Legislative Updates by Rep. Maureen Mooney for February, 2024

Greetings!

The New Hampshire House and Senate are working through over 800 bills. Hearings and Exec Sessions (where committees make recommendations on bills) are in now in process five days per week.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit on the House Ways & Means Committee for an Exec Session. The bills were very important and the votes were unanimous. There is collaboration in Concord! Here is a summary of some bills recently exec’d:

CACR 18 RELATING TO: the tax exempt status of churches. This bill proposes placing a Constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall to remove the tax exempt status of churches from state and local taxes. This bill was recommended “inexpedient to legislate” with a vote of 20-0.

HB 1191-FN AN ACT relative to the establishment of tax exemption to the meals and rooms tax for participants in the restaurant voucher program. This bill exempts taxation on any meal that is provided by a restaurant that is then, in-turn, redeemed by the Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services Restaurant Voucher Program. This bill will assist Meals on Wheels services by skipping the unnecessary step of taxing a meal and then obtaining reimbursement from the state. This bill was recommended “ought to pass” with a vote of 20-0.

HB 1492-FN AN ACT relative to the rate and exemption of the interest and dividends tax. This bill would re-implement the interest and dividends tax that is currently being phased out entirely by the year 2025. This bill was recommended “interim study” (meaning it will not proceed to the Senate this session) with a vote of 20-0.

Community happenings:

There is an open house and formal presentation at the Merrimack Town Hall (6 Baboosic Lake Road) on February 13, 2024 at 6pm. The purpose is to review the proposed bridge replacements and associated roadway work for the Wire Road and Baboosic Lake Road Bridges over the Everett Turnpike. See the NHDOT notice here: https://www.dot.nh.gov/news-and-media/nashua-merrimack-bedford-13761b-public-meeting-merrimack

See you around town!

Rep. Maureen Mooney is in her fifth term as a NH State Representative serving Merrimack. She serves on the House Finance Committee (Vice Chairman of Division III), the Fiscal Committee (alternate), and is co-chair of the Speaker’s Advisory Group. Her website is: www.votemooney.com and Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/maureenmooneynh.