By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – A bail reform measure in the legislature that Gov. Kelly Ayotte has been asking lawmakers for moved one step closer to her desk Wednesday when the House Criminal Justice and Safety Committee voted in favor of its passage.
The vote was along party lines, which was a bit of a disappointment, she said, but she hoped that some Democrats will support the measure when it gets to the full House and then to the Senate.
The Democrats on the House committee were not pleased with its recommendation for House Bill 592 saying the last compromise bail law only became effective Jan. 1.
Ayotte said: “It’s a strong proposal because it’s my proposal so that helps. It’s the same one in my budget.” House Bill 592 https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/billinfo.aspx?id=804 could be enacted faster, she said.
Meeting with reporters Wednesday, Ayotte said she heard a lot about the bail issue on the campaign trail and it is not just about the city of Manchester but improving the safety for the entire state.
“I’m going to be pushing this bill….I will be making calls myself,” Ayotte said, adding the mayor of Manchester has been very involved because the city has been hit hard.
“There are…dozens of cases,” not just a recent incident in which a stabbing occurred in the Queen City but recent cases over the years involving individuals who assaulted law enforcement in Nashua, Bedford and a rape in Derry. The bill focuses on 12 crimes where people should be held.
After the House committee hearing, House Democrats released a statement saying the bill would roll back the historic compromise made on bail reform last term, reducing the standards of evidence needed to detain someone after they are arrested, and allowing a person to be detained for 36 hours, and up to 4.5 days on weekends and holidays without a hearing.
While they were not recognized to do so in committee Wednesday, when the bill comes to the floor, House Democrats will offer a minority amendment making improvements to public safety while balancing civil liberties.
Deputy Ranking Member Rep. David Meuse, D-Portsmouth said: “Today’s vote was disappointing, especially considering that just nine months ago, the Criminal Justice Committee passed, and Governor Sununu signed, a compromise bill on bail reform aimed at enhancing public safety while protecting the civil liberties of Granite Staters.
“While the bill was passed last year, the law has only been in effect since January 1st, and yet Republicans have seized on a complex case moving through the justice system to score political points—doing so at the expense of Granite Staters’ rights by allowing individuals who are arrested to be detained for days without a hearing. While Republicans and the Trump Administration may see due process as negotiable, Granite Staters do not,” Meuse said.
MEDICAID CHANGES
Ayotte took a number of questions from reporters including about changes she has proposed in her budget relating to Medicaid.
Currently there are no monthly premiums for recipients but her change would have families with children start paying up to five percent of their annual income in premiums if they make at least 255 percent of the federal poverty line.
Adults without children in the Granite Advantage program would also pay a small portion.
She said there are 26 states that Medicaid doesn’t even apply at that percentage of poverty.
Ayotte said she tried to be “very thoughtful” in how this is being done and will ask the federal government to allow for a hardship mechanism so there can be exceptions to get financial relief.
She stressed there are no changes to eligibility under the proposal.
“I think it is really important for people to understand where New Hampshire is relative to eligibility and that it was important for me to preserve that eligibility,” she said.
An estimated savings over the biennium would be close to $27 million which would be collected in premiums and go back to support the Medicaid program, she said.
Ayotte said this is not the first time premiums have been imposed and the Health and Human Services Department believe their employees can administer it.
She said as for Washington and whatever it passes is far from decided and noted that President Trump has indicated he does not want cuts to Medicaid.
UNCOMPENSATED HOSPITAL CARE
Former Gov. Chris Sununu changed the formula for uncompensated care for the hospitals and his concern particularly was on the aspects of mental health assistance. Asked if she would revisit the issue with the hospitals, Ayotte said she does expect to have discussions on the issue, but she shared some of the concerns that brought Sununu to make the change, which the Hospital Association opposed.
MOVING THE STATE PRIMARY TO JUNE
Ayotte said she would support a bill to change the primary date in the state from September to June.
“It just gives the electorate a longer opportunity than we do have…we have a very short window,” between the primary and the general election. A longer period of time allows for voters to have a better understanding of the differences in candidates, Ayotte said.
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION COOPERATION/BERLIN FACILITY
Ayotte said she would be favorable to the idea of the State Police signing a cooperation agreement with the federal government on immigration.
She noted Sununu asked for such an agreement under the former Biden Administration, but it was rejected.
Ayotte noted the state does have a cooperation agreement for the Northern Border Alliance.
“If we have dangerous people in our state that is a very big concern for state police whether they are here legally or illegally,” she said. Collaborations should exist between the federal and state government to keep people safe, she stressed.
Asked if she would weigh discuss reports that the federal Bureau of Prisons is planning on detaining hundreds of immigrants for ICE at the federal prison in Berlin, she said she has no role in weighing in on that.
DRUG TASK FORCE OVERHAUL
During the course of analysis for a new biennial budget, Ayotte said, she looked at the Attorney General’s Drug Task Force and found it was not meeting the goals it was set for because the local agencies were not participating as much as when she was attorney general.
Ayotte said to address the issue, she is looking at redirecting funds. She noted the Granite Shield program in the southern part of the state is working, and said she would like to create a similar program for four northern counties.
She designated another $1 million in her proposed budget for the counties of Coos, Grafton, Strafford and Carroll counties.
“I just think it is going to be a more effective model,” Ayotte said. She said she left the resources in the AG’s office for another person to work on “cold” or unsolved homicide cases.
In the end, she said, she believes it will translate to fewer illegal drugs on New Hampshire streets.
EDUCATION FREEDOM ACCOUNTS
Ayotte was asked about her budgetary position on expanding the state’s Education Freedom Accounts. She is looking to limit the EFAs to those who are moving their children from public school to non-public schools and to start that expansion in fiscal year 2027.
She said she looked at both the state’s fiscal position and her own belief that every child should be able to be in an education environment where they can succeed and reach their own potential.
While a product of public schools, she said she understands that they don’t always work for everyone.
“My budget proposal also allows us to meet our responsibilities. We are sending more money than ever back locally when it comes to education for our public schools and also importantly for special education,” Ayotte said.
COGE AND DOGE
Ayotte said the similarity with her Commission on Government Efficiency and President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency is that they both want to eliminate waste.
But she said the COGE she set up will funnel recommendations to her and there will be an opportunity for input from a variety of parties before any decision is made.
There is a separate website for the COGE and she said she would make sure that any recommendations are public.
She said her role with respect to the federal DOGE is to ensure that New Hampshire’s needs are addressed and she was able to get assurances from Washington and her focus is on that, not on cuts that might affect federal workers in the state.
As for DOGE, “I think they will have to obviously sort out which ones have to be handled legislatively,” she said.
Following a meeting of the Committee on Government Efficiency held Wednesday at St. Anselm College, Deputy House Democratic Leader Rep. Laura Telerski, D-Nashua,released the following statement:
“Today’s meeting of the Committee on Government Efficiency was held with little notice to legislators and without an option for the public to livestream the meeting. Granite Staters are rightly concerned about the lack of transparency from Gov. Ayotte’s commission given that at the federal level, an unelected billionaire has been given unrestrained latitude to rig the federal government, gain access to our personal data, threaten federal employees, and stop critical funding to agencies.
“While it remains unclear what COGE will be working on, we will be watching closely to ensure they don’t head down the same chaotic path as DOGE, as Granite Staters face the reality that Governor Ayotte’s top budget priorities seem to involve government hiring freezes, increasing healthcare costs for working families, and allocating taxpayer funds to private and religious schools,” Telerski said.
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AUDIT
A recent performance audit critical of the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission indicated an average complaint takes more than two years. Ayotte said that “is completely unacceptable,” and has to be addressed.
“We have a lot of work to do, no doubt,” including looking at staffing needs,” Ayotte said.