The New Hampshire House is considering HB1658, a bill to block additional assistance for mothers who have new children while receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

TANF, commonly referred to as "welfare," provides families an average increase in benefits of $72.50 a month for the birth of a child. 

Rep. Neal Kurk (R-Weare), the prime sponsor of the bill, defended the bill to the House Finance Committee Thursday.  "I think it is bad public policy for the state to pay for things we do not want to happen," he said.

MaryLou Beaver, the chair of the Family Assistance Advisory Council, countered, “This bill punishes children for the choices their parents make.”

CLICK HERE to read a report from the Union Leader.

On Wednesday the New Hampshire Senate passed HB648, a bill that would make it more difficult for utilities to use eminent domain for for-profit projects.

The bill was drafted in response to the Northern Pass Project, a proposed transmission line that would bring hydro-electric power from Quebec to New England. Northeast Utilities and NSTAR, the project developers, have said they have not ruled out eminent domain as a way of acquiring property for the project.

While there is a historical precedent for utilities using eminent domain, opponents of the Northern Pass point out that the project would be the first for-profit enterprise to seek eminent domain.

HB648 specifically prohibits the use of eminent domain for any transmission facility that is not needed for system reliability.

CLICK HERE to read an article from the Concord Monitor

The New Hampshire General Court is considering HB1297, a bill that would prohibit New Hampshire from forming a health care exchange.

The 2010 federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requires the states to implement a health care exchange.

Thus far the New Hampshire government has rejected any federal money sent to the state for the purpose of developing a health care exchange.

Supporters of HB1297 say New Hampshire should make every effort to reject government control of health care.  They further argue that PPACA is unconstitutional.

Opponents of the bill point out that the federal government will step in to create an exchange if the state fails to create one.  They argue that by failing to develop a health care exchange the state is effectively surrendering local control over health care reform.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of PPACA this summer.

CLICK HERE to read an article from New Hampshire Business Review, or CLICK HERE to read more about federal health care reform on our website. 

The New Hampshire House is considering HB1533, a bill to outlaw bullying in the State House.

Representative Susan Emerson (R-Rindge) is the sponsor of the bill.  She drafted the bill in response to a meeting she had with House Speaker Bill O'Brien (R-Mont Vernon) last March.  During the meeting O'Brien allegedly yelled and swore at Emerson until she agreed to withdraw several amendments to the proposed state budget.

Other Representatives have testified that O'Brien threatened to sabotage their reelection campaigns if they did not vote with the Republican majority.

House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt (R-Salem) was present during the March meeting with Emerson.  He says O'Brien did not yell, intimidate, or threaten Emerson.

O'Brien says the anti-bullying bill is merely an attempt to detract from the accomplishments of the Republican party in the House. 

CLICK HERE to read a report from the Nashua Telegraph.

On Thursday members of New Hampshire's public employee unions filled Representatives Hall to protest a series of bills aimed at weakening the collective bargaining power of public employees.

The House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services committee was scheduled to hear testimony on the bills in a hearing room across the street from the State House.  The hearing was moved to Representatives Hall to accommodate the number of public employees opposing the bills.

Most notable among the bills was HB1645, which would effectively prohibit collective bargaining by public employees.

Rep. Andrew Manuse (R-Derry), a sponsor of the bill, provided the following quote from Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt in support of the bill: "All government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service."

Rep. Shawn Jasper (R-Hudson), Majority Whip, spoke against the bill. "We all need to be able to join together in groups," he said. "That's as old as society."

CLICK HERE to read coverage from the Concord Monitor (registration may be required).

CLICK HERE to see the LFDA issue page on Public Employee Contracts.

On Wednesday the Live Free or Die Alliance asked our Facebook fans what they thought of the pending antipiracy bills, SOPA and PIPA.  Like William, most of those who commented were against the bills.

At the Live Free or Die Alliance you don't have to say "pretty please" to express your opinion.  Join the daily discussion on FACEBOOK, or check out the more in-depth discussions on our VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.