Capitol Insight: Weekly Legislative Update 1/24/25
T
he Legislature was all business this week with public hearings being held from the first floor of the State House to the third floor of the Legislative Office Building. Committees have begun voting bills out of committee to send them to the floors of their respective chambers over the coming weeks.
Right to Work
In 2011, Governor John Lynch vetoed Right to Work legislation, and the Republican supermajority in the House of Representatives could not find the votes to override. Repeated attempts since have not gotten the state any closer to adoption, as a strong coalition of pro-union Republicans have consistently thwarted each subsequent effort. Supporters of Right to Work are hopeful this may be the year they can pass the legislation, with a larger Republican majority in the House than last session, a Senate that has historically supported the policy and a Governor who has committed to signing the bill should it reach her desk. On Wednesday, Right to Work opponents flooded the halls of the Legislative Office Building to voice their opposition to the bill at hand. While supporters argued it would attract more businesses to the state and provide workers with the freedom to choose whether to join a union for themselves, opponents countered, testifying that the proposal would lower employee pay and allow for less safe work environments. A committee vote was scheduled for later that afternoon, but after four hours of public hearing, the committee adjourned and will consider the legislation next week.
Sanctuary City Legislation
Although immigration has been a hot topic of late in Washington, it has also become a point of debate in New Hampshire over the past several years. This week, bills were heard in the House and Senate that would ban sanctuary city policies in the state and prohibit interference with federal immigration laws. The sponsors believe that establishing these havens undermine the rule of law, encourage more illegal immigration and invite potentially violent crimes. Opponents, on the other hand, find the legislation to be cruel to marginalized populations and argue there is no correlation between places who have adopted these policies and elevated crime rates. This year, the legislation has some powerful backing in the Senate President and House Deputy Majority Leader. While the legislation is clearly important to the Republican majority who campaigned on the issue last fall, it has hit stumbling blocks in recent sessions. With the process just getting started there is still plenty of time for the two chambers to iron out their differences.
Hiring Freeze
Knowing that a budget shortfall could be on the horizon, Governor Kelly Ayotte issued an executive order on Wednesday freezing new hires across state agencies. An initial first step in tightening the belt, the moratorium does not apply to law enforcement, child protective services and other critical roles within state government. The order applies to any current full or part-time unfilled positions or jobs that become vacant following the executive order. The Governor has already asked agencies to trim their budgets for the next biennium and this action is seen as another step towards balancing the next budget in anticipation of reduced state revenues.
Week Ahead
As is common for the third week of January, the Legislature will be operating at full tilt. Over 1,000 pieces of legislation have now been drafted leading to a plentiful number of public hearings and executive sessions in both bodies. The Senate will meet in Session while the House defers, with plans to meet the first three Thursdays in February.
About Rath, Young and Pignatelli
Capitol Insight is produced with the support of the Chamber’s government relations consultant: Rath, Young and Pignatelli (RYP). RYP merges traditional legal practice areas with legislative and public policy expertise. They have earned a reputation for achieving client success through skillful and creative advocacy in private party negotiations, before courts, regulatory agencies, and legislatures.
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About The Greater Manchester Chamber
Incorporated in 1911, the Greater Manchester Chamber (GMC) is the largest business organization in New Hampshire, focusing its efforts primarily on Manchester and the surrounding communities of Auburn, Bedford, Candia, Derry, Goffstown, Hooksett, Litchfield, Londonderry, and Merrimack. It is the Chamber’s mission to be the voice of business, shaping economic success to enhance the quality of life in Greater Manchester. For more information visit www.manchester-chamber.org.
