Legislative & Regulatory Agenda

In 2013 and 2014, BIA is addressing the following public policy issues and pursuing related action steps to achieve progress in these areas:

Fiscal Policy

Priority: The BIA believes fiscally conservative state budgets with a business-friendly regulatory and tax structure are an important part of the New Hampshire Advantage. Action steps include:

  • Oppose an income or sales tax
  • Oppose any increase in the BET or BPT
  • Supports efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to allow the state to target education aid
  • Continued support for efforts to reform New Hampshire’s public employee retirement system that address and reduce the significant unfunded liability of the fund
  • Support efforts to reform and improve New Hampshire’s business regulatory environment
  • Identify opportunities for improving efficiencies in state government

Priority: The BIA supports business tax policies that foster economic growth. Action steps include:

  • Oppose a reduction in, repeal of or suspension of the BET credit against the BPT
  • Strengthen and improve New Hampshire’s research and development tax credit
  • Support efforts to improve net operating loss carry forward provisions
  • Monitor Department of Revenue Administration implementation of New “reasonable compensation” law to ensure conformity with legislative intent
  • Support continued state investment in community development tax credits

Economic Development

Priority: The BIA supports infrastructure development. Action steps include:

  • Transportation – Advocate for investment in public transportation systems, including rail and air travel, as well as New Hampshire’s road and bridge network, and support efforts to increase federal transportation aid to the state
  • Water/sewer – Educate policy leaders and the public about water and wastewater treatment systems that are at the end of their design life and/or exceeding capacity

Priority: The BIA supports efforts that increase the availability and affordability of housing for working people. Action step:

  • Oppose any efforts to roll back or repeal core principles of SB 342 (2008 workforce housing legislation)

HR, Health Care and Workforce Development

Priority: The BIA supports pro-business labor rules and regulations that consider the rights and responsibilities of workers and management. Action steps include:

  • Support private sector right-to-work legislation in New Hampshire
  • Oppose National Labor Relations Board rulemaking or congressional proposals that favor organized labor interests over those of business

Priority: The BIA supports efforts to develop New Hampshire’s future workforce. Action step:

  • Support initiatives to improve job readiness skills for a multi-generational workforce including: improving links between New Hampshire’s education community and employers to foster work-readiness skills; programs that recruit, retain and train younger workers; recognizing the abilities and talents of legal immigrants and refugees; and preparing the labor force for 21st-century occupations

Priority: The BIA supports efforts that enhance outcomes and reduce/slow the growth of total healthcare costs for employers and the state. Action steps include:

  • Oppose new or expanded healthcare benefit mandates
  • Support adequate funding to healthcare providers for Medicaid and other publicly supported healthcare programs to reduce cost-shifting to the business community
  • Review and evaluate cost-effective ways to provide health care to the uninsured and underinsured to reduce cost-shifting to the business community from uncompensated care
  • Support policy initiatives that improve health in the workplace (e.g. SB 286, establishing a statewide prescription drug monitoring program) and education programs that focus on workplace wellness and chronic disease management
  • Support tort reforms that reduce costs associated with medical malpractice and result in more affordable and available medical malpractice insurance (e.g. medical malpractice screening panels and SB 406, establishing a voluntary early offer program)
  • Support healthcare reforms that lower costs, improve access and result in better outcomes

Environmental

Priority: The BIA will continue to support environmental policies, legislation and administrative rules that balance economic development with the long-term viability of the state’s natural resources through a collaborative process. Action steps include:

  • Promote efforts to ensure that New Hampshire’s environmental regulations and statutes are not more burdensome than federal environmental regulations
  • Advocate for initiatives to streamline and expedite permitting and regulatory processes
  • Foster discussions on how the Department of Environmental Services (DES) is funded, focusing on the appropriate allocation of the state’s fees and taxes
  • Challenge environmental fees that inappropriately target any one sector of the population or economy
  • Advocate for increased transparency and effective use of state environmental fees and cost recovery policies
  • Support policies that promote private sector environmental stewardship and sustainability
  • Support balanced state and federal policies regarding wetlands protection, as well as storm water and wastewater discharge
  • Focus on the state’s role in balancing the availability, quality and use of water resources

Energy and Regulated Utilities

Priority: The BIA will continue to work towards mitigating the long- and short-term costs of energy. Action steps include:

  • Oppose diversions of dedicated funds that are aimed at energy efficiency, conservation and sustainable energy resources
  • Support proportional disbursements of energy efficiency and sustainable energy funds to all energy consumers, based on energy usage and the amount each consumer sector pays into the fund
  • Support initiatives and policies that are stable and leverage state and regional strengths, including the development of affordable renewable energy resources
  • Lead and support efforts to educate businesses, elected officials and consumers about energy policy issues
  • Support state policies that enable small, medium and large businesses to continue to access competitive supply options
  • Participate in state proceedings focusing on long-term energy planning and advocate for greater affordability, reliability, fuel diversification and energy efficiency
  • Support efforts to develop a new long-term strategic energy plan for New Hampshire

Priority: The BIA will support efforts to ensure the state’s telecommunications regulations are fair and promote equal competition among all service providers. Action steps include:

  • Support efforts to expand telecommunications infrastructure throughout the state to improve access and reliability
  • Participate in state proceedings that focus on the further development of telecommunications infrastructure
  • Support efforts to educate businesses, elected officials and consumers about the state’s telecommunicatioins regulatory structure

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