NHHRO - House Speaker Announces Bills for 2013 Session

CONCORD – House Speaker William O’Brien today announced that he has sponsored four pieces of legislation as priorities for the 2013 session.  These initiatives include a constitutional amendment to require a supermajority to raise taxes or fees, a bill to make New Hampshire a Right to Work state, legislation to reform the abuses of EBT cards and a bill to block the ObamaCare expansion of Medicaid.

House Speaker William O’Brien

On constitutional amendment to require supermajority to raise taxes or fees

“We have taken tremendous steps over the past two years to ensure that we will deliver an affordable government and keep more money in the pockets of hardworking taxpayers.  Yet, if history teaches us anything, we know that future assemblies of legislators will seek to buy electoral success by putting our state on a one-way journey to permanent over-spending and excessive government growth. This amendment ensures that we will not see a future Legislature go on a spending spree as we saw the four years prior to this Legislature.  This supermajority amendment will make it much harder to hike taxes and fees and will also stop borrowing from our children’s future to pay for spending today.  This is the transformative change that we need in New Hampshire.”

On the Franklin Partin Right to Work Act

“Frank Partin was both a leader nationally in protecting worker freedoms and a fixture in the New Boston community.  It is an honor to name this legislation to both ensure the future of the New Hampshire Advantage and to keep our employees across the state free from forced unionism after Frank.  Simply put, Right to Work is worker freedom.  It means more jobs here, more of our friends and neighbors working, and fewer of our families having to leave the state to find suitable employment.  You cannot oppose Right to Work and say that you are committed to expanding our economy.”

On EBT reform

“This year, we took an important step in reforming welfare, by passing a law to ensure that Health and Human Services is checking the background of those applying for public assistance to ensure that they truly live here, are truly needy, and aren’t gaming the system.  Next year, we will move forward to rein in the abuses of EBT cards by making sure that they are not being used to purchase alcohol, lottery tickets, tobacco, tattoos or other unnecessary items.  We are committed to helping our neighbors who are in need, but not those who are simply looking to take advantage of the generosity of the hardworking taxpayers. New Hampshire citizens are tired of excuses for public assistance abuses and are demanding EBT card reforms.”

On blocking ObamaCare Medicaid expansion

“ObamaCare will blow a hole in our state budget, plain and simple.  We cannot allow this federal law to hijack our state finances with unfunded mandates.  This bill will make unequivocally clear that the Granite State will not participate in growing Medicaid or risking that our Medicaid program, which is already on an unsustainable growth path, does not accelerate the destruction of our state budget.”

NHBC - Jobs Created with Help of House Bill

New Hampshire House Business COALITION

HBC Member to File Legislation to Further Help Brewers Locate and Expand in New Hampshire

CONCORD — Rep. Adam Schroadter of Newmarket today announced his intentions to file legislation to further deregulate brewers in New Hampshire. Rep. Schroadter and others House Business Coalition Members were an integral part of passing a number of pro-business bills to help New Hampshire employers such as nano-brewers. Rep. Joanne Ward of Stratham had heard from Redhook Breweries that due to heavy regulations and stringent definition of specialty beers in New Hampshire, the brewery had to house its warehouse in Massachusetts. Legislators worked to pass House Bill 1241, which expanded the definition of specialty beers in New Hampshire to allow for ingredients such as, but not limited to, molasses, maple syrup, honey, spices, herbs, fruits, nuts, chocolate, vanilla, or other nonbeverage ingredients. Rep. Ward said the law allowed Redhook to move its warehouse to New Hampshire and add additional equipment and eight positions in Portsmouth.

Rep. Schroadter says he plans to address another issue affecting brewers and business in New Hampshire with new legislation.

Rep. Adam Schroadter

“Currently New Hampshire has some of the most onerous brewing regulations. Instead of being required to register one label per brewery, as most states do, New Hampshire requires that brewers here register each individual beer flavor. We’ve heard this has adverse effects on cost, time and resources and that some larger, popular brewers have passed on locating to or expanding in New Hampshire because of this. The brewing market has grown quite a lot here and has been a boon to tourism and development with trail tours and other attractions and we’re missing out on further economic expansion. We also are turning away the many jobs that could come to New Hampshire by way of new plants and manufacturers here. We need to work with our employers, not against them. We hope New Hampshire employers know we are listening and doing all we can to help them prosper and expand.”

Rep. Joanne Ward

“In addition to job creation and increased revenues for Redhook and the state, the passage of this bill helps other breweries in the state to become more creative with their products in the ever growing segment of microbreweries.”

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Attachment (1): Photo from bill signing ceremony Thursday, September 20, 2012

The NH House Business Coalition is chaired by Laurie Sanborn of Bedford and is a non-partisan group of New Hampshire House members, focused on evaluating and supporting legislation to promote job creation through strong, responsible business growth and success.  Since their inception in January, the group has grown to over 100 members and has successfully helped pass over 50 pro-business bills in the NH House.  The Coalition does not endorse specific candidates for office. More information can be found at ProBusinessNH.com

Carol Shea-Porter - Congressman Guinta Votes for Big Oil Giveway and then Denies It

Manchester, NH – At yesterday’s New Hampshire BIA Debate, NHPR Moderator Laura Knoy asked Congressman Guinta point blank: Does the Republican budget contain oil and gas subsidies?  Congressman Guinta replied, “It does not.”

Congressman Guinta knew he did vote for oil giveaways.  Guinta voted repeatedly against ending oil subsidies on the Budget Committee mark-ups on the FY 2012 and the FY 2013 budgets.  He also voted for the Paul Ryan budget, which protects more than $40 billion in subsidies for the world’s wealthiest oil corporations.

Naomi Andrews, Campaign Manager for Candidate Carol Shea-Porter, released the following statement.                 “It is disturbing that Congressman Guinta deceived Laura Knoy and the voters. The fact is that Congressman Guinta voted for the Ryan budget, which contained massive giveaways to oil companies and a $265,000 tax break to millionaires and billionaires. Congressman Guinta is now trying to hide his close relationship and support for Big Oil and Big Oil’s support for him. ”

Exxon Mobil has given Congressman Guinta significant campaign contributions.  Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has never accepted a dime of corporate PAC or DC lobbyist money.  Voters have a clear choice in November.

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BACKGROUND:

       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Epo22OU0No

       Congressman Guinta voted for Ryan’s FY 2013 budget that would end Medicare’s guaranteed benefit and protect $40 billion in tax breaks for Big Oil. It would provide people earning more than $1 million a year with an average tax cut of $265,000, but middle class families could see their taxes go up by $1,400. [H Con Res 112, Vote #151, 3/29/12; Center for American Progress, 3/20/12; Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/27/12; Joint Economic Committee, 6/20/12]

       Congressman Guinta’s campaign received $5,000 from Exxon Mobil, which paid an estimated tax rate of .04% in 2011.  [OpenSecrets 9/17/12], [Center for American Progress 5/11/11]

NH House Committee on Defined Contribution Requests Information to Aid in Crafting Legislation

CONCORD – The Special House Committee on Defined Contribution Retirement Plans for Public Employees today released a Request for Information (RFI) to several financial services companies regarding services for a proposed plan, which will be introduced as legislation in the 2013 Session. Chairman of the Committee Will Smith made the following comments on the RFI.

Chairman Will Smith

“We are focused on meeting our obligations to retirees while also bringing long-term solvency to the system.  Bringing public employee retirement plans in line with those of the private sector is both fair to our public employees, who deserve a sustainable system, and our taxpayers. Most of the nation’s large employers and an increasing number of state and local governments are introducing 401(k)-like defined contribution plans for their employees' retirement. Such plans allow employees to own the assets formed for their retirement, but also move investment risks from the shareholder/taxpayer to the employee.”

NHHBC: Rep. Schroadter ’s Oyster Aquaculture Bill to Become Law

New Hampshire House Business COALITION

CONCORD — New Hampshire House Business Coalition member Representative Adam Schroadter (R-Newmarket) will have the opportunity to see the Bill he sponsored become law.  House Bill 1392, aimed at reviving the oyster population in the Great Bay Estuary and the economic development of the communities along the bay, will be signed into law by Governor Lynch on August 14, 2012.

“I’m encouraged by the passing of this legislation because it’s pro-environment and pro-business at the same time,” said Schroadter.  “The new law will provide an incentive for oyster farmers by giving them multi-year licenses from New Hampshire Fish and Game.  Oyster farms were previously required to be re-licensed by Fish and Game each year, which was a disincentive for startups that may worry about being licensed one year but not the next.”

House Business Coalition founder and Chair, Laurie Sanborn said, “This is a great achievement and a wonderful example of the type of legislation this caucus has promoted, reducing red tape whenever possible to make it easier for businesses to thrive in our state.” 

Schroadter, who organizes this Saturday’s annual “Olde Home Day & Oyster Festival” in Newmarket, hopes to raise awareness of the importance of oysters to the estuary and increase sales for the businesses on Main Street.  Schroadter said, “I’d like to make the oyster to New Hampshire what the lobster is to Maine.” 

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The New Hampshire House Business Coalition is a non-partisan group of NH House members, focused on improving the climate for job creation and economic growth in our state by passing pro-business legislation.  Since their inception in January 2011, the group has grown to over 100 members and has lead the efforts to pass over 60 pro-business bills in the NH House of Representatives.