Hundreds of bills tracked by NH businesses

NH Business: Many NH businesses that follow hundreds of bills in NH legislature affecting housing, workforce, energy, etc., but with nearby budget cuts

And on Sunday. Welcome to the New Hampshire business. I’m Fred Kocher. The New Hampshire legislature has returned to work at the State House in Concord. So New Hampshire businesses are following hundreds of bills that would affect everything, from housing to labor to energy and more. Here is a statement from the new New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, who is already throwing some uncertainty on the legislation of the attached dollars. We will have to see to find better ways to do things with less dollars, she said. With me to inform us of the state of affairs at State -Fatehouse and some important topics for New Hampshire businesses is the President and Director General of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, Michael Shelton. Welcome. Hey, Fred. Nice to have you here. State revenue has decreased. Business tax revenue has decreased. Among those income, interest and dividend taxes have been repealed. New Hampshire is down tens of millions of dollars. And the Governor’s statement reflects it. What is your opinion on that state of fiscal issues? Sure, I think the governor has said well that we really need to see this budget cycle as an opportunity to tighten our belts, find ways to be more efficient. I think, most importantly for policymakers, how can we continue to support our economy and business climate? The state is so dependent on business taxes, so ensuring that any state budget is completed at the end of this process and we have a way to go, it is what still allows our economy to compete and be successful here . Let us turn to the three BIA advantages you have worked on and labeled as challenges. The first is shelter. Let’s put it up there. Housing Challenge 538. Average Sales Price for a single family home in 2024. This is 538,000. 51% of tenants pay 30% or more housing income in 2023. You have some invoices. Legislation What legislation are you looking at in particular? And I know the housing units of the accessories, which failed at the last session, have returned. Yes. And are you supporting it? We are. But there are actually more than 50 bills associated with the pro -provision supply. Apartment bills in the process this year. And I think they are all good ideas. And we need to make many additional improvements to improve the supply of housing and affordability. And use the Starter Home Simplified Act, allowing. Will not get a solution. We need many different solutions to generate more accommodation, and is a major opportunity to boost our economy. And of course, this is related to the other one. And this is the challenge of the workforce. Let’s put it. 27% of New Hampshire’s workforce at the age of 55 or older in 2023. The highest among states. And you say we need more money for the university system and the community college system? For sure, we need a workforce development system here in New Hampshire that will ensure that we are bringing talent, attracting talent, training them for future opportunities. Our community college system, the university system are the main COGS in that system of workforce development. We are also supporting an expansion of state R&D, research and development tax credit. This is helping to expand the advanced work of the next generation industry. That that workforce will complete. Right, right, right. Energy this is the third challenge. Let’s put it. New Hampshire industrial users electricity costs 90% more than the US average. New Hampshire trading users. Electricity costs of electricity were 47% higher. This continues to be a matter in this country. What is the solution to this? And you have an interesting bill, Senate Bill 106. Tell me about it. Sure, energy costs are really an Achilles’ heel for our business climate, and we need to have a strategy to reduce energy costs and be more competitive with the rest of the country. Senate Bill 106 is a first step in that direction, and allows high-energy manufacturers and users to use existing solar technology to do something called industrial self-generation, which is that you generate energy in the country, consume it Instead, thus lowering your energy costs. These are the types of new creative policies that we need to decide to help our businesses be more competitive for energy. That would be very, very innovative. Finally, a note to our viewers. And this is the imposition of tariffs on New Hampshire’s largest partner, trade partner, Canada. Yes it is. And there may be some real cost impacts if they continue if these fees continue after the pause. So here are some of what they would say about New Hampshire if it continues. 1.7 billion in 2023. This is what imports told New Hampshire from Canada two points. 0 billion in 2024 to November, and mostly oil. This is our petrol. Airspace. That’s part. And coal products. I just thought you would be interested in seeing those numbers. We will look at it in more depth next week in the New Hampshire business. Quick comment on this. Yes, I think this tariff issue is really important for our economic competition. And the big thing we need to move forward is security of what our trade policy will be with these key partners. We cannot continue to go back and forth in 30 days of window. Businesses need safety in order to be able to plan. Michael Skeleton, President and CEO of the New Hampshire Business Association and Industry. Thank you, Fred. And if you have lost part of this conference, you can go

NH Business: Many NH businesses that follow hundreds of bills in NH legislature affecting housing, workforce, energy, etc., but with nearby budget cuts

In the latest episode of NH Business, Hosti Fred Kocher joined the President and Director General of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, Michael Skelton, to discuss the bills in the NH legislature that may affect housing, labor force, Energy and more, but more, but more, but with lowering the near budget.

Manchester, NH –

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