March 24, 2017
The Government Action Committee of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce takes the below positions the following bills, pending review and approval of the Chamber Board of Directors. NEXT GAC MEETING is April 7, 12-1 PM at the SVCC Office.
SENATE
Workforce/Economic Development
SB74 - relative to economic revitalization zone tax credits. IN FAVOR Status: Report Filed. Hearing 3/30/17
SB75 - establishing a tax credit against business profits taxes for donations to career and technical education centers. IN FAVOR Status: Rereferred.
SB76 - establishing an option to rebate the research and development tax credit against business profits taxes, and making an appropriation therefor. IN FAVOR Status: Rereferred.
SB101 - relative to enrollment eligibility for regional career and technical education programs. IN FAVOR Passed by Senate Status: House in Committee
SB22 - relative to employer immunity for disclosure of certain worker employment information. IN FAVOR Inexpedient to Legislate
LSR734- reducing the rate of the business profits tax. IN FAVOR
SB90 - adjusting the minimum employer's contribution rate for unemployment insurance. AGAINST Inexpedient to Legislate
SB94 – relative to making a capital appropriation for affordable housing. IN FAVOR with caveat that local communities will retain control over approval of proposed projects. Status: Added to Capitol Budget
SB135 - relative to the regulation of electricians. IN FAVOR Status: Senate-Laid On Table
SB205 – establishing the small business jobs fund and tax credit. IN FAVOR Status: Senate-Report Filed
Energy
SB125 - establishing a committee to study transmission and distribution costs in the state's energy system. IN FAVOR Status: Senate-Passed. House – In Committee
SB116 - requiring notice to affected municipalities of energy facility siting. IN FAVOR Status: Senate-Passed. House – In Committee, Hearing 4/4/17
HOUSE
Workforce/Economic Development
HB155-relative to funding for kindergarten programs. IN FAVOR Status: House Retained In Committee
HB 219-relative to establishing a demographic study committee. IN FAVOR Status: House Adopted with amendment. Senate in Committee
HB412 - relative to the pre-engineering technology curriculum. IN FAVOR Status: House Adopted. Senate in Committee
HB522 - establishing a committee to review occupational licensing to determine which licenses could be made optional for practitioners. IN FAVOR Inexpedient to Legislate
HB 115 - establishing a state minimum wage and providing for adjustments to the minimum wage. This bill would establish a state minimum wage of $9.50 per hour. GAC NO POSITION Inexpedient to Legislate
Transportation
HB347 - making an appropriation for rural bus service. The SVCC GAC supports this bill but suggests expanding the definition of rural. Currently as written this bill defines rural as counties with a population of 100,000. However, SVCC feels that the communities of the Souhegan Valley fit the intent of this bill, however as all our communities are located in Hillsborough County, our towns would be disqualified. Status: House Retained In Committee
Energy
HB145 - requiring municipal approval for siting high voltage transmission lines. AGAINST Inexpedient to Legislate
HB493 - relative to evaluating the public interest of gas pipeline capacity contracts. IN FAVOR Inexpedient to Legislate
HB324 - relative to the valuation of utility property. IN FAVOR Retained
HB352 - relative to the energy efficiency fund. IN FAVOR Status: House Passed, Senate In Committee
HB337 - relative to municipal regulations of small wind energy systems.IN FAVOR Status: House Passed, Senate In Committee
HB162 - Recommended Inexpedient to Legislate relative to the criteria for the issuance of certificates for the siting of high pressure gas pipelines. This bill adds a new section existing RSA 162-H. The new proposed section states:
No site shall be considered for a high pressure gas pipeline unless the application provides that:
I. All affected residential property owners shall receive just compensation for eminent domain proceedings. Compensation shall include:
(a) Payment of the full fair market value of all residential property taken by the applicant.
(b) Reasonable relocation expenses not to exceed $10,000.
(c) The cost of one real estate appraisal requested by the owner.
(d) Reasonable attorneys’ fees and legal costs incurred by the owner.
II. The applicant has established that 75 percent or more of the gas transmitted into New Hampshire as a result of such high pressure gas pipeline shall be distributed within New Hampshire.
The GA Committee is AGAINST this proposal as we feel that the requirement of 75% of gas transmitted into New Hampshire must be distributed in New Hampshire is unrealistic and would prohibit pipeline projects from moving forward. The high cost of energy is of great concern to our member businesses and already impeding business expansion and development. Our region, and indeed all of New Hampshire, needs more diverse and affordable sources of energy, including natural gas. Limiting a pipeline to distributing 75% of its volume to New Hampshire will serve to prevent pipelines from coming into New Hampshire altogether as pipeline companies will find it not cost effective to service a small state such as New Hampshire. This leaves our businesses, especially our manufacturers, from viable energy choices.
HB324 - relative to the valuation of utility property. IN FAVOR. This bill allows the Dept. of Revenue Administration to create a standard for the assessment method for utility poles for use by all communities. IN FAVOR
Bills under review by the GAC (no position taken at this time):
Senate
SB135- relative to the regulation of electricians.
SB169 - relative to the definition of agritourism
SB170 &SB191 - relative to the authority of towns to issue bonds for the expansion of broadband infrastructure. Status: Rereferred
SB100- making a general fund appropriation for continuation of the project development phase of the New Hampshire capital rail corridor project. Inexpedient to Legislate
SB94- making a capital appropriation for affordable housing. Status: Senate-Laid On Table
SB202- allowing community investment in a development finance institution. Inexpedient to Legislate
HOUSE
HB 115 - establishing a state minimum wage and providing for adjustments to the minimum wage. Inexpedient to Legislate
HB535 - relative to community net metering. Status: House-Laid On Table
HB179 - relative to financing the construction of high pressure gas pipelines. Inexpedient to Legislate
HB559 - relative to expenditures from the energy efficiency fund. WATCH Status: House-Retained in Committee
HB604 -establishing the John and Molly Stark workforce opportunity program. Inexpedient to Legislate
HB 401 - relative to the implementation of the recommendations of grid modernization. Status: House-Retained in Committee
HB 628 - relative to a family and medical leave insurance program. From bill text: This bill establishes a social insurance program that would be operated by New Hampshire Employment Security to provide for paid family and medical leave insurance (FMLI). This bill requires New Hampshire Employment Security to establish and administer the family and medical leave insurance fund. Funding for the program shall come from employers who must remit family and medical leave insurance premium payments on a quarterly basis which shall be 0.5 percent of wages per employee per week for each week of the preceding quarter. Status: Retained in House Committee
HB 615 - reducing the rates of the business profits tax and the business enterprise tax. Inexpedient to Legislate
HB538 - requiring temporary licensure of a person holding an occupational or professional license granted in another state or country. Status: House Passed, Senate in Committee GAC emailed testimony
HB522- establishing a committee to review occupational licensing to determine which licenses could be made optional for practitioners. Inexpedient to Legislate
The Government Action Committee of the Souhegan Valley CHamber of Commerce supports the following bills:
Senate
SB74 - relative to economic revitalization zone tax credits.
SB75 - establishing a tax credit against business profits taxes for donations to career and technical education centers.
SB76 - establishing an option to rebate the research and development tax credit against business profits taxes, and making an appropriation therefor.
2017-0925 - establishing a committee to study transmission and distribution costs in the state's energy system.
House