Capitol Insight: Weekly Legislative Update 4/11/25
It was a big week in Concord as the House of Representatives passed their budget proposal and sent it to the Senate for their evaluation. The Senate worked their way through House bills and the Governor and Executive Council held their bi-weekly meeting. Crossover may have passed but the Legislature is still hard at work.
House Budget
The budget looked like it was on rocky ground early Thursday evening when House members voted to table one of the bills after several votes went against the Finance Committee’s initial recommendations for passage. The first sign of trouble began when the House adopted an amendment that restored $14 million to the Department of Business and Economic Affairs’ Division of Travel and Tourism budget and an additional $4.5 million to the Department of Transportation for rest areas and welcome centers. The real problem arose when a provision to delete a section creating a new Group III in the state’s retirement system was adopted. After the amendment passed, a member of the majority caucus moved to table the bill and the House immediately went into recess. During the 45-minute break, House Republicans regrouped, got on the same page and eventually came back out to take the budget off the table and continue their work. Afterward, the only additional floor amendment to pass was a proposal to continue allowing municipalities to independently vote to permit Keno in their towns. The Finance Committee’s recommendation to remove the option would have generated more revenue but it was a tough pill to swallow for many local control advocates. After a long day in the House Chamber the budget ultimately was adopted 185-175, mostly along party lines. The two budget bills will now head over to the Senate where their Finance Committee will begin work early next week.
Study to Withdraw from ISO-New England
Average energy costs in New England are significantly higher than the national average and New Hampshire legislators are consistently working to lower the rates for consumers. However, the state is part of a regional grid which makes these efforts particularly challenging. One piece of legislation that passed the House and was evaluated by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week would direct the Department of Energy to investigate the state’s withdrawal from ISO-New England. ISO-New England is an independent organization regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission responsible for long-term planning and grid operation in the member states. The bill was supported by the state’s Consumer Advocate who argued the legislation could play an important role in determining if ISO is working in the best interest of New Hampshire’s residential utility customers. Opponents, on the other hand, fear the legislation is just the camel’s nose under the tent and will be a first The Week in Concord step to withdraw at the expense of New Hampshire ratepayers. New Hampshire would not be the first state to look at membership. Connecticut and Maine previously did the same but determined it could be costly with too much uncertainty to ultimately move forward. The Senate Committee is open to the idea and is interested in expanding the scope of the investigation before they take action on the bill.
Vaccine Fight
The fight over a parent’s right to choose to vaccinate their children has heated up again in the New Hampshire Legislature. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee took public testimony on three bills this week that would limit vaccine mandates to only communicable diseases, take away the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) rule making authority for childhood vaccines and make it easier for a parent to declare a religious exemption for vaccine mandates. The legislation was adamantly opposed by healthcare providers, hospitals, public health advocates and the Department. All are concerned the bills could lower vaccination rates and cause public health emergencies amid outbreaks for preventable diseases. The legislation has already passed the House and some pieces have found their way into the body’s proposed budget. The ball is now in the Senate’s court as they determine if these are policies they want to send to the Governor for signature.
Week Ahead
Work continues in earnest as we officially move into the second half of the session. Next week will be filled with public hearings and a handful of hearings in both bodies for non-germane amendments to bills, a tactic used for better positioning heading into committees of conference. The House will take a well-deserved week off from being in session while the Senate will hold a shorter session Thursday morning before continuing committee work in the afternoon.
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 bring together business and community to enhance economic success and quality of life in our region. For more information visit www.manchester-chamber.org.
