

“Approximately 40% of our regional greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to transportation emissions. By expanding our electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), grid infrastructure, and EVSE installation along interstate highways, New Hampshire could become a real leader in minimizing our transportation system’s fuel reliance, promote sustainable growth, and help build the clean energy economy and workforce.” - Prime Sponsor Senator David Watters (D-Dover) Senate HHS Passes SB 150 - Medicaid Dental Benefits March 3rd “It is long past time that we provide dental benefits to the over 120,000 Granite Staters who rely on Medicaid for their health care. The economic and social benefits of preventative dental care cannot be understated for both the individuals receiving care and long term state savings in long term dental-related health care. I thank my colleagues for their continued bipartisan support of this crucial legislation.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) SB 123 Unanimously Passes Senate HHS Committee March 3rd Senate HHS unanimously passed an amended version of SB 123, making it unlawful to require any employee or applicant for employment to pay the cost of a COVID-19 test as a condition of employment. “As in other employment settings, this bill ensures that employees will not bear the financial burden of employer-required COVID-19 testing. While this access to testing is essential in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, SB 123 removes any financial barrier to that testing, allowing Granite Staters a safe return to work." - Senator (D-Rye) and Senator Sue Prentiss (D-West Lebanon) Senate ED&A Adopts SB 33, relative to Native American name restoration March 3rd “Passage of this bill is a critical step in more fully acknowledging and appreciating the Native American ancestral lands of New Hampshire. We know that land holds meanings for us all— meanings that are often expressed through names. This creation of a formalized naming and renaming process is an opportunity for us to recognize the full, rich history of our beautiful state, and to enrich our understanding and appreciation of our past and of our environment.” - Prime Sponsor Senator David Watters (D-Dover) Week in Review SB 140 Unanimously Passes Senate HHS Committee March 3rd “Family Resource Centers have been at the frontlines for our families during the economic, health, and social crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The essential services they provide have been crucial to the needs of well over 7,000 families across the state. While SB 140 was originally intended to expand services, it is now a crucial funding measure as the Governor has zeroed out funding for our family resource centers in his budget proposal. I am grateful to my Senate colleagues for their bipartisan support of our FRC’s and our homeless shelter system.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua)

Senate Republicans Block SB 144, Deny Expanded Access to Affordable Child Care March 3rd Republican members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted against SB 144, Senator Becky Whitley’s (D-Hopkinton) bill to shift the child care scholarship program from attendance-based payment to enrollment-based reimbursement - a small policy change that could have had a significant impact on leveling the playing field for families qualifying for child care scholarships, incentivizing child care programs to open their doors to these families, and providing stability to New Hampshire families. During the initial hearing for SB 144, over 500 people registered their support for this policy change.

“Working parents are drowning right now. The second wave of the pandemic came in like a tsunami after months of juggling work and child care under unprecedented and stressful circumstances. Unsurprisingly, the burden of child care has increasingly fallen on women during the pandemic when their family cannot find or afford child care. In the past year, New Hampshire women have lost more jobs than men, taken on more caregiving responsibilities, and served as the majority of essential workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. If left unaddressed, the pandemic’s impact on access to child care options is likely to have detrimental effects on children and families in ways that will compound inequities in the long term and slow our efforts at building a strong and future-focused economy in the Granite State. New Hampshire families need access to quality, affordable, and safe child care now. We cannot continue to balance the state's budget and keep our economy afloat on the backs of working mothers any longer. Today’s vote by Senate Republicans denies essential relief for New Hampshire families, threatens the health of our workforce, and puts up unnecessary roadblocks at a time when we need to be doing everything we can to rebuild our economy.” Session Review Property Tax Relief Act of 2021 to Move On to Budget Process March 4th The Senate voted to table Senator Lou D’Allesandro’s (D-Manchester) Property Tax Relief Act of 2021 so that the allocation may be discussed as a part of the budget process. “Every day, I and my colleagues hear from Granite Staters across the state about how the high cost of property taxes is an unsustainable burden. The Property Tax Relief Act of 2021 provides the direct relief taxpayers so desperately need, particularly following a year of financial instability. I thank my colleagues for their support and look forward to bringing this plan forward as a part of the budget process.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Lou D’Allesandro (D- Manchester) Session Review Senate Passes SNAP Health Incentive Programs March 4th “By implementing SNAP health incentive programs we are putting money back into the local economy, supporting health benefits for our most vulnerable populations, and creating additional opportunities for our local farmers. I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support and look forward to bringing this bill before the House.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) Senate Republicans Pass Onerous Requirements on Voters Trying to Access Absentee Ballots March 4th Senate Republicans voted to adopt SB 54, relative to the procedure used to complete and submit applications for absentee ballots and absentee ballots. This legislation places additional requirements for voters seeking to vote by absentee, including requiring them to provide private information in order to exercise their right to vote. “Typically, when we pass legislation, we’re trying to solve a real problem facing Granite Staters. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 54 is a solution in search of a problem. Despite partisan talking points, there is no evidence that New Hampshire has a problem with voter fraud. In fact, our own Secretary of State and local election officials have hailed our absentee voting system as being secure and reliable. The additional barriers to voting that this bill creates will disproportionally impact elderly and disabled voters trying to exercise their right to vote. It also raises serious concerns about the private information voters will now be required to provide, such as the last four digits of their Social Security Number. There is no process for ensuring this sensitive information will be safeguarded and remain confidential once the voter submits it, and that should be of deep concern to us all. Our City and Town Clerks don't need this additional burden. This bill is simply unnecessary, and will only serve to suppress qualified voters’ right to vote.” - Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester)

Senate Democrats’ COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Legislation Passes Senate March 4th The Senate passed SB 132, a piece of omnibus legislation relative to COVID-19, in a vote of 24-0. SB 132 includes language establishing a COVID-19 micro enterprise relief fund, requiring a COVID-19 needs assessment of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and support for New Hampshire's live performance industry, a sector particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

“Every day, we hear about the unprecedented impact COVID-19 has had on our small businesses. SB 132 directs federal dollars to our microenterprises to support New Hampshire’s smallest businesses through this challenging time.” - Senator Sue Prentiss (D-West Lebanon) “COVID-19 has affected nursing homes and veterans’ homes in a cruel way, as we saw through the devastating loss of nearly 40 veterans, or 20% of the total residents, at the New Hampshire Veterans Home. The Protect New Hampshire Seniors and Veterans Act of 2021 provides the necessary resources to conduct a long overdue independent COVID-19 needs assessment of the Veterans Home and long-term care facilities to ensure our seniors never face a tragedy of this level again.” - Senator Cindy Rosenwald (D-Nashua) "New Hampshire’s live venues were among the first businesses to close and will be among the last to reopen. The Save Our Granite Stages Act provides targeted assistance, long-term planning support, and recognizes the importance of independent live venues to New Hampshire's economy. I thank my colleagues for their support of our creative economy.” - Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) Session Review Senate Passes SB 157 March 4th “Even one child waiting in an emergency room for care shows a failure of our system and a lack of leadership to protect our most vulnerable children. In 2019, the legislature handed the Governor bipartisan solutions to this problem in the form of SB 14 which provided full funding and required a variety of policy solutions. I thank my colleagues and the Senate President for their overwhelming support and prioritization of SB 157 and look forward to working together to ensure SB 14 is implemented to protect our most vulnerable children.” - Prime Sponsor Senator Becky Whitley (D-Hopkinton) Week in Review - Videos

Senator Soucy, Senator Rosenwald for New Hampshire, Senator Prentiss, Senator Whitley, and Senator Perkins Kwoka on how Governor Sununu's budget could negatively impact women and families

Senator David Watters and Senator Rebecca Perkins Kwoka on Senate Energy

Senator David Watters and Senator Tom Sherman on Senate Transportation

Senator Jay Kahn, Representative David Luneau, and Representative Mel Myler on school funding

Senator Becky Whitley on child care scholarships, HHS committee hearings, session, and the Sununu Youth Services Center Legislative Updates C O M M I T T E E H E A R I N G S 3 . 8 . 2 1 - 3 . 1 2 . 2 1 Monday 9am - 12pm ELMA + Ways & Means Ways and Means SB 102 - adopting omnibus legislation on property taxation, prime sponsor Senator Perkins Kwoka, hearing at 9:40AM

Monday 1pm - 4pm Energy & Natural Resources SB 151 - relative to renewable energy procurement, prime sponsor Senator Watters, hearing at 1PM

Tuesday 8:30am - 12pm Commerce + Education Commerce SB 136 - relative to the state minimum hourly rate, prime sponsor Senator Soucy, hearing at 8:45AM. To register your position please visit: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/remotecommittee/senate.aspx Education - Executive Session on Pending Legislation

Tuesday 1pm - 4pm Judiciary + Transportation Judiciary & Transportation - Executive Session on Pending Legislation

Wednesday 9am - 12pm ED&A + HHS ED&A & HHS - Executive Session on Pending Legislation

Wednesday 4pm - 5pm Energy & Natural Resources Executive Session on Pending Legislation Thursday 10am - 1:00pm Session

Bills to note for Thursday: Regular Calendar Energy SB 71, establishing a commission to develop science-based emissions reduction goals for the state of New Hampshire SB 114-FN, relative to the enjoyment of publicly-accessible and publicly- funded recreation areas. SB 115, establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for the state and establishing a climate action plan Finance SB 44, establishing the New Hampshire workforce pathway program and commission SB 73-FN-A, establishing a green building standards initiative as part of the low or moderate income housing loan program and making an appropriation therefor; and establishing a commission to study green housing and utility source options. HHS SB 144-FN, relative to child care scholarships SB 150-FN, establishing a dental benefit under the state Medicaid program. Ways and Means SB 128-FN-A-L, relative to a temporary change to operator compensation under the meals and rooms tax. In the News Sentinel Editorial: Fair redistricting; NH lawmakers, governor should heed calls for integrity, transparency Our Turn: Governor’s budget cuts funding for important programs, services - Senator Soucy and Representative Rosenwald School choice bill gets new life in NH Senate Voucher Bill Divides Educators and Parents, Sponsor Claims New Hampshire marks anniversary of COVID-19 outbreak's arrival in Granite State NH bill would help new businesses hit by coronavirus Seacoast new businesses hope NH bill will bring COVID relief funds Bill Enhances Disability Benefits If Police, Firefighter Attacked On the Job Senate Passes Bill Adding Documentation To Vote By Absentee Ballot Some state lawmakers call for shutdown of New Hampshire youth Detention Center amid abuse allegations Along party lines, state Senate approves bill requiring more information for absentee ballots