Senate adopts amended budget bills after hours of debate over Medicaid, housing and vouchers

Concord — The New Hampshire Senate on a series of late‑day votes approved amended versions of the two main budget measures, House Bill 1A and House Bill 2, after extended debate that centered on Medicaid funding, housing, education aid and school voucher expansions.

The Senate Finance Committee recommended adoption of House Bill 1A “ought to pass” with amendments, and Senator Gray, the committee sponsor, said the panel had restored “the 3% house cut to Medicaid, funding developmental services to ensure … there’s no wait list, and funding the community mental health.” He asked colleagues to support the committee’s work in amending the House budget.

The bill passed the Senate on a roll call, with the clerk recording: “The ayes have it by a vote of 15 to 9. House bill 1A is adopted and ordered to third reading.”

Why it matters: The two bills together set the state’s spending priorities for the coming biennium and contain a number of policy choices that senators framed as either protections for vulnerable residents or tradeoffs to control overall spending.

Key decisions and votes

- House Bill 1A: Committee…