The House and the Senate returned from break last week to vote on a massive block of bills. And while two of the most notable bills on the agenda—a proposed ban on smoking in bars and restaurants and a constitutional amendment to define marriage—were pushed back a week because of time constraints, plenty of other noteworthy bills made it through the House and Senate.

The little lobbyists from Wells Memorial School in Harrisville scored a victory last week when the House passed a bill designating the pumpkin as the official state fruit. Rep. Peter Allen (D-Harrisville) helped the students bring their idea for the bill from the classroom to the Legislature. The students testified at committee meetings, asking lawmakers to boost the pumpkin’s status in the state. The bill now moves on to the Senate.

The House also passed a bill that would make remote controlled hunting over the Internet a misdemeanor. Internet hunting allows computer users to remotely aim and fire guns on hunting ranges in other states. Rep. Ronald Nowe (R-Epping) sponsored the bill because Internet hunting “isn’t very sporting,” he said. There are no hunting preserves in the state that let you bag game with your mouse, and both Maine and Massachusetts have already banned the practice. An Internet hunter in the Granite State can, however, still point, click and shoot a deer, so long as the preserve is in another state.

A national ID card system also got a thumbs down from the House last week. House members voted in favor of HB 1582, which declares the Granite State’s opposition to the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, and states that New Hampshire will not take part in any federal identification program. Congress passed the act, which sets guidelines for what are essentially national identification cards, in May 2005. The cards, scheduled for introduction in 2008, would be issued through each state’s motor vehicle department. It is unclear what penalties the state could face if the refusal becomes law.

A measure to grant immunity from liability to pharmacists who refuse to dispense emergency contraception medicines was nixed by the House. The bill failed by a vote of 215-106.

Over in the Senate, lawmakers passed a bill that broadens the scope of the state’s self-defense laws. The bill, SB 318, allows the use of “deadly force” in self-defense at any location; previously, state law allowed the use of deadly force only in a person’s home.

“The passing of SB 318 sends a clear message to the corrupt elements of our society that New Hampshire places a high value on the right of our citizens to protect themselves from a threatening situation,” Bragdon said in a statement.

The Senate also gave the OK to HB 653, a measure by a trio of North Country senators to allow municipalities to use bonds to construct infrastructure for broadband cable and Internet services. Previously, it was up to cable and phone companies to construct the infrastructure for broadband services. The senators said the dearth of high-speed Internet service in the North Country is putting the region at an economic disadvantage.

The House Municipal and County Government Committee will take up the issue of workforce housing on Thursday, March 23. The Committee will hold a hearing on SB 190, which would establish a legislative study committee to examine how to best encourage towns and cities to include zoning ordinances for workforce housing in municipal master plans. The future of the bill is unclear; last week, the full House voted down a bill that would require communities to address workforce housing needs in master plans.
Also that day, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 348, which would prohibit law enforcement officers from confiscating firearms during a declared state of emergency. Sen. Peter Bragdon (R-Milford) sponsored the bill as a response to the confiscation of guns and ammo during hurricane relief efforts in the Gulf Coast last fall. The committee will also hold a hearing on SB 207, which would allow the state to impose more penalties on those convicted of committing crimes against the elderly and the disabled.

On Tuesday, March 21, the Senate Banks and Insurance Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1570, which would allow part-time college students to receive health insurance coverage under their parents’ insurance plan. Current laws extend insurance coverage only to full-time college students.
That day, the Senate Education Committee will look at HB 1362, which would set new guidelines for audio and video recording on school buses. Under the bill, bus drivers could make audio and video recordings on the bus with the approval of the local school board, but only after both parents and students have been notified. The bill also requires all recordings to be deleted after 10 days, unless the recording is being used as part of a disciplinary procedure.

The House will vote on the smoking ban on Tuesday, March 21. Meanwhile, a vote on the marriage amendment is likely to take place sometime this week. The Senate will be tackling its own pair of important bills this week. Senators will vote on both SB 268, which would increase the state’s compulsory education age from 16 to 18, and HB 162, which would set boating speed limits on state lakes. While SB 268 has wide support among lawmakers, HB 162 is far more contentious. The bill would set speed limits of 45 miles per hour during the day and 25 miles per hour at dawn and dusk; supporters contend that limits are a necessary safety measure, while opponents say the proposed regulations are excessive.