Posts by Ethan DeWitt
House Bill 1792 “presents constitutional concerns and risks conflicts with other laws,” Assistant Attorney General Sean Locke, the head of the department’s civil rights unit, told senators last week.
A state law requiring hard proof of citizenship to register to vote for the first time could lead to more voters turned away during the upcoming September and November federal elections, New Hampshire Secretary of State Dave Scanlan testified in court Friday.
The process to create the Republican report — and the reaction to it by Democrats — showcased deep partisan divisions over the voucher-like program.
In a message to state education agencies last week that included the New Hampshire Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Education said it is putting on hold $6.8 billion across five funding programs that were supposed to be awarded to schools July 1. The federal department is reviewing the grant applications to ensure “taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the president’s priorities and the department’s statutory responsibilities” before it makes final award decisions, the message states.
“Screens are negatively impacting our learning environments, drawing students’ attention away from their classes, and becoming a barrier for teachers to do their jobs,” she told lawmakers during her inaugural address in January. “No more.”
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed two pieces of legislation Tuesday, one to extend the education freedom account program to all income levels and another to give families more control over their schools, delivering significant victories to “school choice” conservatives.
It’s boxy, angular, and typically yellow. And when it lights up on a car dashboard, the next step is often hundreds of dollars in repairs.
But some in New Hampshire believe the “check engine” light is not always reliable, and that its presence can cause vehicles to fail their state inspection even when everything is working fine.
The New Hampshire Senate advanced two anti-sanctuary city bills to Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s desk Thursday, bringing key Republican efforts closer to completion.
The bill in question, House Bill 75, does not attempt to create an elaborate structure of taxation, retail authorization, state-led product testing, or enforcement, unlike past efforts. Instead, the bill simply makes cannabis use and possession legal for all people in New Hampshire 21 and older, and removes any existing reference to cannabis from the state’s drug laws.
The House nearly unanimously passed a bill to ban “sanctuary city” policies in the state Thursday, after Democrats sided with Republicans to advance a version they argue is less drastic.
Months after his school banned cellphone use during class time, Cameron Marvin is breathing a little easier.
Hours after President Donald Trump issued an executive order Monday barring birthright citizenship to children of undocumented residents, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire sued in the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire to block its implementation.
As a Manchester public defender, Duncan represented dozens of clients, helping them to advocate for favorable bail conditions, enter plea agreements, and defend themselves against their charges. The caseload is the norm for judges, prosecutors, and attorneys in New Hampshire’s larger cities.
“We understand how this reduction in funding could impact your schools, your budgets, and, ultimately, the communities and students you serve,” wrote Department of Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut in a letter to school leaders Tuesday. “The gap between Special Education Aid claims and the amount in the state budget to reimburse districts creates real challenges, and we acknowledge the strain this places on your districts.”
Joyce Craig and Kelly Ayotte made many economic differences between them clear during a debate Tuesday. Ayotte, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, applauded the elimination of the interest and dividends tax next year, while Craig, the Democratic nominee, said the cut, passed by lawmakers, amounted to a tax cut for the wealthy.
Ever since their $100-a-year salary no longer sufficed as a part-time salary, New Hampshire lawmakers have served as volunteers. It’s an arrangement that means many House and Senate members have jobs outside of the State House.
For Granite Staters, access to affordable housing is a matter of top importance. A June University of New Hampshire poll found 36 percent of respondents cited housing as the top issue facing the state, far above any other concern.
For years, teacher pay in New Hampshire has remained low, with new teachers facing average salaries of $41,590. And for years, Democrats, teachers unions, and other advocates have urged increased state investment in public schools to direct money to teacher salaries.
Six years after approving a “bail reform” bill supported by defendants’ rights groups, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a follow-up bill last week that is set to overhaul the state’s bail system once more. Representatives of both parties have applauded the bill.
Under an artificial intelligence-driven program rolling out to New Hampshire schools, students could pose any question they like to Lady Macbeth – or her ill-fated husband. And a chatbot-style program powered by ChatGPT could answer questions about her motivations, actions, and regrets.