Legislative Update for March 02, 2018

SEPARATE BATHROOMS FOR EACH SEX:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 20-0 to recommend passage of HB1382, which would repeal the requirement that restaurants provide separate bathrooms for each sex. The full House will vote on the bill next week.

ALLOWING CITIES AND TOWNS TO LICENSE SHORT TERM RENTALS:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 17-3 to recommend that HB 1635 be referred to interim study.  The bill would allow cities and towns to issue licenses for the operation of a short term rentals like Airbnb and HomeAway.  The full House will vote on the bill next week. 

REDUCING LABOR REGULATIONS:  The House Labor Committee has voted 17-4 to recommend thatHB 1762 be referred to interim study.  The bill would reduce and eliminate many state labor regulations.  It would: prohibit fines from being imposed if the general intent of the law was met; written documentation would not be required to meet the intent of the law and paperwork discrepancies would not be fined; working hour restrictions for 16 and 17 year olds would be eliminated; employees could buy company clothing; the need for employee signing/documenting when leaving before 2-hour minimum on their own, when correcting hours to be paid due to their clock in errors, or when receiving pay increases would be eliminated; no random audits of employers would be allowed; employers would be allowed to have mandatory tip-sharing policies; opportunity for unpaid internships would be expanded; reduce record keeping from 4 to 3 years; warnings before fines by providing employers 30 days to fix violations; fines for not posting labor laws in “conspicuous” place would be eliminated; and it would eliminate need for written safety plan.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.  A similar bill was tabled in the Senate. 

INCREASE IN TIPPED EMPLOYEE WAGE:  The House Labor Committee has voted 12-9 to recommend that HB 1246 be killed.  The bill would increase the tip wage from $3.27 to the full minimum hourly wage by January 1, 2020.  The full House will vote on it next week   NHLRA opposes this bill.
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LIMITING THE TYPES OF BEVERAGES OFFERED WITH A CHILDREN’S MEAL:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 14-4 to recommend that the House kill HB 1668, which would limit the beverages offered with a children’s meal to milk or a non-dairy milk alternative, 100 percent juice or fruit juice combined with water or carbonated water with no added caloric sweetness, water, sparkling water, or flavored water with no added natural or artificial sweeteners.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.  NHLRA opposes this bill.

PAYMENT FOR UNUSED VACATION OR PERSONAL TIME:  The House Labor Committee has voted 12-9 to recommend that HB 1393 be killed.  The bill would require an employer that terminates an employee for any reason to pay that employee no later than the next regular pay period for unused vacation time or personal time.  The Committee also voted 12-9 to recommend that a similar bill (HB 1201) be killed.  The full House will vote on these bills next week.  

ADVANCE NOTICE OF WORK SCHEDULE:  The House Labor Committee has voted 21-0 to recommend that HB 1451 be killed.  The bill would require employers with 10 or more employees or 2 or more locations to provide an employee with a work schedule in writing at least 7 days before the first day of the work schedule.  The employer would have to post the written work schedule in a conspicuous and accessible location.  If the employer requests changes to the written work schedule the employer would have to provide the employee with timely notice of the change and the employee would be entitled to decline any work shifts not included in the original noticed work schedule.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.  NHLRA opposes this bill.

LOCAL SURCHARGE ON OCCUPANCY UNDER THE MEALS AND ROOMS TAX:  The House Ways & Means Committee has voted 14-7 to recommend that HB 1609 be killed.  The bill would allow cities and towns to add an additional surcharge not to exceed $2 per occupancy per 24-hour period on rentals within that city or town.  This surcharge would be in addition to the state’s 9 percent meals and rooms tax.  The licensee would remit the surcharge to the state along with the 9 percent state tax.  The state would then send those funds collected back to the city or town.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.  NHLRA opposes this bill. 

CASINO GAMBLING:  The Senate tabled SB 586 because the prime sponsor of the bill, Senator Lou D’Allesandro was absent.  The Senate Ways & Means Committee has voted 3-2 to recommend that the bill be sent to interim study.  The bill would authorize two casinos in NH.  One would be authorized to have up to 3500 slot machines and up to 160 table games.  The other would be authorized to have up to 1500 slot machines and up to 80 table games.  Similar legislation passed the Senate last year but was defeated in the House.  The full Senate will likely remove the bill from the table and vote on it during their Senate Session on March 8. 

Contact NHLRA with your legislative questions or concerns at 603-228-9585 or info@nhlra.com.