Municipalities are unable to weigh in on placement of ICE facilities
Under current law, NH communities are not allowed to have any authority over the placement of ICE detention facilities. In January, an ICE detention facility was proposed in Merrimack without any input from local officials or residents. This week House Democrats moved to change this by allowing the late drafting and introduction of legislation addressing the proposed ICE detention facility in Merrimack The bill would receive the same scrutiny that every bill receives in the House.
The motion failed along a party line vote and required a two-thirds majority.
House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson of Exeter said, “that vote does not erase a basic truth that Merrimack residents, and people in every New Hampshire community, deserve transparency and a real voice before an ICE detention facility is placed in their town.
Under this legislation, before the state could issue any approvals or authorizations for an ICE detention facility, the host community would first have to act. The town or city would hold a public hearing. The local governing body, such as a town council or selectboard, would then vote on whether to approve the facility. Only after a yes vote could the state issue permits, licenses, approvals, or authorizations within its control. If the community votes no, the state will withhold those approvals.
Housing Champions program is a goner in the House
House Republicans voted to repeal the Housing Champions Program through HB 1196. The program supports municipalities that advance workforce housing by providing targeted grants to communities designated as Housing Champions.
Rep. David Paige (D-Conway) said, “just hours after hearing from Governor Kelley Ayotte in her State of the State address that housing, childcare, and workforce are key economic drivers, House Republicans moved quickly to claw back housing investments and repeal the Housing Champions Program.
This program works. It supports communities that are doing the right thing to create more workforce and affordable housing. For years, we have worked on bipartisan solutions to help ensure Granite Staters can afford to live here, whether they are starting out or aging in place.
House Democrats will not stop fighting this bill as it continues through the legislative process. Our economy depends on housing people can afford, and we will continue to stand with communities working to build it.”
NH universities and college will see a proliferation of guns on campus
In a party-line vote the New Hampshire House has banned New Hampshire higher educational institutions from regulating guns on campus. Representative David Meuse (D-Portsmouth) said “in 2018, a Republican-majority legislature rejected a similar bill. I hope our Republican-majority senate will have the courage to do the same to the 2026 version.”
In a floor speech Rep. Meuse said “this is incredibly irresponsible because it puts students, staff, and law enforcement at risk. Allowing guns on campus does nothing to increase safety. But it will increase the risk of incidents involving firearms, including accidents, suicides, and homicides.
Our universities and community colleges have made clear that this bill would both increase costs and harm public safety on campus. For them, it means hiring additional security staff, creating new training programs, and paying costs for general liability insurance that will substantially increase—all at taxpayer expense.