Legislative Update for March 6, 2020

REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE NURSING MOTHERS WITH ACCESS TO SUFFICIENT SPACE AND BREAK TIME:   The Senate passed SB 618 with amendment.  As amended the bill would require employers with 6 or more employees to provide nursing employees with an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes for every three hours of worked performed, and access to sufficient space for expression of milk during work hours.  This would have to be allowed for a period of one year from the date of birth of the child.  The bill also would provide a tax credit of up to $5,000 against the NH Business Enterprise Tax for costs an employer would incur to make sufficient space available.  The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee for more review.

REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS FOR PREGNANT EMPLOYEES:  The Senate Commerce Committee has voted 5-0 to recommend passage of SB 759 with amendment.  As amended, the bill would require an employer to provide a pregnant employee with reasonable accommodations and/or permit the employee to take a leave of absence for the period of temporary physical disability resulting from pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, unless such employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer.  The full Senate will vote on the bill next Wednesday, March 11.

PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE:  Next week, the Senate will vote on two competing bills establishing paid family and medical leave.  SB 730 is the Governor’s bill and would enable private employers to voluntarily participate in a state-run program.  The Senate Commerce Committee voted along party lines to recommend that this bill be sent to interim study.  Meanwhile, the Committee voted along party lines to recommend passage of HB 712, which is the Democratic-lead legislative version that would establish a mandatory program for employers.  The legislature is not likely to pass the Governor’s bill, and the Governor will veto the legislature’s bill, so this issue isn’t likely to go anywhere this year. 

REGULATION OF FOOD TRUCKS:  The Senate passed SB 479 with amendment.  As amended, the bill would establish a committee to study and review state and municipal regulation of food trucks and to evaluate ways to reduce state and local barriers to operating food trucks in NH.  The Committee would be charged will filing a report by November 1, 2020.  The bill now goes to the House.

DOGS IN OUTDOOR AREAS OF BREW PUBS:  The Senate passed SB 450 with amendment.  As amended, the bill would allow brew pub licensees to enable patrons to bring their dogs onto outdoor patios provided that the access to the patio is from the exterior of the building.  The bill now goes to the House. 

ADDING THE SALE OF SKI TICKETS TO THE MEALS AND ROOMS TAX:  The House killed HB 1652 on a vote of 323-7.  The bill would have added the sale of ski tickets under the meals and rooms tax.  NHLRA opposed the bill. 

LIMITING THE USE OF PAPER RECEIPTS:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 19-0 to recommend that HB 1508 be killed.  The bill would require a business to provide a customer with proof of purchase only at the customers’ option.  No business could print a paper receipt unless the customer asks for one.  No paper receipt printed by a business could contain bisphenol A or bisphenol S.  The full House will vote on the bill next Wednesday, March 11.

BEDBUGS:  The House Health & Human Services Committee has voted 18-0 to recommend killing HB 1428.  The bill would require Town Health Officers, upon a complaint of a guest of an inn, hotel, motel or other establishment which provides lodging to transient guests, to enter the premises to evaluate whether bedbugs are present.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.

FOOD RECOVERY:  The House Health & Human Services Committee has voted 19-1 to recommend passage of HB 1703.  The bill would establish a 17-member food recovery working group to reduce food waste and increase food recovery.  NHLRA is named as one of the stakeholders on the working group.  The working group would be directed to look at current regulations and policies that may be hindering food recovery and to make suggestions for changes.

FOOD ALLERGIES:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 16-4 to recommend passage of HB 1102 with amendment.  As amended the bill would require food service establishments to include on all menus and menu boards a notice to customers of the customers obligation to inform their server of his or her food allergies.  It would also require food service establishments to have a person in charge at all times of operation trained and certified as a food protection manager.  This last provision is already a requirement of the new food code.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.

SINGLE USE PLASTIC STRAWS:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 12-8 to recommend passage of HB 1472 with amendment.  As amended, will prohibit food service establishments from providing a single use plastic straw to a customer unless specifically requested.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.

ALLOWING DOGS ON RESTAURANT PATIOS:  The House Commerce Committee has voted 14-6 to recommend passage of HB 1483.  As amended the bill would allow dogs on open air restaurant patios.  Access to the patio would have to be from the exterior of the restaurant.  The full House will vote on the bill next week.

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