Latest news with #Ayotte
Boston Globe
7 hours ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Governor Ayotte signs New Hampshire's $15.9b budget into law
That sparked a flurry of last-minute negotiations on Thursday, narrowly salvaging a budget deal on the two-year spending plan. 'I said from day one in office that I would work each day to deliver an even brighter future for all of New Hampshire — and we have kept that promise,' said Ayotte in a statement Friday afternoon before signing the trio of bills that made up the budget, which she touted as fiscally responsible. Get N.H. Morning Report A weekday newsletter delivering the N.H. news you need to know right to your inbox. Enter Email Sign Up Some New Hampshire Republicans shared her optimism. Advertisement 'From standing up for our first responders, to strengthening our Northern Border, to protecting Granite Staters in need, this budget keeps the promises Republicans made with no new taxes,' said Jim MacEachern, NHGOP chairman. 'This hard work will show at the ballot box in November,' he predicted. Democrats disagreed, criticizing what they called a chaotic process and the final product. 'The end result is a state budget that raises costs and threatens the health, safety, and well-being of our communities,' said Ray Buckley in a statement, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. Advertisement The final budget, which every Democratic lawmaker voted against, features several controversial cost-saving measures, including significant funding cuts for the University System of New Hampshire and the Department of Corrections, plus a move to charge premiums for certain Medicaid beneficiaries who earn more than the federal poverty level. 'The budget they forced through is nothing short of catastrophic, ripping health care away from low-income families, defunding public education, slashing child protection services, and funneling millions to out-of-state casino operators and private schools,' said Representative Alexis Simpson of Exeter, the House Democratic minority leader. Simpson said the chaos and deal-making that complicated this process demonstrated 'a crisis of leadership' and resulted in a budget that will 'forever leave a stain on this state.' Republicans, however, celebrated. House Majority Leader Jason Osborne of Auburn said 'principled leadership' had produced a budget that defends the interests of taxpayers, provides additional funding to local schools, and more. Deputy Majority Leader Joseph F. Sweeney of Salem said the budget will work for all Granite Staters. 'Whether you care about property taxes, public safety, or educational freedom, this budget reflects the priorities of New Hampshire families,' he said. 'We can all be proud of that.' While citing constrained revenue estimates as necessitating cuts from certain programs they disfavor, Republican lawmakers relied on an expected increase in gambling revenues from newly legalized slot machines to help fund expanded investments in certain programs they favor. The primary sticking point that Ayotte cited when she threatened last week to veto the Legislature's version of the budget revolved around retirement spending for certain public safety personnel whose benefits were reduced in 2011 amid an earlier budget crunch. Ayotte had campaigned on restoring much of those benefits, but some GOP lawmakers objected to the price tag. Advertisement On Wednesday evening she 'There is no doubt in my mind that our citizens respect politicians who keep their word and fight for change,' said Michael Geha, president of the New Hampshire Police Association. 'That is what Kelly Ayotte did, and the entire state is better off and safer for it.' To adopt the late compromise, senators revived and amended Steven Porter can be reached at
The Hill
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Hill
New Hampshire lawmakers give final approval to gender-affirming care ban
New Hampshire lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to bills that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors in the state, sending the measures to Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who has not yet said whether she will sign them. State lawmakers voted to pass House Bill 377, which would prohibit doctors from administering puberty blockers and hormones to transgender youth beginning next year. The measure includes a 'grandfather clause' that would allow minors already receiving care to continue doing so even after the law takes effect. The state House voted 202-161 in favor of the bill, with two Democrats, state Reps. Dale Girard and Jonah Wheeler, siding with Republicans. New Hampshire senators approved the bill Thursday in a 16-8 party-line vote. Lawmakers also voted to send House Bill 712 to Ayotte's desk. That measure, which builds on an existing law banning gender-affirming genital surgeries for minors, would bar children and teens under 18 from accessing additional surgical procedures when they are used to treat gender dysphoria, including facial feminization or masculinization surgery and what the bill calls 'transgender chest surgery.' It passed the House Thursday in a vote 191-163, with Wheeler again siding with Republicans to advance the measure. The state Senate passed the bill in another party-line vote. Passage of the bills, which, if signed, would make New Hampshire the first northeastern state to ban transition-related care for minors, comes roughly a week after the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law similarly preventing trans youth from being prescribed puberty blockers and hormones. Surgery for minors was not at issue before the court. New Hampshire state Rep. Lisa Mazur, a Republican and the prime sponsor of both bills, referenced the court's decision Thursday in her defense of the measures. 'It is now legal and constitutional for states to regulate and or ban the use of these harmful drugs in minors,' she said, the Boston Globe reported. Ayotte, a former U.S. senator who won New Hampshire's gubernatorial election in November, has not publicly said whether she plans to sign either bill, both of which were priorities for the state's Republican-led Legislature this session. Also headed to Ayotte's desk is House Bill 148, which would roll back some anti-discrimination protections for transgender people that the Legislature adopted in 2018. Her predecessor, Republican former Gov. Chris Sununu, vetoed a similar bill last year.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Do NH residents support Gov. Kelly Ayotte, ICE laws, economy? See what new polls say
About half of New Hampshire residents approve of Gov. Kelly Ayotte's handling of her job, although her approval has declined slightly over the past few months, according to a new poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released in late May. As of the May 29 poll, 49% of Granite staters approve of Ayotte, while 41% disapprove. In February, 52% approved and 34% disapproved. The poll found that housing remains the most important issue in the state, followed by taxes, education and rightist politicians. Democrats are more likely to mention the political right, Independents are more likely to mention housing, and Republicans are more likely to mention taxes as their top issue. The poll also looked at what New Hampshire residents think of legislation in the state, such as banning cell phones in schools and anti-sanctuary city laws. The poll surveyed 1,343 New Hampshire residents online between May 22 and May 26. It has a margin of error of +/- 2.7%. In May, Ayotte signed two bills into law that ban 'sanctuary cities' in New Hampshire and promote cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. According to the poll, Granite Staters are divided on these partnerships: 47% support state law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with ICE while 50% oppose. Support is split by party, as 93% of Democrats oppose the agreements, while 93% of Republicans support them. 58% of Independents oppose. Ayotte has encouraged legislation on banning students from having cell phones in class, with some exceptions. According to the poll, 69% of Granite Staters support this policy, with majorities in each party. Democrats are the least likely to support a ban, with 57% supporting it compared to 77% of Independents and 78% of Republicans. But New Hampshire residents are divided on another couple of state issues, like new car inspection and zoning policies. The New Hampshire legislature has been considering changes to the current requirement that all cars be inspected every year. According to the poll, 27% of residents would like to keep this policy, 26% would like to eliminate this requirement, and 25% would like to change the requirement to every two years. The legislature is also considering several bills that would require towns and cities to loosen zoning policies to make it easier to build new homes. Overall, 38% of Granite Staters support this, while 40% oppose. UNH Survey Center released another new poll on May 30 that found that New Hampshire residents are increasingly pessimistic about the direction of the U.S. economy. In that poll, 40% of Granite staters expect they will be worse off a year from now, while 33% think they will be better off. That's down from February, when 42% expected to be better off in a year. People who think they will be worse off in a year cite higher prices or increasing inflation and believe the president or government will handle the economy poorly. 59% of state residents expect tariffs to have a negative effect on the U.S. economy, up from 53% in February and 56% in April. 'While key indicators continue to show the New Hampshire economy is relatively strong and stable, consumer confidence is weakening somewhat,' said Michael Skelton, president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association, in the poll. 'Factors such as economic uncertainty and concern about the impact of tariffs and inflation are weighing on the minds of consumers and employers and the decisions they make that drive the economy.' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: What is Gov. Kelly Ayotte's approval rating? See new NH poll stats
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Educational Freedom Accounts now universal in New Hampshire in new law
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a bill into law Tuesday that makes so-called "school choice" universal in New Hampshire. SB 295 makes the school voucher program known as Education Freedom Accounts universal in New Hampshire by eliminating the household income limit of 350% of the federal poverty guidelines for all students. This means that all families regardless of income level will have the potential to access the program that allows families to use annual state education funds for private and homeschooling expenses. This bill establishes universal eligibility as soon as July 2025. It includes a 10,000-student cap on the program for the 2025-2026 school year, which would double the program that currently contains 5,321 students. For each subsequent year, the cap would be increased by 25% if total enrollment of the prior year is greater than 90% of the that year's enrollment cap. Ayotte had called for an expansion of the EFA program, but this bill goes further than what she had outlined. Ayotte's plan called for removing income limits for students who had attended public schools for at least a year, but to keep the 350% income cap (about 112,000 for a family of four) on students who have already been homeschooled or were already enrolled in a private school. Ayotte signed the expanded bill into law Tuesday. 'Giving parents the freedom to choose the education setting that best fits their child's needs will help every student in our state reach their full potential," she said in a statement. More: Open enrollment will hurt NH public school students: Seacoast superintendents speak out Republicans have been attempting to expand the EFA program for the past few years, arguing that families should be able to choose the best school for their children. 'With the passage of this bill, we are now able to deliver universal school choice for all New Hampshire families,' said Sen. Victoria Sullivan, R-Manchester, who sponsored the bill, in a statement. 'These changes will give families more options that will help New Hampshire's future leaders flourish in school environments that best suit them.' But Democrats have long fought against the program, saying that it will cost the state too much money, hurt public schools that are already underfunded and benefit already wealthy families. 'Get out your wallets folks. Wealthy people want subsidies from taxpayers like you to send their kids to private schools,' said Rep. David Meuse, D-Portsmouth, adding that the law is expected to 'increase the state's obligation to pony up your tax dollars for the GOP school voucher scam by tens of millions of dollars over the next biennium while many state services will be cut due to declining state revenues.' Teachers' unions in the state are also against the program. In a statement released after the signing, the largest teachers' union in the state, NEA-NH, said that the law will hurt public schools. 'All students deserve a high-quality education and the support they need to thrive. Unfortunately, expanding the unaccountable voucher scheme will exacerbate the already inequitable public education funding system in New Hampshire,' said NEA-NH President Megan Tuttle. 'Limitless vouchers will take millions of dollars out of public schools to subsidize private school education for a few at the expense of nearly 90% of students who attend community public schools.' NH Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut has long supported the program. His seven children were homeschooled. "New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account program has already transformed lives by giving families access to the educational pathways that best fit their children's needs," he said in a statement. "Expanding this opportunity through universal eligibility is a bold and forward-thinking move that reimagines what education can be, providing every student with the opportunity to reach their full potential and experience a bright future." This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 'School choice' now universal in NH after governor signs bill into law
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Car inspections are about to be eliminated in New Hampshire. What to know
Auto inspections will no longer be required in New Hampshire starting next year under the new state budget. After weeks of negotiations, Gov. Kelly Ayotte and Republican State House leaders reached a deal on the budget on June 26, the final day of the legislative session. In addition to spending policies, a few other items also made the cut – including a complete elimination of state auto inspections. While not final yet, Ayotte said she would pass the budget into law when it reaches her desk. Current New Hampshire law requires yearly safety inspections for registered passenger vehicles. They are one of 14 states in the country to have this requirement, according to CBS News. The law required all registered vehicles to receive a safety inspection during the owner's birth month every year. A bill to repeal these auto inspections hit a roadblock in the Senate as Republicans disagreed over whether to end inspections entirely or to change the requirement to every other year. But the idea was added to the budget during negotiations to get some of the holdout Republicans on board. The budget passed Thursday repeals the law, meaning New Hampshire residents will no longer have to get their car inspected starting in 2026. Rep. Michael Granger, who sponsored the initial legislation, said that he thinks vehicle safety inspections are a 'scam.' Supporters of repealing the inspections say that inspections are expensive and that drivers can safely maintain their own cars without inspections. They argued that the law benefits car dealerships and mechanic shops, some of which may take advantage of car owners. They also cited studies suggesting that there is no correlation between inspection laws and lower traffic accidents. According to a 2018 U.S. Department of Transportation study, 2% of vehicle crashes resulted from vehicle problems such as faulty brakes, flat tires or a locked steering wheel. Opponents of the change, who include the New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association (NHADA), say that vehicle inspections make the roads safer and that car owners do not have the knowledge to spot safety issues in their vehicles. 'NHADA and its over 500 members believe the elimination of annual inspections is both reckless and shortsighted,' said the NHADA in a statement after the budget passed. 'The vehicle safety inspection program repeal, which eliminates them entirely for cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and weakens the frequency of school bus inspections will result in a measured increase in accidents on New Hampshire roadways.' They added that both Florida and Utah saw an increase in traffic accidents after repealing safety inspections. But supporters lauded the repeal of inspections. 'Relief is coming for the people of NH as soon as Kelly Ayotte signs the budget,' said Rep. James Spillane in a post on social media, and the NH Committee to Elect House Republicans included the legislation in a post celebrating 'Promises made. Promises kept.' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Car inspections to be eliminated in NH. What does it mean for you?
