All three bills that moved today were previously dead and have been referred to interim study, keeping them alive for further review.
On the Move
Three labor-related bills shifted from dead to in-committee status today after being referred for interim study. Interim study means a committee will continue reviewing the legislation, giving it a path back before the full chamber in a future session.
HB 303 (sponsor: Rep. Brian Sullivan, D) would require the NH Department of Labor to review and adopt workplace safety standards similar to federal OSHA requirements. New Hampshire is one of a small number of states that does not operate its own OSHA-approved state plan, meaning most private-sector workers here fall under federal OSHA jurisdiction rather than a state program.
HB 1767 (sponsor: Rep. Lino Avellani, R) would modify unemployment compensation eligibility requirements and weekly benefit amounts. The bill’s title does not specify whether the changes would expand or restrict eligibility or adjust benefit levels up or down.
SB 416 (sponsor: Sen. Tim McGough, R) would set rules for how tips are pooled and shared among tipped employees. Tip pooling arrangements directly affect take-home pay for restaurant servers, bartenders, and other tipped workers. Current federal rules permit tip pooling under certain conditions; this bill would establish state-level requirements.
All three bills carry a moderate impact score and touch on labor and wage issues affecting workers across the state. Interim study referrals are common when a committee sees merit in a concept but wants more time to examine details or gather stakeholder input.
Want to know how your state legislators voted or which committees they sit on? Find your representatives at nhpolitics.org/find-your-rep.