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If you need assistance with the public file, please contact Keith Murray at 603-356-8870 or gm@wmwv.com.

If you need assistance please contact Keith Murray at 603-356-8870 or e-mail gm@wmwv.com.

US Senator from New Hampshire Maggie Hassan has sponsored a bill to end government shutdowns. Hassan, and Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma, have introduced a bill called the, “Prevent Government Shutdowns Act,” which does one thing: requires all appropriations bills to be completed by both the House and the Senate and signed by the President by October 1st. After that date, the bill cuts off all travel allowances and reimbursements for all legislators, their staff, the President, and his cabinet, except for one trip- which has to be to Washington DC. The bill would also prohibit any recess of the Legislature for more than 23 hours and would prohibit votes on any bills not pertaining to appropriations unless a two-thirds majority is found to vote on another item during that punishment. Commenting on the bill in a press release Senator Hassan said, “It is the height of irresponsibility that government shutdowns are becoming a frequent occurrence, and we need to come together across party lines to end this madness.”

As the State of New Hampshire considers passing reforms for Family Medical Leave, two overall plans have emerged between Governor Chris Sununu and the State Legislature and the primary point of contention is funding. Governor Chris Sununu has teamed up with Vermont Governor Phil Scott to propose a voluntary paid Family Medical Leave plan, utilizing contributors from both New Hampshire and Vermont to grow the pool of insurance revenue to reduce the cost of insurance. New Hampshire’s Legislature is lining up behind a different proposal that may prove more controversial for the Live Free or Die state. In debates before House Bill 712 was passed in that chamber, Representative Jack Flanagan of Brookline said, “The funding mechanism is an income tax. I mean, some people will like to say it’s a payroll deduction, but it is truly an income tax and currently it’s at one-half of a one percent. Paid by the employee unless the employer is willing to pay on their behalf.” North Conway Representative Harrison Kanzler rose in defense of the bill before the house and said he disagrees. Representative Kanzler explained that an income tax bill would apply to the total income of an individual, whereas this bill would only institute a ‘premium,’ against an individual’s wages and not the total income. The bill passed the house yesterday but with just under 200 votes for the measure, it falls well below the three-fourths it will need to override the Governor’s likely veto.

Heavy winds batter New England and Mt. Washington may be bearing the brunt of it. Tom Padham, Weather Observer and Meteorologist at the Mt. Washington Observatory says they had a gust of wind as fast as 171 mph, which is a record for the month of February. Powerful winds are striking elsewhere throughout New England as well with average gusts around 53-55 mph in New Hampshire and Maine. Central Maine Power reported that 6,000 customers were in the dark. In New Hampshire, Eversource had about 7,600 customers without power, and WCYY in Maine reports a communications tower was broken in half atop Sugarloaf Mountain.