NH Politics

Seven Republican lawmakers were reprimanded on the floor of the New Hampshire House Thursday for not completing newly mandatory anti-harassment and discrimination training — but it didn’t happen without objection. 

Lawmakers heard testimony today on two bipartisan bills aimed at preventing sexual assault and helping survivors seek medical and legal services. 

SB 508 would remove the time limit for an alleged victim of sexual abuse to file a civil lawsuit. Right now, those abused as children have to file claims before they turn 30, and, if abused as an adult, they have to file within three years of the incident. 

Responding to a pair of high-profile ethics cases that highlighted the lack of clear restrictions on conflicts of interest at the State House, lawmakers are weighing how best to balance their role as citizen legislators with a desire to prevent politicians from exploiting public office for private gain.

Cat declawing will remain legal in New Hampshire after state lawmakers voted down a bill to ban the procedure.

Lawmakers on the fiscal committee voted today against accepting a $10 million federal grant for charter school expansion.

This was the fourth vote in two months against the grant, which aims to double the number of charter schools in New Hampshire over the next five years.

Democrats say it would undermine traditional public schools and cost the state millions of dollars down the road.

Gov. Chris Sununu talked up the economy, touted improvements to New Hampshire's mental health system, and promoted new protections for drinking water during his annual "State of the State" address.

Speaking inside Representatives Hall to a joint session of New Hampshire lawmakers on Thursday, Sununu asked Republicans and Democrats to come together, and avoid Washington-style gridlock.

Editor's note: This post was updated on Feb. 27 to reflect newly released election data.

After a messy caucus in Iowa last week, the pressure was on for New Hampshire to avoid making any serious mistakes in Tuesday's presidential primary. And for the most part, it seems like New Hampshire succeeded.

Governor Chris Sununu delivered his 2020 State of the State address on Thursday. 

Bookmark this page for updates, including audio and text of the governor's address when they are available, news items, and more.

Watch the broadcast of NHPR's special coverage: 

Steve Stepanek called it “the big reveal.”

He paused for effect. He then donned a red Keep America Great ball cap and announced:

“I’ve been in the closet too long. I’m happy to be out, and I want all the other Trump supporters to come out of the closet and get out there and support and elect Donald Trump in New Hampshire and across this great country.”

Governor Chris Sununu on Monday vetoed a bill on net energy metering that was held over from last year's legislative session.

It’s his first veto of the 2020 session, on top of a record number in 2019.

The bipartisan bill was one of lawmakers' latest attempts to increase the limit on how much renewable energy towns and businesses can generate themselves and use to save money.

Four years ago, the dynamics of the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary were elemental. Voters were either in with establishment frontrunner Hillary Clinton, or they joined forces with the outsider, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. In the end, the “outs” had it: Sanders won in a landslide, sweeping every county in the state by double-digit margins.

This time, the map to victory in New Hampshire may be more complicated for Sanders and his wide array of competitors.

It's the final stretch before the first primary ballots will be cast in New Hampshire, and candidates are crisscrossing the state to make their final case to voters here. Bookmark this page for updates on what the candidates are up to in these final days, what Granite State voters are saying, and more.

Click here for Part 2 of our Primary Countdown Blog.

The New Hampshire Senate has again passed a bill that would let qualified patients grow their own medical cannabis. The bill allows patients or designated caregivers to raise up to three mature marijuana plants at a time.

Tom Sherman, a Democrat from Rye, says approved patients can struggle to obtain cannabis.

Many of the Democratic presidential candidates will be in Concord Wednesday for a marathon town hall on climate change.

The day-long forum focuses on young voters – especially students working in or studying climate and clean energy issues.

Each candidate will get about an hour to talk about their climate change plans and take questions from students in related fields.

After a day of confusion and incomplete information,  the two candidates who, at least for now, appear to have finished first and second in the Iowa Caucuses – Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders – spoke to enthusiastic crowds Tuesday evening. Both of them claimed Iowa victories...in New Hampshire.

The confusion over the results from Monday night's Iowa Caucuses kept most candidates from announcing a clear victory Tuesday morning. And it left voters in New Hampshire trying to make sense of where the campaigns stand, and what it means in the countdown to next week's primary. 

Tonight, Iowans will take to school gymnasiums and church basements to select their preferred presidential candidates. 

Tomorrow, voters in the other state that likes to call itself “first” will wake up, read the Iowa results, and then possibly go in their own direction.

Like many presidential candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is spending lots time in New Hampshire in the final days of the state's presidential primary. But as he campaigned in Portsmouth on Sunday morning, he ended up doing more listening than talking.

The New Hampshire State Senate approved a bipartisan bill on Thursday to help schools get reimbursed for providing medicaid-eligible services. 

The bill comes after months of confusion over how schools can take advantage of the Medicaid to Schools Program, which allows schools to receive reimbursement for providing services like check-ups, counseling, and speech pathology to students eligible for Medicaid, as long as the services come from a Medicaid-participating provider.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, Gov. Chris Sununu will deliver his State of the State address before a joint convention of the state House of Representatives and Senate.

NHPR will have live coverage of the address, beginning at 10 a.m. Laura Knoy, host of The Exchange, will host the special broadcast. She will be joined in studio by NHPR's Senior Political Reporter Josh Rogers and Anna Brown, director of research and analysis for Citizens Count.