Priorities for the NH Legislature

DEALS. I AM FRED KOLKER. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATURE IS BACK IN TOWN AT CONCORD AT THE STATEHOUSE AND IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. BUSINESSES WATCH TO SEE WHAT KIND OF LEGISLATION WILL HARM OR HARM OR IMPROVE BUSINESSES IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. AND THERE IS A PARTICULAR PLAYER AT THE STATEHOUSE RIGHT NOW WHO IS MONITORING THESE BILLS. THIS IS THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. THEIR PRIORITIES IN THIS PARLIAMENT, LABOR AVAILABILITY, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESS. ENERGY COST. EXPANSION AND TRADE OF MEDICAID. REGULATORY. WEATHER. THE FIRST TWO PRIORITIES. LABOR AND HOUSING. LEADS TO THIS QUOTE FROM THE CEO OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS EARLIER THIS MONTH. AND HERE IT IS. LEGISLATIVES FINALLY RECOGNIZE LACK OF INVENTORY IS A DRAGON ON THIS STATE’S ECONOMY, SAID BOB QUINN, CEO OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. BUSINESSES, HE SAID, CAN’T FIND WORKERS WHO CAN’T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE. WITH ME IN TRAVELING THROUGH THIS BUSINESS PRIORITIES IN TWIN LEGISLATION AND 23 OF THE LEGISLATURE IS THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. THE BUYER, MICHAEL SCOTT. AND WELCOME, MIKE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT’S GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE. GREAT TO BE HERE. I ASSUME YOU AGREE WITH BOB QUINN ON HOUSING AND LABOR. ABSOLUTELY. AMONG THE HUNDREDS OF CONVERSATIONS I HAVE HAD WITH OUR MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE, THE FIRST CHALLENGE THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WORKFORCE. LABOR AVAILABILITY. AND IMMEDIATELY, HOUSING IS IDENTIFIED FOR THEM AS ONE OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF THIS WORKFORCE CHALLENGE. AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH HOUSING POLICY LEGISLATION AND ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN? WELL, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PURSUED OVER THE PAST YEARS THAT I THINK HAVE STARTED TO BUILD MOMENTUM. THERE IS BIPartisan AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE ON HOUSING, WHICH WAS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THE HOUSE CREATING ITS OWN SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO REVIEW HOUSING ISSUES, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG STEP FORWARD. THERE IS A BILL COMING OUT THIS YEAR WHICH WILL BE A HOUSING CHAMPIONS BILL THAT WILL ENABLE COMMUNITIES WHO WANT TO MOVE AHEAD AND DO MORE TO RECOGNIZE WORKFORCE HOUSING. SOME INCENTIVES TO DO SO. WE THEREFORE WAIT WITH IMPATIENCE FOR THIS BILL. AND WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD STEP FORWARD. GOOD. ENERGY. JUST A COMMENT I HEAR FROM COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS. IT IS THE COST OF ENERGY THAT ENABLES PEOPLE TO SPEND LESS. SHOPS AND SMALL SHOPS TO CONSIDER CLOSING. WHAT DO YOU SEE? IS THE LEGISLATURE DOING THIS YEAR TO RESPOND TO ENERGY? THIS IS A PROBLEM OVER WHICH THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL, OBVIOUSLY. IT’S DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE ARE PART OF A REGIONAL ENERGY MARKET SO THERE ARE ONLY LIMITED THINGS WE CAN DO HERE IN THE STATE TO ADDRESS IT. BUT THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT STEPS WE CAN TAKE. AND I THINK THE LEGISLATURE IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. THE FIRST IS THE REFORM OF THE LOCATION WHEN WE WANT TO BUILD A NEW TYPE OF ENERGY INSTALLATION, WHETHER IT IS A WIND FARM OR A SOLAR SYSTEM OR ANOTHER TYPE OF ENERGY, CREATING A TECHNOLOGY, WE MUST BE ABLE TO INSTALL IT CORRECTLY AND GET IT BUILT. AND THERE IS LEGISLATION INTRODUCED TO HELP DO THIS IN A MORE TIMELY AND TRANSPARENT WAY. AND WE THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL. EXPANSION OF MEDICAID. ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE BILL IS TO GET YOU INTO THE SAME CARE AS THE LAWYERS CAMP FOR THIS, BUT FOR A DIFFERENT REASON. IT IS REALLY A LABOR ISSUE. AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON’T REPORT THE INCREASE, MEDICAID, 60,000 GRANITE STATES WILL LOSE HEALTH COVERAGE. AND THE COST OF PROVIDING THIS UNCOMPENSATED CARE WILL PASS ON TO THE EMPLOYER COMMUNITY AND WE WILL LOSE $500 BILLION IN FEDERAL RESOURCES COMING INTO OUR STATE. IT’S HERE. I THINK WIDE RECOGNITION IN THE HEALTH CARE HOSPITAL INDUSTRY AS WELL AS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. FINALLY, THE REGULATORY BUSINESS CLIMATE, WHAT DO YOU ENVISAGE IN THIS FIELD? WELL, EVERY YEAR, THERE ARE DOZENS OF BILLS THAT ARE PRESENTED THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES. THE EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP AND MANY OF THEM ARE WELL INTENDED. THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS WELL STRUCTURED. THEY COULD HAVE UNINTENDED IMPACTS. AND OUR ROLES TO INTERVENE AND TRY TO EDUCATE LEGISLATORS AND TRY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT THE IMPACTS MAY BE. AND I THINK WE HAVE A VERY GOOD REGULATORY CLIMATE RIGHT NOW. THE STATE IS ON A GOOD TRACK, AND I THINK OUR MESSAGE TO THE LEGISLATURE IS TO DO NO HARM, LET’S FOCUS ON HOUSING AND WORKFORCE ENERGY. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE IF WE ADDRESS THESE AREAS IT WILL ALLOW OUR ECONOMY TO CONTINUE TO GROW. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 29 YEARS OF DOING THIS SHOW THAT TEXAS HAS NOT BEEN ON YOUR LIST. JUST TO COMMENT. WELL, IT’S BECAUSE THEY’RE OVER. THEY ARE DOWN. AND I THINK THIS IS A REFLECTION WHY, YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE HEAR DIRECTLY FROM MEMBERS. AT THIS TIME WHICH IS WORKFORCE ACCOMMODATION, CHILD CARE. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT REALLY AFFECT THEIR DAILY OPERATIONS. TAXES ARE ALWAYS IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THE STATE HAS DONE A GREAT WORK TO GRADUALLY REDUCE BUSINESS TAXES OVER THE PAST YEARS. AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM STAY THERE. MICHAEL SCOTT PRESIDES, HOWEVER, OF THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CREATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THAT. AND IF YOU WANT TO REVIEW SOME OF IT, YOU CAN GO TO WMUR

NH Business: Priorities of the NH Legislature

Host Fred Kocher is joined by Michael Skelton to walk through New Hampshire’s business priorities going forward

Updated: 8:28 a.m. EST Jan 22, 2023

Fred Kocher, NH Business Host

The New Hampshire Legislature is back to work at the State House in Concord, and many are watching closely for legislation that could harm or improve New Hampshire businesses. With that in mind, the NH Business and Industry Association has now compiled a list of priorities it hopes will be addressed in the state legislature. On the latest episode of NH Business, host Fred Kocher is joined by Michael Skelton, President and CEO of the Business and Industry Association of NH, to review New Hampshire’s business priorities going forward.

MANCHESTER, NH—

The New Hampshire Legislature is back to work at the State House in Concord, and many are watching closely for legislation that could harm or improve New Hampshire businesses. With that in mind, the NH Business and Industry Association has now compiled a list of priorities that it hopes will be addressed by the state legislature.

On the latest episode of NH Business, host Fred Kocher is joined by Michael Skelton, president and CEO of the Business and Industry Association of NH, to walk through New Hampshire’s business priorities going forward.