Gene Chandler

House lawmakers are considering a measure that aims to create guidelines for election officials to judge a voters domicile. And the secretary of state’s office supports the bill.

The fight over what should constitute domicile for voting purposes has been going on for years in New Hampshire, and it’s often focused status of college students.

  Republican Representative Laurie Sanborn has dropped from the race to lead the House. She cites recent health concerns of her husband, state senator Andy Sanborn. He had emergency surgery on Election Day.

That leaves the bid for speakership between two former speakers: Gene Chandler who served from 2001 to 2004, and Bill O’Brien who served from 2010 to 2012.

We're sitting down with a panel of House and Senate leaders to look back on the year in the legislature. It was a year of victories for supporters of Medicaid Expansion, but of disappointment for casino backers and death penalty opponents.  And it ended with several major players announcing they’re getting out of the game and retiring from politics. 

GUESTS:

Hikers could be charged for their  rescues even if they didn’t do anything wrong under a bill being filed by the NH House’s top republican.

Currently much of the money for rescue operations carried out by New Hampshire Fish and Game comes from fees such as licenses for hunting, fishing and snowmobiles.

Only those guilty of the most reckless behavior risk having to pay for their rescues.

But rescues cost about $300,000 a year, says Major Kevin Jordan, of Fish and Game.

It's called Organization Day at the Statehouse - it's the day lawmakers are sworn in, leaders are elected, and, as they say, the future is yet unwritten.

NHPR's political reporter Josh Rogers joins All Things Considered host Brady Carlson with more on the House and Senate leaders and whether their calls for a new tone in the legislature were comments on the previous legislative session.