By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – With Thursday the deadline to form committees of conference, the New Hampshire Senate agreed to a number of House requests including those related to creating a committee for cannabis sales, prohibiting the use of gender identity as a criminal defense, and long-term purchase power agreements.
The Senate did not agree with the House on establishing distances from waterbodies for new landfills and asked for a committee of conference.
Sen. Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, the minority leader, was excused for the day.
CONCURRENCE
At the end of each legislative session, some bills have been amended in ways by one chamber in which the other chamber cannot agree. In those cases, one body may ask the other for a meeting to try to resolve the differences. If they cannot resolve it or they do not accede, the bill dies.
If one body sends over a bill that is slightly changed and asks for concurrence, there is a vote in the other body to agree to concur with the changes, and that is called concurrence.
When the Senate and House concur on bills, it allows them to be passed and sent to the governor.
The House and Senate concurred on SB 53-FN relative to state building code, SB 99 related to insurance, SB 193 relative to collective bargaining, SB 49 concerning a non-lapsing fund for Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, SB 94 relative to residential childcare licensing; SB 105-FN relative to the live birth worksheet; SB 107, relative to the general administration of administrative boards; SB 149-FN relative to nurse agencies; SB 158, relative to family mediation boards; SB 204-FN providing trauma kits to state-owned buildings; SB 213 relative to social media; SB 111 relative to a town council form of government.
Also, SB 11 is relative to African American burial grounds; SB 54-FN is relative to purchase power agreements; SB 60 is relative to water quality; SB 160-FN is relative to the use of Off-Highway Road Vehicles on designated trails; SB 228-FN is relative to Hilton Park boat ramp; SB 85-FNA relative to emergency health services; SB 170 relative to small group child care centers; SB 240 relative to conditions for genetic testing; SB 58, relative to arrest without warrant in performing medical procedures when someone would be interfering.
Also, SB 187-FN relative to driver’s licenses; SB 188-FN relative to rivers; and SB 256, establishing a safety program for OHRVs.
HOUSE REQUESTS FOR COMMITTEES OF CONFERENCE
The Senate agreed to requests for Committees of Conference with the House on the following bills, to which they acceded and assigned members.
House Bill 275, relative to school tuition; HB 536 relative to school facilities; HB 75, relative to the election of Strafford county commissioners; HB 119-FN homestead licensure; HB 211, relative to the Department of Energy Systems benefits charge; on net metering in HB 281.
Also HB 221, relative to the acquisition of agriculture rights and game cameras; HB 442 removal of fishing gear; HB 534 relative to water systems in natural disasters; HB 358 relative to unemployment compensation; HB 409, relative to OPLC licensure; HB 532-FN licensure for music therapists; HB 461 studying retirement system; HB 607-FN regulations for games of chance; HB 315 prohibits gender identity as a defense; HB 610 relative to the definition of cannabis labeling; HB 611 relative to cannabis sales.
Serving on that last committee from the Senate will be Senators Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, Becky Whitley, D-Hopkinton, and Sen. Kevin Avard, R-Nashua.
NON-CONCUR AND COMMITTEES OF CONFERENCE request.
The Senate agreed to not concur with the House and requested committees of Conference on SB 207 relative to mental health intervention; SB 47, establishing a commission to study residential development; SB 70 relative to election information.
Also, SB 78 is relative to subdivision regulations; SB 88 is relative to municipalities; SB 14-FN is relative to game cameras; SB 15 is relative to the use of tree stands; and SB 61 relative to surface water setbacks for landfills.
