(The Center Square) – The New Hampshire 2024 legislative session is starting the new year debating several pieces of new legislation.
Included is expanding abortion bans, eliminating physical fitness tests for police officers and ranked choice voting among a handful of other bills.
Abortion
A group of Republicans prefiled a bill in the House that would ban abortion at 15 days gestational age.
The legislation would expand restrictions on abortion from its current 24 weeks. The governor has previously said he will protect access to abortion despite previously signing the 24-week ban.
Police requirements
A House bill aimed at eliminating a statewide physical fitness test for police officers before becoming an officer will be debated.
The legislation has received support from several small-town police chiefs who say the requirement hinders recruitment efforts.
Ranked choice voting
Two House bills hope to implement ranked choice voting, in which voters would rank candidates in order of preference on the ballots.
The voting system is also known as instant-runoff voting, and there are varying forms.
Alaska and Maine are the only two states using ranked-choice voting for all federal and statewide elections; Hawaii uses it in some statewide elections. Virginia law allows it but it is not used. Thirteen states have localities using it, according to Ballotpedia.
Pension system debt
A House bill would add a $50 million payment to aid the state’s retirement system’s unfunded liability.
Supporters of the legislation say it will save taxpayers by reducing interest costs. The state passed on making larger payments in the two most recent state budgets.
State pension transference
The New Hampshire state pension system requires a decade of employment before vesting. In addition, the plan cannot be transferred, which critics say discourages job seekers, particularly young people, from accepting state jobs.
A proposed House bill would provide portability and offer short-term vesting by enrolling state employees in a contribution retirement plan rather than the state’s defined benefit pension plan.
