Republican Representative David Hess of Hooksett says he may not be completely happy with the result, but the deal is better than nothing.
“Our lawyers negotiated in good faith, the state representatives acted in good faith, they think they get the best deal for us that they could get. I am not going to second guess them.”
Following lawsuits from hospitals over the tax, two Superior Court judges ruled it was unconstitutional.
The deal means hospitals will get more money for care they provide for free or reduced rates, so-called uncompensated care.
The tax rate also would drop from 5.5 percent assessed on net patient revenues to 5.45 percent in 2016 and to 5.4 percent in 2017.
The tax brought in about $185 million this year and was used for Medicaid and other state spending.
NHPR's Michael Brindley reports that both houses of the state legislature have voted in favor of a negotiated settlement that would preserve the Medicaid Enhancement Tax:
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The state's budget clusterfuck is rolling downhill - heads up town governments. The latest is reported by Amanda Loder at NHPR: State lawmakers will vote this week on whether to accept a deal that would give 18 towns about $540,000 in back tax payments. A state House and Senate committee of conference approved a measure addressing back payments from Massachusetts to towns along the Merrimack and Connecticut River watersheds on Friday. The Claims Journal reports that House and Senate negotiators have reached a compromise on how long first time DWI offenders will lose their licenses: House and Senate negotiators reached a tentative deal Tuesday on legislation allowing a limited driver’s license for first-time drunken drivers to go to work, medical treatment, school or other locations approved by a New Hampshire judge. The AP reports that House and Senate negotiators have reached an agreement on a bill to alter when fuel oil companies and customers can sign pre-buy contracts. This follows the failure of Flynn Oil some years ago due to over-optimistic pricing that left it unable to deliver heating oil in the middle of winter. The bill is in response to disruptions in home heating oil deliveries this winter by one of New Hampshire's largest fuel companies. The bill prohibits dealers from advertising or soliciting earlier than May 1 for consumers to enter into contracts for the upcoming fuel season. Currently, the contracts can't be offered before Jan. 1. The New Hampshire Business Review reports that a proposed bill which would have prohibited landlords from discriminating against tenants using section 8 federal housing vouchers went down in a blaze of tempers: By the time the bill reached the Senate Judiciary Committee, landlord after landlord criticized the bill, arguing that they did not want to deal with the paperwork, inspections and possible housing upgrades that the program requires. The Senate scrapped the bill and replaced it with a study commission. Former House speaker Bill O'Brien has confirmed that he will run for Representative again, and that he will also try to regain the speakership: Republican former New Hampshire House Speaker William O’Brien confirmed Friday that he will seek another term in the House. If he wins and if the Republicans take back the majority, O’Brien said he will also run for speaker again. That’s right people. The tax and spending, vote fraud promoting, Democrats are afraid of Bill O’Brien. Why. Bill O’Brien’s tenure as Speaker was an unmitigated disaster. His far-right, Tea Party policies and unwillingness to work across the aisle hurt New Hampshire families and disgraced the Granite State. The effects of his painful budget cuts and irresponsible leadership are still being felt by seniors, students, and working families alike. There is no way that voters in November will choose to send O’Brien back to the State House. He has shown that he cannot be trusted to serve the people of New Hampshire. This session of the State Legislature is winding down - it is Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy director Charlie Arlinghaus's least favorite time: The most annoying and disheartening time of the legislative year is upon us – the time when transparency and honest debate are sacrificed on the altar of hidden agendas in pursuit of that elusive legislative pot of gold, “a deal.” Committees of conference are legislative mini-summits where the romanticized version of a smoke filled room creates comparisons to sausage making that do a distinct dishonor the noble smoked meats. The state Senate has insisted that it seriously doesn't want to talk about repealing the Death Penalty any more, thank you very much: After little debate, the New Hampshire Senate has squelched a second attempt this session by opponents of the death penalty to repeal the state's capital punishment statute. A bill stalled in the Senate on a 12-12 vote last month. The House then passed a second bill repealing capital punishment, but the Senate voted it down Thursday on a voice vote. The Senate action leaves the death penalty statute unchanged. Better luck next year.
A new measure agreed upon by the House and Senate negotiators is going to tighten up regulations on charity gambling: House and Senate negotiators have reached a tentative deal on a bill to tighten rules for table games operated in the name of New Hampshire charities. It does not seem as though the cause of marijuana decriminalization will be miraculously resurrected as this session of the state legislature comes to a close. The Daily Chronic recently fumed with frustration: Yet another study has found that New Hampshire residents want to join the rest of New England in decriminalizing marijuana possession, but the state Senate continues to stall a bill to do this, despite passing by an overwhelming majority in the House earlier this year. The non-profit anti-substance abuse (and legalization) group New Futures was not contentedly resting on its laurels however, recently releasing a list of seven ways that being located in a state of rotten drunkards hurts NH businesses: 1. More than 54,000 workers with an alcohol dependency or abuse problem are employed by New Hampshire businesses. |