Latest news with #SenateFinanceCommittee
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Stripped-down auto inspection plan in proposed Senate budget
Senate budget writers review auto inspection program changes Senate budget writers approved a stripped-down program of inspections for car and truck owners. In March, the House had voted overwhelmingly to get rid of the annual exams. A stripped-down, safety inspection requirement for New Hampshire car and truck owners has emerged in the latest state Senate budget proposal as Republican leaders revived an issue that looked like it had been put off until 2026. The Senate Finance Committee unanimously embraced the plan of Sen. Howard Pearl, R-Loudon, and three colleagues that seeks consensus with the House of Representatives that overwhelmingly voted to get rid of these inspections altogether (HB 649). 'I feel like this is down-the-middle approach to where we want to get to. We all hear from our constituents that this was an important topic for them that they wanted to see some action on,' said Pearl who chairs the Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee. A final House-Senate compromise on this and the entire budget are weeks away, but this could improve the tenor of those talks since both sides are addressing this inspection testing mandate. Leading House members working on the auto inspection issue bitterly criticized the Senate earlier this month after it voted, 19-3, to again refer the House-passed bill to repeal the program which meant it would be on the sidelines until early next year. Here's how Pearl's proposal would work: • New cars and trucks owners: They would have to pass a safety inspection, but then not have to have one for another three years; • Older vehicles: All those owning vehicles three years and older would have to pass a safety inspection each year, but one that checked out a lot fewer items than the current tests do; • Diagnostic/Emissions: This would direct the Department of Environmental Services by Jan. 1 to ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for permission to do away with on-board diagnostic and emission testing of tailpipes, currently the part of all annual inspections and, • Delayed Start-Up: This would put off all these changes until Jan. 1, 2027, to give DES time to get an answer from the EPA and for lawmakers to make any adjustments based upon that response. New Hampshire has had these tailpipe tests done since the early 1990s so it would be following the federal Clean Air Act. Pearl's nine-page amendment (on pages 21-29) includes explicit language that auto shop owners may not flunk for inspection incidental items such as an auxiliary light, mirror crack or some other computer glitch in the car or truck that doesn't affect its operation. Sen. David Watters, D-Dover, credited Sen. Dan Innis, R-Bradford, and Pearl with working out this language. 'This program will ensure we have safety on our roads, and we deal with what some people call the nuisance factor of these inspections,' Watters said. Sen. Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, estimated the changes reduce the number of factors affecting a pass or fail inspection from 'more than 55 down to about 20.' 'We intended it to be a safety program; with this, it would be back to being a safety program,' Lang said. Pearl said this would not alter up or down the cost that garage owners could charge for inspections. House budget writers put repeal of these inspections, and the layoff of all state staff to run the program into the trailer bill of the two-year state budget it approved last month. Health insurance premiums Senate budget writers endorsed a modified way for income eligible families on government insurance programs to pay a monthly premium for coverage. Gov. Kelly Ayotte had proposed those making over federal poverty level limits to pay 5% of their monthly income in these premiums. Senate Majority Leader Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, has countered with a flat monthly premium based on the number of people in the family. The two Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee opposed the plan. On health insurance premiums, Ayotte had proposed last February: • Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP): 8,000 families with children in CHIP would pay if they made at least 255% of the federal poverty level, which is roughly $72,500 a year. The 5% premium would be about $300 a month or $3,600 a year. Birdsell's plan changes it to a flat monthly premium of $190 for a family of two, $230 for a family of three and $270 for a family of four. • Granite Advantage: The premium would be charged to 12,000 for low-income adults in the Medicaid expansion program who made at least 100% of the federal poverty level, which for a single person is about $16,000 annually. The 5% translates to about $66 a month or $800 a year in client payments. Birdsell's proposal alters this to a sliding scale based on family size of $60 for a single monthly to $100 for a four-person family. What's Next: The Senate Finance Committee will make its final votes on the spending plan Tuesday. Prospects: House leaders could decide this change to inspections achieves its top goals, getting rid of the 'nuisance' tests and giving newer car and truck owners a break since the failure rate for these vehicles is so low. klandrigan@
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Hampshire Senate moves to restore panels wiped out by House, with some changes
Sens. Regina Birdsell, Tim Lang, and Cindy Rosenwald sit at a Senate Finance Committee session, May 29, 2025. (Photo by Will Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin) In April, the New Hampshire House passed a budget that eliminated a number of state boards, including the Commission for Human Rights, the Housing Appeals Board, the Commission on Aging, and the State Council on the Arts. This month, Senate Republicans are moving to save those entities. But each could look slightly different moving forward. In a series of votes, the Senate Finance Committee gave initial approval to amendments that would reverse the cuts — with conditions. Those amendments must be approved by the committee again next week, and then by the full Senate on June 5. Here's what the Senate has proposed. The House budget had eliminated the Arts Division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, including the New Hampshire Council on the Arts. That division had received about $1.7 million in state funding, and $2 million in federal funding. The Senate's proposed amendment, passed Thursday, would restore the division, but change how it is funded. Rather than receiving general fund dollars, businesses could donate to the Granite Patron of the Arts Fund, and receive 50% of that donation as a credit against the business profits tax. The tax credit could give out a maximum of $350,000 a year, which would translate to a maximum potential budget of $1.4 million over two years for the arts fund. The amendment is a shift in approach for Sen. Tim Lang, a Sanbornton Republican, who earlier proposed reducing funding for the Arts Division to $1. 'My inbox was filled when I allocated $1 for the Council on the Arts, and I took that to heart and I made changes,' he said. 'This will allow for a tax break system — it will still allow them to collect donations, but make it more incentivized by allowing those corporate donations or private donations.' Democratic Sen. David Watters, of Dover, called the compromise 'very helpful.' 'I think that making sure … that we have the core operations covered, so that there can be somebody who actually goes out and tries to sell these tax credits, that is good, and I think that will keep the office functioning,' he said. The Senate restored funding to the Housing Appeals Board, which is designed to give developers and residents an alternative to the state court system to resolve conflicts with local zoning and planning boards. The House had cut that panel entirely, which costs $560,864 over two years. But Senate Finance Chairman James Gray said the committee would recommend eliminating a position within that board, and would attach the board to the state's Board of Tax and Land Appeals, which handles disputes over state and local taxes as well as property assessments. Gray said the attachment was designed to save on personnel costs to run both boards. The Senate Finance Committee recommended reviving the Commission for Human Rights, a panel designed to investigate discrimination complaints and pass them on to the Attorney General's Office for potential prosecution under state anti-discrimination statutes. The House had abolished the commission, but the Senate restored it, at a cost of $2.7 million over two years. But another Senate amendment would require the Department of Justice's civil rights unit to oversee the commission. The amendment would also mandate that the chairperson of the commission be a licensed attorney in the state. The committee also proposed restoring funding to the State Commission on Aging, at $150,000 per year. Currently, that is funded at $280,432 per year; the House had voted to eliminate the commission. The commission, established in 2019, is charged with making recommendations on how the state can support older residents and increase the health care workforce for direct care. The votes this week came as the Finance Committee decided to follow a rosier outlook for revenues the next two years. On Wednesday, Lang, who is also the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, said Department of Revenue Administration Commissioner Lindsey Stepp had recommended new projections for the state's business profits tax, meals and rooms tax, and real estate transfer tax. The new projections would increase business tax revenues by $75 million over the biennium; the meals and rooms tax by $27.8 million; and the real estate transfer tax by $5 million. Lang cited analyses from Morningstar and Kiplinger, two research firms, that suggested New Hampshire could benefit from uncertain economic conditions by attracting people seeking to save money or take local vacations. Sen. Dan Innis, a Bradford Republican, backed up Lang's analysis, arguing he believes revenues will come in even stronger than Lang's proposed increase. But a Democratic senator, Cindy Rosenwald of Nashua, said she disagrees with the move to increase projected business tax collections. Rosenwald said she had her own conversation with Stepp, and had received a more mixed assessment of businesses. 'If the tariff stuff doesn't calm down, that's going to lead to more business uncertainty, but if the extension of the federal tax cuts gets made (in Congress), businesses will like that, because they like certainty,' Rosenwald said. '…So I'm not comfortable with increasing the business tax rates.' Adopting those new projections will allow the Senate to plan for nearly $108 million more in revenue over the next two years, which could help it ease some cuts imposed by the House. The committee voted to approve the new revenue figures on party lines, 5-2. The committee voted on Wednesday against a proposal to increase the amount of money transferred to the state's affordable housing fund from $5 million to $7 million. That money comes out of the state's real estate transfer tax. Watters argued that the fund should be increased to allow more development because the current amount is not enough. Initially, Democrats and affordable housing advocates had pushed for the annual transfers to the fund to be doubled, to $10 million.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate budget brings back state support for arts
Bowing to public and political pressure, Senate budget writers approved a spending and tax credit proposal to leverage up to $3.7 million in support for the arts. In another major decision, the Senate Finance Committee more than doubled the amount of state aid to the University System of New Hampshire that had been included in the House-approved spending plan. The House budget would eliminate all funding for the Council on the Arts, essentially eliminating the council.. Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairman Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, had convinced his budget colleagues earlier this month to set aside only $1 for the state Council on the Arts and to seek private donations and federal grants to pick up the slack. 'My email inbox was filled when I allocated $1,' Lang said. 'This creative solution leverages scarce state resources with matching private sector donations and federal grants to generate more than $3.7 million for the Arts Council.' Gov. Ayotte had been pushing senators to reconsider their position after she had proposed $2 million in state and federal grants for the arts — about half of what the council currently receives. Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, authored the new proposal with Lang. Senate budget revives state support for arts Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, co-authored with Sen. Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, a proposal that took a step forward to provide up to $3.7 million in support for the arts. 'We all wanted to find a way to keep the Arts Council alive,' Carson said. The proposal creates a Granite Patron of the Arts program that would provide donors with a 50% state tax credit. The program would have a total donation limit of $700,000 a year, which would cost the state $350,000 in tax credits. The plan also sets aside $150,000 each year that should cover overhead costs for the arts council, and allows the council to seek federal grants that could amount to up to $1 million a year. Sen. Daniel Innis, R-Webster, who had been urging his GOP colleagues to support the arts, said, 'I think we are in a good spot with this change." Reversing the House The move is the latest of many the Senate committee has made to undo actions taken by House budget writers. The Senate Finance Committee's action on funding for the university system would bring annual state aid to the system's three fpur-year colleges up to $85 million annually. Gov. Kelly Ayotte had proposed state aid each year of $91.2 million. Carson noted the first decisions Senate budget writers made were to reverse House-approved cuts to Medicaid providers and programs for mental health and individuals with developmental disabilities. The House spending plan also eliminated funding for the Office of the Child Advocate, the Commission on Aging, the Human Rights Commission, the Housing Appeals Board and the Board of Land and Tax Appeals. The Senate restored all of those programs in some form, reducing the Housing Appeals Board by one member, giving the Commission on Aging a significant budget cut, and requiring the Human Rights Commission's annual report to address a critical performance audit that came out late last year. The Senate budget would also create a one-year advisory council in the judicial branch to monitor how well the Human Rights Commission is addressing its case backlog and other administrative shortcomings that auditors found. More action The Senate spending plan would also use an estimated $10 million from the sale of the former Laconia State School to a private developer to purchase 1 Granite Place in Concord, an office building that houses the Department of Justice. Concord developer and former state Republican Party Chairman Steve Duprey owns the office complex. Also winning approval was $3.8 million in state dollars to maintain a call center that is used to help the Department of Health and Human Services make timely decisions on Medicaid eligibility for nursing home placements. The call center opened a few years ago with the support of federal American Rescue Plan Act grant money that is no longer available, state officials said. Brendan Williams, chief executive officer of the New Hampshire Health Care Association, said nearly all private nursing homes are facing critical cash shortages as they wait months for potential residents to be approved for admission. Nursing home executives have agreed to a state fee increase to help support the effort. 'We think this is the means to give the department the resources to timely make these critical decisions for our industry,' Williams said. The Senate budget would also provide $500,000 in state grants for family planning programs that generate roughly double that amount in federal support. Finance Committee Chairman James Gray, R-Rochester, said his panel will make final votes on its budget proposal next Tuesday. A key decision still to be made is whether to grant $28 million each year in pension benefit enhancements for first responders with government jobs who had their retirements cut by a 2011 reform law. klandrigan@
Roya News
3 days ago
- Business
- Roya News
US court blocks Trump's global tariffs
A US trade court has ruled against President Donald Trump's attempt to impose blanket global tariffs, stating he overstepped his authority in doing so. The decision, delivered by a three-judge panel at the Court of International Trade, marks a major setback for the Trump administration's aggressive trade strategy, which included unilateral taxes on foreign imports. The case centered on tariffs introduced in April on what Trump dubbed 'Liberation Day.' The measures imposed a 10 percent baseline tariff on imports from several countries and prompted a sharp reaction from financial markets. Trump defended the decision by citing a 'national emergency,' arguing that he did not require congressional approval. But the court disagreed, siding with five small American businesses that brought the lawsuit. The companies—ranging from wine distributors to musical instrument retailers—claimed the tariffs inflicted serious financial harm, threatening their survival. The Trump administration swiftly responded by filing an appeal, setting up the possibility of the case reaching the US Supreme Court. The decision drew praise from critics of the former president's trade policies. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield described the tariffs as 'unlawful, reckless and economically devastating.' Senator Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said the measures 'jacked up prices on groceries and cars, threatened shortages of essential goods, and wrecked supply chains for American businesses large and small.' Meanwhile, the White House issued a defiant statement, saying, 'It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency.' Stephen Miller, Trump's deputy chief of staff, went further, calling the ruling a 'judicial coup' in a social media post. Kush Desai, a spokesperson for the administration, defended the tariffs by saying trade deficits had 'decimated American communities and left our workers behind.' The ruling comes amid broader shifts in US trade policy. Earlier this month, Washington and London finalized a bilateral agreement to lower tariffs on British cars and eliminate duties on UK steel and aluminum. It remains unclear how the court's decision will affect that deal. Market reaction was swift. The US dollar climbed and futures markets rallied after the ruling. Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank, noted, 'The market is doing a kneejerk reaction… reversing a lot of the moves we've seen.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Cornyn visits Waco to discuss future of Trump tax cuts with small business owners
WACO, Texas (FOX 44) — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made a stop in Waco on Tuesday to meet with small business owners and discuss the future of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), a signature piece of legislation passed during President Donald Trump's first administration that is set to expire at the end of 2025. Cornyn, a Texas Republican and member of the Senate Finance Committee, is traveling across the state to hear directly from entrepreneurs about how the tax cuts have affected their operations — and how extending them might help sustain growth. The meeting was held at Sticker Universe. The senator met with John Peel of Sticker Universe, Trey Lipsitz of M, Lipsitz & Co., Kirk Zander of United Truck Equipment Company & United Truck Equipment Manufacturing, and Kyle Citrano of George`s Restaurant. 'This is important to economic growth, not only here in Waco and McLennan County, but across Texas and across the nation,' Cornyn said. 'There's a lot of challenging economic signals being sent with some of the tariff negotiations and the like, which make this even more important. We need to maintain the growth of our economy here locally, in our state, and in our nation.' Local business owners say the tax law helped them hire more workers and reinvest in their companies. Kyle Citrano, owner of George's Restaurant, said the TCJA gave him the confidence to expand. 'I would love to grow more. I love to try and do new things. I'd love to do other kinds of things here in Waco, but I don't know if that's a possibility without those aspects,' Citrano said. Kirk Zander, president and owner of UTEC & UTEM, warned that allowing the tax cuts to expire could have ripple effects across the workforce. 'I think businesses would just invest less, and it would just slow the whole environment of the economy,' Zander said. 'Certainly, employees would suffer —We'd probably have to lay some people off.' According to Cornyn, letting the tax cuts expire would result in tax increases for about 60 percent of American families in 2026, and the average family of four making $75,000 a year would face a $1,500 tax increase next year. Working families would see the child tax credit cut in half, and Texans would see their taxes increase an average of $3,000. While some Americans have expressed concern about the long-term fiscal impact of the TCJA, Cornyn said there are ways to balance the budget without targeting vulnerable populations. 'In order to begin to be fiscally responsible, we're going to have to do some hard things,' he said. 'But we are determined to do it, number one, without affecting Social Security. And number two, without affecting benefits for Medicaid recipients.' Cornyn acknowledged that he does not expect significant support from his Democratic colleagues in extending the law. 'Many of my Democratic colleagues don't like tax cuts. They believe they are the party of government and they want to grow the government, which means more revenue, which means higher taxes,' he said. As the 2025 expiration date approaches, the debate in Washington is heating up — and business owners in Texas are watching closely to see what Congress decides. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
