RAYMOND - I’ll wrap up this 2011-12 new law series with some of the more than 80 bills reducing business and consumer regulatory burdens and putting out the “Open for Business” sign. By now you should know that, this past term, under Republican leadership, in addition to creating a balanced budget, made many good changes in our legislation, thus improving the way of life here in New Hampshire.
Bills passed into law lifted the government burden on the state’s pharmacy technicians, barbers, developers, farmers, truck and bus owners and operators, community living facilities, OHRV and snowmobile operators, junkyard owners, landlords, builders, ginseng producers, oil and gas distributors, nano brewers, specialty beer manufacturers, homestead food producers, telephone service providers, limited liability corporations (LLC), health care sharing organizations, and municipal culvert installers.
They also repealed a number of outdated and unnecessary laws including restrictions on the sale of oleomargarine, artificial flowers and miniature flags, a ban on the sale of stove polish, a number of un-enforced election laws, and the state minimum wage statute which is made unnecessary by the federal minimum wage law.
Some of the legislation includes:
HB-248 (2011) - Established a new “Commission to Study Business Regulations in New Hampshire” to review business regulations identifying further areas where burden reduction, simpler compliance, and cost savings can be made.
HB-589 - Repeals New Hampshire’s “card check” law and restores the secret ballot to state workers to decide whether they want to form a labor union.
HB-1302 - allows employers to set their tax period with their federal tax year, meaning the calendar year or the fiscal year whichever is used for federal.
HB-1484 - Allows for shore-land homeowners to repair, replace in kind, reconstruct in place, alter, or expand their homes or other structures on their property.
HB-1571 - Lifts certain reporting mandates for home schooling programs and the authority of public school evaluations to terminate a homeschooling program.
HB-1617 - Repeals the Certificate of Need Law (CON) in three years to increase competition, reduce the cost of health-care to individuals and businesses, and improve care.
HB-1636 - Eliminates bureaucratic red tape individuals have to go through to get a permit to repair or shore up property that is regularly affected by storms and ice. Certain permits for repair will no longer expire and require renewal after 5 years.
SB-245 - Changes medical sharing legislation designed for private, non-profit organizations, designed to monthly share medical costs by allowing members to financially assist fellow participants with certain medical expenses exempt from the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Insurance, with a new state law Chapter RSA 126-V Health Care Sharing Organizations.
SB-317 - Allows up to six persons to be towed on one or more inflatable tubes by motorboat.
This wraps up the new laws series. Hope it was informative and gave you a quick glimpse of some of the changes. If you want to read the text of a bill, just type in “nh gen court” web and when it comes up, in box at right type in bill number.
(Editor’s Note: NH State Representative Mike Kappler can be reached at l.mikekappler@comcast.net)
