Senate President Chuck Morse says lawmakers need to agree on a short-term fix to address a court ruling that found New Hampshire's tax on hospitals unconstitutional.
The state plans to appeal the ruling, but Morse, a Salem Republican, told the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday that a short-term fix is needed now, followed by a long-term effort to phase out the tax in the state budget.
The governor, legislative leaders and representatives from the hospitals have been meeting to try and find a way to address the issues that prompted the hospitals to sue the state. The committee will discuss the issue again next week.
The tax produces about $185 million annually for Medicaid and other state spending.