STATE HOUSE UPDATE DECEMBER 2023
By Dick Thackston State Rep. Cheshire 12 – Troy & Fitzwillam
The NH House of Representatives is scheduled to start its 2024 Session on January 3 & 4, 2024.
NH Business and Industry Association scored all members of the NH House and Senate in 2023 based on nine bills they ranked as important to the success of growth and prosperity of New Hampshire: HB 2-FN; HB 57-FN; HB 74-FN; HB 142; SB 79; SB 152-FN; HB 524-FN; HB 418-FN & SB 263. I unknowingly voted with the NHBIA eight of the nine bills they took a position on.
I voted contrary to the NHBIA position on HB 142 concerning continuing subsidies to the Burgess Biopower Plant in Berlin, NH. My vote was a mistake in judgment on my part; the NHBIA was right. The issue was to continue subsidies to the Burgess Bioplant or not and the Governor had Vetoed the Bill. The arguments for these subsidies that I found compelling were that: 1. Massive economic damage would be done to the already depressed Berlin region’s economic base. 2. Electric power generated by the Burgess Bioplant would suddenly be lost to the grid and civilization as we know it would be on the brink. So, I voted for the subsidies. Well, the override vote failed – Veto sustained – no more subsidies – and within a few minutes of the vote the advocates for the override seemed pretty happy with the whole thing. Turned out there was a pretty good alternative for Burgess Biomass and this was all baloney. I learned.
I have cosponsored eight pieces of legislation. Six are House Bills; two are Senate Bills. I have shared below the basic wording of the four bills that have finished the drafting process and are ready for submission to the house as of this writing. The remaining four bills I have co-sponsored have not fully completed the drafting process, as of this writing, but I include a brief description next to the LSR#. LSR# indicates the number assigned to a Bill in the Legislative Services Office. Legislative Services does the actual work of drafting legislation and making sure it is correctly worded based on the author’s intent. Once a Bill comes out of Legislative Services it is assigned a number in the House, (HB), or Senate, (SB), depending on the author of the Bill, (House Rep or Senator), after review by the Clerk and Speaker, (President in the Senate). All the Bills can be read in detail on the General Court website noted at the end of my article. All of the Bills I co-sponsored are bi-partisan.
LSR# 24-2054 (HB1270) Relative to Peace Officers placing intoxicated persons in custody.
LSR# 24-2291 (HB1311) Relative to school districts policies governing the reconsideration of library materials. When petitioned by parents or staff.
LSR# 24-2594 (HB1416) Relative to parking of non-electric vehicles in spaces designated for charging vehicles.
LSR# 24-2594 (HB1125) Relative to requiring public notice and comment at all county commissioner and delegation’s meetings.
LSR# 24-2597 (HB # not assigned yet) Relative to the Sale of Public property by Municipalities and Counties and requires an open bidding and sale process with adequate Public Notice that is not currently required.
LSR# 24-2650 (HB# not assigned yet) This bill is relative to strengthening income reporting by Lobbyists.
LSR# 24-2890 (SB# not assigned yet) This Bill concerns the Administration of the Office of Professional Licensure & Certification and seeks to ensure that the Public is adequately protected by improving the management of said office.
LSR# 24-2946 (SB# not yet assigned) This Bill concerns insurance coverage for blood testing associated with elevated blood levels.
If you are interested in following bills, meetings or other current information in the NH Legislature just plug in the following address and it will take you to the General Court Home Page: https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/
As always, thank-you for your support.