The state Senate has rejected a proposal to increase the state’s gas tax.

The bill had already passed the House, and would have increased the tax by 12 cents, or 67 percent.

Republican Senator Jeb Bradley said such an increase would hurt families that are already financially stressed.

“A 12 cent increase in the gas tax is a large increase in the gas tax, and it will hurt the very people that we are sent here to protect.”

The Senate voted 18-6 to indefinitely postpone the measure.

At the time of his capture in 2011, James “Whitey” Bulger  was wanted for 19 murders, extortion and loan sharking committed during his reign over Boston’s Irish mob between the 1970s and 1995. During 16 years on the lam, Whitey became the subject of myth; characterized alternately as a “good bad guy”, and, in Martin Scorsese’s 2006 film, The Departed, a venal sociopath.

Shelley Murphy and Kevin Cullen, a pair of Boston Globe journalists have drawn on 25 years of reporting to create a more complete and nuanced portrait of the restless boy from the Boston projects who became the most wanted fugitive of his generation. Tonight, Murphy and Cullen will be at the Red River Theatre for a screening of The Departed and at a pre-screening reception and talk.

Tristan Omand, a Manchester based singer-songwriter tells stories of America’s rough edges, his songs tend towards characters who’ve been kicked around by life, their surfaces hardened by  booze, women, and lives spent on the road. Last week Tristan came in to play a few songs in Studio D and talk about the characters and stories in his songs.

We dug up this interview from 2008 with Jason Crigler, the composer of the musical score for Make Sure it’s Me.

In August of 2004, Jason Crigler, a highly-regarded guitarist, suffered a brain hemorrhage during a gig in New York City. His pregnant wife rushed him to the hospital and got the bad news: doctors told Jason’s family that he might not live through the night, and if he did, little of the Jason they knew would be left.

Gambling has been front and center in New Hampshire politics since January.  Governor Hassan made a major political push for it, interest groups weighed in on both sides, and public policy groups came out with data on the possible effects of a Granite State casino. That's why today's vote in the House has been considered by many as maybe the biggest vote of the year. In the end, the House voted 199-164 to kill the casino bill. Today we'll have some of the major players of this debate and ask gaming advocate what's next for them.

Guests

Saying there’s simply too much uncertainty, top Senate budget writers voted 4-2 against expanding the state’s Medicaid program on Wednesday.

Senate President Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) says he has concerns the Federal government won’t be able to meets its promises to fund the expansion long-term.

And he says it’s unclear if the program would even improve care for the uninsured.

New Hampshire's Pease Air National Guard base has won its bid to be first in the nation to receive a new generation of air refueling tankers.

Pease bested four other finalists to secure the new KC-46A tanker, pending an environmental study, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte announced today.

Drivers with an EZPass can now go through the tolls in Hooksett at up to 65 miles per hour, after the state launched four open road tolling lanes there on Wednesday.

Department of Transportation spokesman Bill Boynton said the goal was to get the project finished before the arrival of tourists for Memorial Day weekend.

The State House has rejected a bill to legalize a casino in southern New Hampshire, by a vote of 199 to 164.

NHPR’s Michael Brindley was on hand for the debate today in Representatives Hall. He joins All Things Considered host Brady Carlson with the latest.

Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate will vote on a bill to approve the use of medical marijuana. The House already passed a version, but the Senate will vote on a bill that is different in a few key ways: it doesn’t include a “home-grow” provision or post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition.