That’s a wrap: Concord legislative season ends, now it’s up to Sununu to sign or veto

CONCORD, NH — Today was the last day of the legislative season in Concord. The State House and Senate voted on bills that came from the Committees of Conference (CoCs). Appointed by the Senate and House leaders, these small groups of representatives and senators were tasked with reconciling the wording differences in bills previously approved by the House and Senate.

• The School Employee Death Benefit bill HB 1415, that pays $100,000 to the family of those killed in the line of duty, along with an additional $10 million for school security upgrades, passed both the House and Senate today. There was a voice vote in the Senate, and the bill passed the House 262-76.
• The bail reform bill, SB 556. passed. It requires judges to take income and ability to pay into consideration when setting bail for low-level offenses. Low-level offenders charged with nonviolent crimes, with no evidence that they are a risk of not showing up at trial, would qualify for personal recognizance bail.
• Labor law changes, SB 318, passed, which include allowing teenagers to work up to 30-48 hours per week during the school year, and removing a penalty for employers who fail notify their employees of “changes in the minimum hourly rate.”
• The legislature failed to resolve the issue of who has the authority to postpone local elections. The senate passed a bill to give the secretary of state the final say, while the House gave authority to town moderators.
• The animal cruelty bill, SB 569, failed to pass.

After today, it will be up to Governor Chris Sununu to either sign or veto the bills that the State Legislature passed, including stepped-up voter residency requirements and death penalty repeal.

• Sununu said he intends to veto a bill that repeals the death penalty, SB 593.
• Last week, Sununu asked the New Hampshire Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on the voter residency bill, HB 1264, that would require students and transient workers, including military members, to prove residency when voting by measures such as licensing a car here and obtaining a state driver’s license. Sununu had previously stated he opposed any such bill, and recently said he wants the Supreme Court opinion before he makes up his mind, saying it’d be “hard not to sign” if the Court declares the bill constitutional.