Citizens Count tracks partisanship in the NH House and Senate, and the numbers prove our parties are more divided than ever. But bipartisanship isn’t dead. Here is a list of bills with the most bipartisan sponsorship in the NH House and Senate this year, including at least seven sponsors from each party.
SB 408: Insurance Coverage for Prosthetics (8 Democrats, 14 Republicans)
Over half of the state Senate signed on as cosponsors for this bill, which requires health insurance policies to cover at least one activity-specific prosthetic device for adults every five years. At a January public hearing, Sen. Bill Gannon, R-Sandown, the prime sponsor of the bill, testified to his own experience with a prosthetic leg. He would love a running blade, and argued activity-specific prosthetics would reduce health care costs in the long-term by empowering more individuals to exercise.
SB 665: Mandates Lower Pharmacy Charges (8 Democrats, 9 Republicans)
The bill requires pharmacies to inform consumers of the lowest available price for a prescription drug and to only charge them that amount.
This bill is aimed indirectly at pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the middlemen that negotiate prices between drug manufacturers, insurers, and pharmacies. PBMs are sometimes accused of pocketing savings that could otherwise pass to consumers.
SB 469: Authorizes Electronic Signatures at the DMV (7 Democrats, 15 Republicans)
This bill authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to adopt rules to accept electronic signatures. The Senate amended the bill to also allow an electronic signature to transfer ownership of a vehicle to an insurer after payment of damages. Supporters argue this bill is necessary for the DMV to catch up to business in the 21st century.
SB 402: Bans Non-Competes for Physician Associates (7 Democrats, 10 Republicans)
This bill prohibits non-compete agreements for physician associates. New Hampshire already prohibits non-compete agreements for registered nurses, and Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a similar bill last year to ban non-compete agreements for advanced practice registered nurses.
HB 1602: Battery Recycling Program (7 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
New Hampshire bans the disposal of lithium ion batteries, but there’s not an established pathway for consumers to get rid of them. HB 1602 requires battery producers to fund battery collection programs.
Honorable Mentions
The following bills had at least six sponsors from each party:
• HB 707: Requires the NH Department of Environmental Services to revise rules for new landfills to ensure adequate distance from water.
• HB 1651: Establishes sexual assault orders of protection, similar to restraining orders. The bill also extends how long sexual assault evidence collection kits must be preserved.
• SB 432: Allows use of sunscreen at schools and camps without a doctor’s note.
• SB 433: Requires schools to train at least two personnel in recognizing the symptoms of seizures and giving seizure rescue medication at school.
• SB 480: Prohibits health insurers from requiring prior authorization for the first 12 visits of physical or occupational therapy.
• SB 490: Authorizes the development of housing on the property of Great Bay Community College.
• SB 492: Grants authority to the NH Dept. of Military Affairs and Veterans Services to lease or license its property, particularly related to housing development.
• SB 526: Establishes a NH-Greece trade council within the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs.
Anna Brown is executive director of Citizens Count, a nonprofit dedicated to providing unbiased information about NH issues and candidates. For more information, visit CitizensCount.org.