State House Dome: Slots gaming bill looking like a good bet
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Timothy Lang, R-Sanbornton, is sponsoring a bill (SB 83) that would allow owners to decide how and when to convert from the HHR technology they've had the past few years.
"I want to leave it up to the market so all these entrepreneurs can make decisions about the timeline that works for them," Lang said during an interview.
These charity owners all have lease agreements on their HHR machines and it could cost them to cancel those contracts and go right to slots.
"I suspect most of them will decide to eat that cost, but it should be their call," Lang said.
Staff for Lottery Executive Director Charles McIntyre said that with massive charity casinos coming online in Salem and Nashua, the number of gambling machines will grow from 2,000 to 4,300 in the next year. Making this move to slots could dramatically increase state aid by $63 million a year.
We're told that Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who is keeping her state budget plan very close to the vest until she presents it in a much-anticipated address Thursday, has taken an active interest in this issue. But why?
In a shrewd move, Lang would earmark 50% of the state's slot machine revenue to a top Ayotte priority — sweetening the retirement benefits for Group II employees in public safety at the state, county and local levels.
This $13 million a year into the system would reduce employer (i.e., public taxpayers) contribution rates by at least 1.5%.
"I agree with the governor. We need to deal with the Group II recruitment issue and this seems a perfect vehicle to do it," Lang said.
Another 25% of state revenue would reimburse property taxpayers for the costs they incur by giving property tax exemptions to eligible elderly, disabled, blind and deaf residents.
"With this kind of revenue, there should be a property tax break component to the program," Lang said.
House Speaker Pro Tem Fred Doucette, R-Salem, one of the biggest supporters of charities that benefit from casino games, has a bill (HB 728) that would compel all the operators to move over to slots by Jan. 1, 2028.
Lang's committee heard another bill (SB 168) that would legalize online gambling beyond sports betting, but he realizes that's a much taller order.
During her campaign, Ayotte said she's dead set against that idea and the House has routinely tossed it in the trash.
Save Forest Lake got a shout-out
Candidate for governor Ayotte said she opposed placing a landfill next to Forest Lake State Park.
Last week she cranked that up a notch.
Ayotte said landfill developer Casella Waste Systems would do well to hit the bricks.
"I really hope those that have proposed that project in Dalton rethink what they are doing," Ayotte said. "It is not just me who doesn't think it is the right thing."
But Ayotte stressed that the application process before state officials will not be disrupted as long as Casella wants to try.
"The Department of Environmental Services has a legal process that it has to follow; I am not going to interfere in that legal process," Ayotte said.
When a reporter asked if she was going to "do anything" to advance her opposition to the project, Ayotte answered, "I just did."
Weyler apologizes, then sort of doubles down
House Finance Committee Chairman Ken Weyler, R-Kingston, said he regretted making statements critical of victims of alleged sexual and emotional abuse who have filed for claims against the state after residing at the Youth Development Center.
Weyler previously said the state shouldn't have set aside so much money for victims.
"We can't break the budget with this ridiculousness for people who haven't obeyed the rules, and acting like, 'Oh, you are rewarded.' Rewarded for what? A misspent life," Weyler said. "It just doesn't make sense to me that someone who got abused, abused others and abused themselves should be rewarded and that's the way it looks: Someone on the streets says, 'YDC, I'll just say they abused me and I'll become a millionaire.' This is the example we're setting."
A bipartisan group of lawmakers roundly criticized the comment and on Wednesday midday, Weyler issued an apology.
"I sincerely apologize for my insensitive remarks regarding the Youth Development Center victims. Victim-blaming has no place in any conversation, especially when it comes to those who have endured such trauma. It is vital to recognize the deep harm these individuals have faced and to approach the matter with empathy and support," Weyler said.
Three hours later, Attorney General John Formella was discussing his budget plan and Weyler said all victims should be required to receive psychiatric counselling to get any award money.
"Not only should there be a cash award, there should be compulsory psychiatric counseling and if you refuse to take the counseling, you don't get the money," Weyler said.
A short time later he added, "If we are really in the business of helping people who have been wronged that (counseling) is a big part of this. A lot of this is in someone's mind and it has made a mess of their mind."
This advice can include advising how victims don't waste a payout, Weyler said.
"There won't be as many huge payoffs that will go to waste," Weyler said. "Now we have to give you guidance on how to mend your life instead of, 'Wahoo, I'm going to Vegas.'"
Cline gets another stint at BOE
Ayotte renominated Drew Cline of Bedford for another four-year term on the State Board of Education meeting last week.
She also endorsed a swap of member seats, proposing to move Ann Lane of Durham into an at-large seat because her town was no longer in District 2 on the board after redistricting.
Ayotte nominated existing at-large member James F. Leboe of Hopkinton to move into the District 2 spot.
Cline, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, was viewed as a credible person to become the next commissioner of education if Ayotte decided to move on past incumbent Frank Edelblut whose own four-year term runs out in late March.
Some resignations not kumbaya
A new administration gives the thousands of volunteers in state government an opportunity to take stock and decide if it's time to do something else.
That's why there were 12 resignations from state boards last week.
Most were amicable like Christina Gribben on the Board of Mental Health who wrote she's sold her home in Holderness and is moving to Troy, New York, to be closer to her grandchildren.
But Heather Gray of Derry and Debi LaPlante of Salem both had sharp criticism for state government as they exited the Council for Responsible Gaming.
The council has failed to meet since July 2023.
Gray said she made "repeated efforts" to "reconvene or at least discuss pathways to moving forward."
"I feel it is disingenuous to formally hold the title of commissioner without doing any associated work," Gray wrote.
Thanks lottery and state treasurer
Ayotte has the New Hampshire State Lottery and State Treasurer Monica Mezzapelle to thank for avoiding another depressing revenue month in January.
Business taxes continue to underperform — through January the take is $102 million less than the prior year.
The state took in $38 million from the two main taxes last month when $64.6 million had been expected according to the monthly revenue focus.
A large Mega Millions jackpot was responsible for producing $28.5 million in lottery ticket revenue or nearly twice the $15 million that was forecast.
The state took in $9.2 million more in "other" revenue, much of that greater-than-budgeted interest income Mezzapelle earned on investing public funds.
Through January, the state is still $39 million below plan (off 2.8%) and $113 million less than prior year during the same period (off 7.6%).
Executive Council tables transgender promotion
With no public comment, the Executive Council tabled the promotion of New Hampshire National Guard Capt. Nathaniel Richter of Mansfield Center, Connecticut, to major.
For 10 years, Richter has served with distinction in their current role as cyber defense operations officer assigned to the Communications Squadron Operations Flight Commander in the 157th Air Refueling Wing at the Pease Air National Guard Base.
In 2021, Richter also was deployed to Kuwait and then on to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Qatar in support of Operations ALLIES REFUGE.
Richter supervised 140 airmen and contractors that supported more than 5,000 personnel.
All the personal information about Richter's request was redacted from the council agenda.
The Union Leader has seen the "official use only" information that confirms Richter transitioned to female.
"She commissioned in 2014 as a second lieutenant as a graduate from Officer Training School Maxwell Office Base in Alabama," the item read.
A LinkedIn account that is public with all the identical biographical information as Richter including work at a Connecticut aerospace company is under the name Nathalie Richter.
What caused the council to set the item aside for more review is President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order that banned transgender people from serving openly in the military.
The guard leadership was correct to bring the promotion forward as the item came before Trump took the oath of office and his executive order was not in place.
Trump gave new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 30 days to implement it.
Adjutant General David Mikolaities did not respond to emails sent to the guard's spokesperson seeking comment.
Stephen weighs in for Medicaid work requirementExecutive Councilor John Stephen, R-Manchester, testified in support of legislation (SB 134) to try to resurrect a work requirement for able-bodied adults receiving Medicaid health insurance benefits.
Sen. Howard Pearl, R-Loudon, who is championing this one effort has powerful allies including House Majority Leader Jason Osborne and Rep. Jess Edwards, both R-Auburn.
For Stephen the issue is personal.
As the former Health and Human Services commissioner, Stephen convinced the Legislature to create a work mandate but a federal judge in 2019 blocked the law here and in Arkansas, which adopted a similar provision.
Sununu is smiling
Former Gov. Chris Sununu is smiling in Newfields after the state completed its long-term lease for Dartmouth Health to take over management of Hampstead Hospital last Monday.
Sununu made the plan one of his last big to-do items because the arrangement may save the state up to $20 million a year.
Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver said the state's emergency boarding room count for adults has already dropped near zero and predicted it will be erased for children in the coming months.
A vocal critic of the past Hampstead Hospital private administrator, Stevens said Dartmouth Health got off on the right foot by opening nine more beds since taking over last week.
Kevin Landrigan is the Union Leader's State House bureau chief. Contact him at klandrigan@unionleader.com.
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