New Hampshire Senate Republicans unveil legislative agenda

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire’s Senate Republicans have unveiled a legislative agenda that includes banning foreign lobbyists, upholding “traditional” parental rights, holding the line on taxes and banning the use of SNAP funds for candy and other junk food.

A key plank of the Senate GOP’s agenda for the new session, which got underway this week, calls for passing a constitutional amendment requiring a supermajority vote to raise taxes or create new taxes. New Hampshire has no income tax, but Republicans say the move is aimed at protecting taxpayers by blocking any future attempts to impose new levies. 

“For years, Democrats have fought for higher taxes, and even worse, a new income and sales tax,” the Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement. “With the activist courts and the pending education funding lawsuits, it is critically important that we fight against donor towns and any efforts to pass a statewide property tax, income tax, sales tax, or business tax hikes.” 

The GOP caucus is also planning to push proposals to block cities and towns from increasing property taxes, which lawmakers said are rising because of “out of control spending” by local governments. 

That includes proposals requiring a public notification period before local governing boards can override a local spending or tax cap and another that would require a roll call vote to increase spending. Lawmakers said those bills are aimed at increasing transparency on how local public officials are voting on increasing taxes and spending.

Senate Majority Leader Regina Birdsell said a “crucial” plank of the Senate GOP’s agenda for the new session is ensuring the towns do not “increase costs” for working families. 

“Lowering property taxes, increasing affordable housing and lowering energy costs are the key to economic growth for families across this state,” the Hampstead Republican said in a statement. “We will always put taxpayers first by demanding more transparency and accountability of your elected officials before local governments spend more of your money.”

Another bill on the Senate GOP’s agenda would ban foreign adversarial nations like China and Iran from registering lobbyists in New Hampshire in an attempt to influence policy, and set restrictions on contributions to local elections, ballot questions and constitutional amendments.

Republican lawmakers also want to pass legislation proclaiming New Hampshire’s support for Israel in its “fight against global terrorism and antisemitism” in the new legislative session. 

“It is important that we stand with our friends and back their efforts to defend their nation,” the caucus’ statement said. “We cannot allow the antisemitism and hate we’ve seen in our own country take hold here in New Hampshire.”

Another bill teed up for consideration by the Republican Senate caucus calls for preventing beneficiaries of the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, from using the funds to buy candy, soda and junk food.

“SNAP funds were created to help low-income families provide nutritious and healthy foods for their loved ones,” the caucus said. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used to buy unhealthy products that contribute to diseases like diabetes.” 

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State Sen. Dan Innis, R-Bradford, said the goal of the Senate GOP’s agenda “is simple: let Granite Staters live their lives, raise their families, and succeed without government standing in the way.”

“New Hampshire remains the freest state in the nation, and our agenda protects the Live Free or Die spirit,” Innis, who chairs the Senate’s Majority Policy Conference, said in a statement. “We are striving to keep government out of your lives and out of your way as much as possible.”