They Said It!
There was plenty to say this week about RGGI, federal health care reform, private prisons, and payday loans …
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Return to Sender
The House reached a veto-proof majority when it voted 261-104 to approve its own version of a Senate proposal to fight federal health care reform. But will the Senate concur?
House to vote on fighting federal health care reform
Ready for an old-fashioned Constitutional showdown?
We’re tracking an effort by New Hampshire lawmakers to get the Attorney General to join other states in challenging the constitutionality of last year’s federal health care reform law.
The proposals may or may not amount to anything more than political posturing and a lengthy court battle. But as they play out, they illustrate tension between the states and the federal government, plus a debate within New Hampshire about separation of powers.
Closing the JUA Cookie Jar
A new proposal has emerged to settle much (but far from all) of the legal and political controversy over New Hampshire’s unique medical malpractice insurance fund. Primarily, it would settle the matter of who has a right to the extra money in the fund.
Senate Bill 170 first forbids the state from claiming any surplus funds from the Joint Underwriting Association — either through legislation or taxation. It also orders that any “excess surplus” funds be distributed to policyholders. That excess measures at least $110 million, according to the bill. And that $110 million is at the core of the two-year controversy.
A House committee will hold a public hearing on SB 170 Tuesday.
Fighting the Feds on Health Care Reform
Should New Hampshire fight last year’s federal health care reform?
Most state senators and representatives think so. The N.H. House and Senate have both passed bills to get state Attorney General Michael Delaney to join a multi-state lawsuit fighting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law in March 2010. So far, more than two dozen other states have joined the lawsuit, which challenges the constitutionality of the federal law.
The difference between the House and Senate’s persuasive approaches is the difference between “must” and “should.”
Senate Votes: Part 2
We continue highlighting some of the 34 bills and amendments scheduled for a session of the full Senate today.
The proposals include eliminating the state motor vehicle registration surcharge, repealing boating speed limits on Lake Winnipesaukee, and establishing a managed care platform for the state’s Medicaid program.
Progress Report (Part 1)
Nearly two months into the 2011 legislative session, the new roster of lawmakers in Concord have already considered and voted on a slate of bills from A to Z. The action is fast and, at times, furious. All the more reason to step back and review where we are.
Today and Monday, we offer a pair of dispatches checking in on the legislation Front Door Politics has highlighted so far this session.
Senate Bill Puts JUA Fight to Bed
Enough is enough. That appears to be the message of a Senate proposal, which, if enacted, finally could settle a score between New Hampshire and a medical malpractice insurance fund. The two-year-old controversy is about whether the state can claim surplus funds held by the New Hampshire Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association (JUA).
The Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee will hold a public hearing Thursday on Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry). The bill would prohibit the state from using any JUA funds and allow the organization to distribute surplus funds back to shareholders — medical providers who buy their malpractice insurance policies through the JUA.
Constitutional Debate Over Federal Health Care Action
A Constitutional showdown could be on the docket if New Hampshire lawmakers pass a bill set for a full House vote. The session has been cancelled tomorrow due to snow, so the House will likely take up the bill next Wednesday.
Republican-sponsored House Bill 89, which passed out of committee on a party line vote, would require the Attorney General to join some 26 other states in a lawsuit challenging the federal health care reform act passed last year. Attorney General Michael Delaney testified last month that the proposal itself was unconstitutional because the legislative branch can make laws but not tell the executive branch how to enforce them. He promised to challenge the law in court if it passes.
Pharmaceutical Take-Back
Unused pharmaceuticals increasingly fuel addiction and environmental concerns, but two new bills could help keep New Hampshire’s excess medications off the streets and out of the water supply — while getting some of them to patients for whom costly pills are largely out of reach.
