Civics
As housing concerns rise, lawmakers revisit accessory dwelling units
New Hampshire lawmakers are attempting a new way to increase housing in the state: expanding accessory dwelling units. READ MORE
Articles by Ethan DeWitt
Civics
90,000 units in two decades: New report puts a big number on state’s housing crisis
This month, a new annual report laid bare exactly how prohibitive. The 245-page analysis by New Hampshire Housing, the state’s housing authority, delivers a clear message. New Hampshire needs far more housing units than previously indicated, and the current rate of development is not going to cut it. READ MORE
Culture
Amid push for online gambling, charitable gaming advocates see threat
Online poker is illegal in New Hampshire, and most of the rest of the United States. But many find ways to do it anyway, experts say. READ MORE
Civics
As cities race to find housing, some call for more state homelessness funding
Addressing Gov. Chris Sununu’s budget director, officials with DHHS argued that the state had been underfunding the shelters in the state for years. Currently, the state allocates just under $5 million in state funds per year; the department asked Sununu to fund them at $12 million per year in his next proposed budget. READ MORE
Civics
House passes a state budget, to the surprise of many
Over a three-hour process packed with floor amendments, representatives quibbled around the edges and made some changes. What emerged, however, was a bipartisan agreement that raises Medicaid rate increases above what Gov. Chris Sununu asked for, includes an increase in targeted aid to public schools, adds new curbs on gubernatorial emergency powers, removes a proposed expansion to the “education freedom account” program, expands eligibility for free and reduced-price lunches in schools, and keeps proposed raises for state employees. READ MORE
Civics
House moves toward using Medicaid data to enroll families in free and reduced-price lunch program
This year, New Hampshire is considering a different approach: Medicaid. A federal program created in 2010 would automatically enroll students in free and reduced-price lunch plans using Medicaid enrollment data. That data includes families’ incomes already, eliminating the need for an application in most cases. READ MORE
Civics
Department of Education requests new power: subpoenas for teachers
When the New Hampshire Department of Education investigates a teacher for a potential code of conduct violation, they send a notice in the mail. Under a new proposed law, that teacher could also be served a subpoena. READ MORE
Civics
New Hampshire House rejects bill enabling rent controls
The New Hampshire House overwhelmingly rejected an effort to allow towns and cities to impose controls on rent increases and notices Thursday after a majority argued it would harm the housing market. READ MORE
Civics
House weighs making New Hampshire primaries closed to independent voters
New Hampshire lawmakers are weighing a bill to end the state’s tradition of open primaries by requiring residents to register with a political party at least four months before the state primaries in order to vote in that primary. READ MORE
Civics
As New Hampshire vows to hold first primary, the consequences could be steep
On Friday afternoon, the committee passed a waiver dictating the terms of New Hampshire’s second-place position. Under those terms, Granite State lawmakers would need to repeal the state’s 1975 law requiring that the primary be scheduled before any other state. Lawmakers would also have to pass a second law to make early voting easier. READ MORE
