What to look for in the State House this week

Dozens of protestors gathered outside the Legislative Office Building in Concord to oppose a proposed 15-week abortion ban, which the sponsor moved to withdraw. 

Dozens of protestors gathered outside the Legislative Office Building in Concord to oppose a proposed 15-week abortion ban, which the sponsor moved to withdraw.  Charlotte Matherly / Monitor staff

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

Monitor staff

Published: 02-02-2025 8:10 AM

It’s another busy week in the State House, with some legislation starting to take shape – and some front-runners emerging.

Here’s a look at what’s happening this week and how it might impact your life.

■A group of Republicans moved to withdraw their proposed 15-week abortion ban, citing an unspecified flaw in the bill. The House of Representatives will vote on whether to accept that withdrawal later this week. It would’ve faced an uphill battle in the Legislature, as Republican leadership and Gov. Kelly Ayotte promised on the campaign trail not to enact any abortion law more restrictive than the state’s current 24-week ban. The bill’s fate didn’t stop people from showing up to protest and testify on it, however, as lawmakers and citizens spent hours debating the topic.

■The state Senate passed mandatory minimums on certain crimes related to fentanyl. They establish minimum prison sentences for people convicted of possessing certain amounts of the drug, plus a sentence of at least 10 years for anyone who distributes fentanyl that results in someone’s death. Democrats expressed concern that these bills would impact people who are struggling with addiction and advocated instead for more prevention and recovery efforts. Republican senators said that’s not the intent and ultimately raised the possession thresholds to an amount they said would only target people who intended to deal the drug. The legislation passed mostly along party lines.

■Lawmakers are also weighing giving $15 million more in state support to nonprofit organizations that provide services for people at risk of and experiencing homelessness. In a hearing this week, Republican Sen. Regina Birdsell said the state should be focusing on preventing homelessness – it’s also more cost-effective to help people before they fall into homelessness rather than after, she said. Of this funding, $3 million would go specifically toward organizations that help people with eviction prevention, rehousing and rental assistance.

Now, here are some developments of interest this week.

■On Monday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., there will be a public hearing on Senate Bill 72, which would establish a parents’ bill of rights in education. (The House of Representatives is also planning a version of this, but it hasn’t been scheduled for a hearing yet.)

■On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the House Election Law Committee will consider about a dozen bills on absentee voting. Some would limit the instances in which a voter can request or use an absentee ballot.

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■On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the House will hold a public hearing on House Bill 343, which would require the Northern Border Alliance to collect and report data about law enforcement encounters.

■On Thursday, the House goes into session at 10 a.m. to vote on new legislation for the first time this year. They’ll vote on a wide range of bills, from allowing no-cause evictions to establishing a commission to oversee charitable gaming. Like all House meetings, it’ll stream on YouTube.

■On Friday, House committees will hold hearings on House Bill 665, which increases eligibility for free school meals.

For a more detailed unpacking of weekly news from the State House, subscribe to my newsletter, Capital Beat. If you have questions or ideas about anything going on in the Legislature, please contact me.

Charlotte Matherly is the statehouse reporter for the Concord Monitor and Monadnock Ledger-Transcript in partnership with Report for America. Follow her on X at @charmatherly or send her an email at cmatherly@cmonitor.com.