A committee appointed by Republican Gov. Chris Sununu in hopes of making New Hampshire more business-friendly is starting its work.
Sununu, who called New Hampshire a "regulatory police state" during his campaign, last month appointed a regulatory reform steering committee to conduct in-depth reviews of state regulations and recommend changes.
At its first meeting on Thursday, members heard from businesses and industries ranging from bagpipe makers to ski areas. Jim Roche, president of the Business and Industry Association, said the high cost of energy is a top concern for manufacturers, and said the current process for evaluating power projects should be changed to reduce delays and hurdles.
Critics note that the state already has a committee tasked with reviewing regulations and call Sununu's efforts a political stunt.
