A pack of smokes with that bottle of booze?  One N.H. bill proposes selling tobacco at certain state liquor stores. Meanwhile, a cluster of insurance bills is lined up for hearing. 

Public hearings abound in Concord as state committees plunge into the legislative season. A total of 66 hearings are scheduled for next week—61 in the House and five in the Senate.

local bonds

HB 71 “relative to increasing the dollar limit for requiring public hearings on issuance of local bonds.” Betsey Patten (R-Moultonborough)

In Committee, House Municipal & County Government Committee

As previously reported, HB 71 would change the dollar amount that triggers a required public hearing on local bonds. Current law requires a public hearing on proposed local bonds over $100,000. Bill sponsor Rep. Betsey Patten has proposed hoisting that up to $1 million. Noting that some people may be uneasy with such a big jump, she plans to bring an amendment to the committee’s executive session set for Jan. 20. The revised bill would increase the dollar amount to somewhere between $200,000 and $300,000.

Patten is also looking at allowing towns to set their own trigger points for the public hearings, within parameters set by the state, because what makes sense for a small town doesn’t necessarily fit a bigger city.
The $100,000 limit has been in effect since 1885, Patten says. Adjusting for inflation, that amount would equal well over $2 million in today’s currency.

tobacco for sale

HB 184 “authorizing the liquor commission to sell tobacco products at state liquor stores located on interstate highways.” Ken Hawkins (R-Bedford)

Tuesday, Jan. 20, Local & Regulated Revenues Committee

The state may add tobacco to its liquor business, if Rep. Ken Hawkins has anything to say about it. He has sponsored HB 184, which would allow certain state liquor stores to sell smokes, too.

Only the stores “located on interstate highways” would be allowed to sell tobacco—an important caviat for Hawkins. He made the provision out of concern for private enterprises, like convenience stores, whose revenue could suffer if all liquor stores sold cigarettes. Money the state would make from tobacco sales, as with profits from liquor, would go into the general fund.
But the state Liquor Commission points out that space would have to be made for the new products, and extra help would be needed to maintain the new stock. Would it be worth it? The bill’s impact on the state budget cannot yet be determined, according to the Liquor Commission.

Hawkins, who’s been a smoker since eighth grade, said he has not heard from the anti-smoking crowd … yet. He may be hearing from Ed Miller of the American Lung Association. “We need to have fewer places where cigarettes are available, not more,” Miller said about the bill.

The Association’s annual report, released on Jan. 13, gave New Hampshire a grade of “C” for its tobacco control policies.

insurance payouts

“There’s been a definite trend whereby the scales of justice have tipped against the individual” in consumer-insurance legislation in recent years, says Rep. David Nixon.  Four of his bills relating to car insurance are up for hearing next week. “These bills are an attempt … to balance the playing field a little bit.”

However, the insurance industry lobbied for its own reasons to have some of the rules made that Nixon is now hoping to change. The industry argues that its rates are set according to current law, and changing the rules would force them to charge more.
 
HB 200 “permitting the stacking of medical payments coverage under motor vehicle liability policies purchased by members of the same household.” David Nixon (D-Manchester)

Wednesday, Jan. 21, House Commerce & Consumer Affairs Committee

Current law does not permit many cases of “stacking” insurance coverage. Take, for example, a family of four insured drivers. If one driver were in a car accident, that person’s policy may cover a certain dollar amount for medical payments—let’s say $10,000.

Until the late 1980s, according to Nixon, the family would have been able to “stack” each person’s medical payments for the sake of the one person injured for a combined $40,000. Such stacking is no longer allowed, but HB 200 would reinstate it.
If passed, the law would take effect Jan. 1, 2010. 

HB 202 “relative to provisions in insurance policies limiting payment of full benefits.” David Nixon (D-Manchester)
Wednesday, Jan. 21, House Commerce & Consumer Affairs Committee

Automobile insurance includes medical payments in case of physical injury. Health insurance policies, of course, pay for medical care. But, when a person who pays for both car and health insurance is in a car accident, that person can only redeem coverage from one of those policies. To redeem both, the insurance industry says, would be “double recovery.”
Whether car insurance or health insurance pays the medical bills is something the companies work out on their own.

However, coming to an agreement is not quick, Nixon says, and in the meantime, the victim’s charge is left unpaid. Under HB 202, insurance companies would not be allowed to sell policies that only let the customer recover one of the two claims. 
If passed, the law would take effect Jan. 1, 2010. 

insurance pricing

HB 101 “prohibiting the use of credit reports for certain insurance purposes.” Karen Hutchinson (R-Londonderry)
Wednesday, Jan. 21, House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee

Currently, a customer’s bad credit rating may be used by insurance companies as a reason to charge higher prices for car or home insurance—as long as the bad credit isn’t the only reason for the high rates. This bill would make it illegal for companies to charge more based on credit scores—period.

HB 75 “prohibiting the use of information concerning education level to underwrite insurance coverage.” William A Hatch (D-Gorham)
Wednesday, Jan. 21, House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee

State law already spells out a number of unfair insurance practices. HB 75 would add to the list requesting information about education level and using it to set prices. 

Front Door Politics is a weekly legislative update for everyone affected by New Hampshire laws. An online learning center including a glossary of legislative terms, a database of all 2009 bills and their status, additional reporting, and a free blog and podcast subscription are available at www.frontdoorpolitics.com.