Legislative Updates by Rep. Maureen Mooney for February, 2025

Greetings!

February in an odd-numbered year means. . . it is state budget season in New Hampshire.

According to RSA 9:2, the Governor must have her version of the budget to the House Finance Committee no later than February 15 (in odd-numbered years).

Governor Ayotte has announced she will present her budget to the full NH House on Thursday, February 13, 2025, and then to the House Finance Committee on Friday, February 14, 2025.

When approaching the state budget every two years, it is important to know the following “ground rules:”

• New Hampshire law (RSA 9:8-b) mandates that all state budget bills be balanced. Thus, no state budget can exceed the state’s total estimated revenues.
• NH House Rule 48 states that the House Finance Committee “shall work closely in cooperation” with the House Ways and Means Committee to determine the state income available for budgeting. This site gives a list of the NH taxes that generate revenue. It is also important to know that federal monies and returns on investments are large revenue sources for New Hampshire.
• Some monies are “restricted funds” to be used for specific purposes only e.g., Use of Certain Revenues Restricted to Highways (NH Const Part 2, Art. 6-a), Use of Lottery Revenues to Educational Purposes (NH Const Part 2, Art. 6-b).
• The NH state budget runs on a 2-year cycle. The fiscal year commences “on the first day of July” and ends on “the thirtieth day of June.” See RSA 9:13.

Last fall, Governor Sununu requested state agencies decrease their proposed budgets by 4%. See WMUR link: https://www.wmur.com/article/chris-sununu-kelly-ayotte-budget-hearing-nh/62883799. Last month, Governor Ayotte implemented a “hiring freeze” per Executive Order 2025-02. Reasons for these actions are that the remainder of ARPA (America Rescues Plan Act of 2021) funds are going away, spending has increased, and the state is awaiting the outcomes of pending lawsuits. Also, state revenue projections have not been completed yet by the House Ways and Means Committee.

In 2023, I recorded a video on Merrimack TV describing the New Hampshire state budget process. It can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4PH7t3Ebis&t=20s&ab_channel=MaureenMooney

Around Town

The Boston Post Cane recognition is given to Merrimack’s oldest resident who has physically resided in Merrimack for at least 25 years. The current recipient is Jane Burnham who is 97 years old. Here is information on the Boston Post Cane as well as previous recipients: https://www.merrimacknh.gov/bostonpostcane

See you around town!

Rep. Maureen Mooney is in her sixth term as a NH State Representative serving Merrimack. Her website is: www.votemooney.com and Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/maureenmooneynh.