2010 - 2012 Republican Lead Legislator Accomplishments
Restoring New Hampshire Values:
Two bills protect parents’ rights by requiring parental notification of a minor
before having an abortion and parental consent for a court to refer a child to a
juvenile diversion program.
We had tried many other family values bills but they failed. look at my
record for details.
Restoring Fiscal Responsibility:
The legislature passed a budget 11% smaller that the prior budget, reducing
spending by over $1.2 billion and general fund spending by $536 million, or 18%.
The state budget includes no new or increased taxes or fees.
This budget does not bond any operating costs or do any additional borrowing
from our future generations while using responsible revenue estimates.
The state will return $666,000 in Obama Care funds to the federal government
with instructions to use these dollars for debt reduction.
Growing our Economy and Spurring Job Creation through Tax and Fee Relief:
This budget eliminates the auto registration surcharge, which was costing our
residents and small businesses between $30 and $75 every year for each vehicle
they registered, putting $90 million back in our citizens’ pockets.
To fulfill our commitment to reduce the highest business tax rate in the nation,
new laws offer three forms of tax relief to employers to help them grow their
business: reforming the burden of proof for reasonable compensation, doubling
the carry forward period for the BET and expanding the net operating loss carry
forward for the BPT by 900%.
Two new statutes help our retailers, particularly those in borders communities,
become more competitive and grow: eliminating the gambling winnings tax and
repealing the most recent of the four tobacco taxes in the past six years.
The legislature also cut a number of fees on restaurants, hotels, motel, pet
stores, fishing enthusiasts, those selling condominiums, and people getting
married.
Cities and towns that are impacted by fire or other major acts of nature are now
eligible for community revitalization tax relief to allow for the repair or
rebuilding of damaged structures.
A new law directs the Business Finance Authority to establish an innovation
business job growth initiative to promote investment in New Hampshire employers
and to coordinate venture capital with start ups statewide.
Reducing the Regulatory Burden on New Hampshire:
The legislature enacted 43 laws to reduce regulation in New Hampshire this year
to allow employers more flexibility and opportunity to grow and create jobs.
Industries and groups that have benefited from reduced regulations include:
haulers and shippers, boat makers, homeowners, insurance carriers, banking and
trust institutions, grocers, hunting and fishing guides, small electricity
generators, rural hospitals, restaurants and taverns, retailers, electricians,
landlords, forest and timber workers, child care, funeral directors, employee
leasing companies, pharmaceutical distributors, those selling fireworks, pet
stores and breeders, small brewers, home builders, real estate brokers and
salespeople, developers, ski facility operators, wine makers, road contractors,
automobile dealers and pharmacists.
This session, the legislature repealed a number of outdated and unnecessary
laws. The repealed laws included: restrictions on the sale of oleomargarine,
artificial flowers and miniature flags, a ban on the sale of stove polish, a
number of unenforced election laws and the state minimum wage, which is made
unnecessary by the federal minimum wage law.
The legislature repealed New Hampshire’s “card check” law and restored the
secret ballot to state workers for whether or not they want to form a labor
union at their employer’s business.
The Department of Labor is now required to warn employers before assessing fines
for violations, developing a consultative approach, rather than adversarial.
A new commission will review business regulations in New Hampshire to identify
further areas to reduce the burden and make compliance simpler and less costly
to employers.
Fixing New Hampshire’s broken Retirement System
A major achievement for this legislature was moving forward to repair the
state’s retirement system and its unfunded liability that exceeds $3.7 billion.
The reform effort included plans to ask public sector employees to support their
pensions, just as private sector workers do today.
Another law reforms the abuses in “spiking” public pensions that can allow
public employees to game the system and take home enormous pensions.
The legislature also took steps to stop abusive “double dipping” – where retired
workers collect a pension while holding a similar job at a near full-time level.
Enhancing Public Safety
The Kimberly Cates law gives prosecutors the ability to seek the death penalty
in the event that a criminal commits a murder during a home invasion.
The legislature tightened the law regarding the revoking of a driver’s license
for those under 21 who are convicted of a drug or alcohol crime.
A new law allows communities and private entities to utilize a pharmaceutical
drug take-back program to ensure that unused drugs are not used inappropriately.
A new legislative committee will review the state’s parole system to ensure that
the public is safe before any parolee is released.
The legislature restored the authority of the Parole Board to keep violent
criminals behind bars by remove mandatory nine-month parole for sexual and
violent offenders and allow parole violators to spend more than 90 days back in
prison.
The state must now notify rape victims if the perpetrator was found incompetent
to stand trial and is going to be released.
Protecting Local and County Property Taxpayers
Local governments can now legally enforce municipal property tax and spending
caps to limit growth in their communities, thanks to a new law
A new law eliminates the “evergreen” requirement that all communities continue
public employee contracts after they expire.
The new education funding formula guarantees that all communities will have
stability in education aid funding for the next two years by ensuring that they
will maintain the same levels as last year.
The legislature lifted a number of restrictions on communities and counties,
including: making it easier to transfer funds, strengthen collective bargaining
rights for cities and towns, allowing counties more investment opportunities,
removing permit application waiting periods for town road work if it meets best
practice standards, limiting local liability for dog bites, providing more
flexibility for communities to appoint members to volunteer boards and giving
communities a chance to adjust their school and municipal budgets based on
education funding changes at the state level.
Protecting Individual Liberty and Families
A new law removes the requirement that older drivers must take an additional
test prove that they are “qualified” to drive when they turn 75.
The state can no longer have federally-funded checkpoints that exclusively
target motorcycle drivers.
The legislature abolished the database that collected information on uninsured
individuals across New Hampshire.
A law protects the right of law abiding citizens from having their right to own
or use knives from interference from local governments.
The state will prohibit using race, religion, sex or sexual preference in
hiring, promoting, recruiting or admissions for state agencies or universities.
The legislature affirmed property rights by protecting doctors and nurses’ funds
from being taken by the state and by restoring the right to appeal for
homeowners for the assessments of their homes if they do not show the property
to local assessors.
State law now protects individuals from being forced to purchase health
insurance or to face a fine if they have not purchased health insurance.
Increasing Transparency in State Government
The state will now post its checkbook online, to allow the public to see where
their money is going, in an easy and simple format.
A new law authorizes relevant legislative policy committees to hold public
hearings and review state agencies rules.
The legislature extended the review and public input process of the Financial
Resources Mortgage scandal and examination of state agencies’ role to ensure
that a similar situation does not happen again.
A law makes public details of accidents involving state, county and local
employees and officials in vehicles paid for by taxpayers.
The media may now make public the fact that an individual has a criminal record,
even if that record has since been annulled.
Improving the Efficiency of State Government
A new law requires state agencies to update their forms, so that the public does
not have to waste time filling out unnecessary paperwork.
The court system has been overhauled to eliminate the probate, family and
district courts, merging them into the circuit court, saving more than $38
million over 10 years, while also ensuring that furlough days are over, allowing
speedy access to justice for our citizens.
The legislature directed the state’s Medicaid program to move to a managed care
model, which will improve the health of Medicaid recipients, ensure better use
of health care and save taxpayers millions of dollars.
State department heads can now transfer employees throughout their agencies to
allow targeting of resources, better customer services and the ability to
operate with fewer workers.
State tax collectors will now take credit and debit card, making it easier for
taxpayers and employers to pay their bills, while reducing state paperwork.
The legislature returned the responsibility for weights and measures back to the
private sector, while reducing fees in the process.
A new law requires the state to consolidate front office and back office
functions through a shared services model combining all state agencies under one
roof.
The Judiciary and Department of Safety can now use video teleconference for
administrative hearings and motor vehicle cases, saving travel costs and time.
State agencies must now submit budget proposals that include a 10% reduction in
state spending, in addition to budgets that grow government.
The State Board of Education is no longer restricted in the number of charter
school that may operate in New Hampshire, providing an alternative to and
competition for traditional school statewide.
Things I was not too happy that passed this past session
*Title loan bill passed allowing interest rates up to 300+ percent.
* Payday loans Bill passed with interest rates as high as 400+ percent.
* Motorcycle Noise Bill singles out motorcyclists and is discriminates on one type of vehicle.
* Fingerprint Bill Killed allows banks to take your fingerprints to cash a check.
Please E-mail Me
If you have any questions , feel free to give me a call, I would be happy to talk to you .
Please don't hesitate to call call me at 603-845-3454
James C. Webb Sr. Email Representative Jim Webb