New Hampshire Senate advances mix of education, public-safety and economic bills; key measures sent to finance

Confronting a lengthy calendar, the New Hampshire Senate on March 13 considered and voted on a range of measures including education freedom accounts (EFAs), minimum-wage legislation, school materials policies, gaming expansion, and public-safety bills. Lawmakers approved several committee-backed proposals and sent multiple bills to the finance committee for further review; others were defeated when the chamber adopted motions of "inexpedient to legislate."

The most contested items included a package of bills related to the Education Freedom Account program and a widely debated bill to expand video lottery terminal (slot-machine) gaming and set aside new state revenue. Supporters framed the EFA measures as increased parental choice and fiscal steps to phase in broader access; opponents raised concerns about impacts on school funding and taxpayer costs. Separately, senators debated but ultimately did not adopt legislation requiring courts to report certain mental-health adjudications to the FBI’s background-check system. Lawmakers also acted on smaller proclamations and administrative changes, including a resolution recognizing a statewide Service Dog Week.

Why it matters: several of the bills the Senate sent to finance affect state revenues or long-term program costs, and the EFAs and school-materials measures could alter how families access alternatives to neighborhood schools. Other votes touch on public-safety policy (a firearms-reporting proposal) and state regulatory structure (a proposal to authorize video lottery terminals and rename the lottery commission). Many measures will next move to the House, to conference, or to the finance committee for budgetary review.

Votes at a glance (key actions and outcomes) - Senate Bill 295 (Education Freedom Accounts expansion): Committee amendment adopted; Senate voted to send the bill to the Committee on Finance after a roll call. Motion passed; the Senate ordered the bill to finance (recorded roll call: aye 16, no 8). The committee amendment set an initial cap of 10,000 participants with mechanisms to expand and priority ordering if the cap is reached. Senator Murphy moved the committee recommendation; Senator Sullivan and others spoke in support of expanding choice.

- Senate Bill 203 (annual income verification for EFA participants): The Senate adopted the education committee's recommendation of "inexpedient to legislate" (ITL). The committee cited burdens on the Department of Education and possible disruption for students; the ITL motion passed on a roll call (aye 16, no 8). Senator Abbas moved the committee recommendation; Senator Altschuler opposed the ITL, urging annual verification to protect taxpayer funds.

- Senate Bill 207 (move EFA administration to Department of Education): The Senate adopted the committee recommendation of ITL on a roll call (ayes 16, noes 8). Senator Ward announced the committee recommendation; supporters of moving administration cited transparency and auditability, but the education committee concluded current structure provided efficiency and flexibility.

- Senate Bill 33 (school materials / curation policies): After debate and a roll-call attempt to…