InDepthNH.org (https://indepthnh.org/author/garry-rayno-indepthnh-org/)
One controversial issue the legislature has grappled with is a continuing moratorium on new charitable gaming facilities able to offer historic horse racing games, which have performed well above expectations.
From equitable education funding to extreme partisan gerrymandering, from education vouchers to voting rights, from constitutional protections to the date of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, and from potential mass shootings to illegal legislative voting, the state dealt with all of this in one form or another during the 30 days of November.
The report was ready to go a couple of weeks ago, but two sections — one on the school atmosphere created by the state’s divisive concepts law, and the other lamenting the increased politicization of public education —- drew concern from Senate President Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, who sought to have them removed.
In a three-to-two decision Wednesday, the state Supreme Court echoed a US Supreme Court decision that determining what is extreme gerrymandering is outside the judicial branch to resolve without constitutional standards or guidance.
The Education Freedom Savings Account Oversight Committee reviewed its first report on the program Monday and will continue to fine tune it before a final vote.
The long battle over equitable education funding does not end with the two decisions released last week.
Rockingham County Superior Court Judge David Ruoff ruled the state needs to pay a higher percentage of public education costs and its methodology for administering the statewide property tax makes it unconstitutional.
Two education funding decisions released Monday were a double whammy telling lawmakers to significantly increase state funding and the state to stop manipulating the statewide education property tax to benefit wealthy communities.
New Hampshire faces a growing problem with an aging workforce, the dearth of affordable housing and child care, and the high cost of higher education.
A state with workforce constraints and an aging population faces a stagnant economy without greater investment in higher education, a study finds.