State House Dome: Council faces big tech decision

Apr. 22—THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL will have a $31 million decision to make.

The issue is whether to seek proposals for a whole new system for the Enterprise Resource Planning system or renew with an existing vendor.

The system essentially is the computer-based foundation for much of state government finances that includes human resources, payroll, financial management, accounting and plenty more.

Administrative Services Deputy Commissioner Cassie Keane recently told the council that it would likely end up costing the state more to seek proposals for an entirely new system than to continue with its existing enterprise vendor of about 15 years, New York City-based Infor.

"This is a system that is aging out and very costly and human resource dense to maintain," Keane told the council.

"What do we do with this system, what is our next step?"

The plan is to move much of it onto the cloud with regular updates by the vendor and that could lead to greater efficiency, she said.

Making this cloud upgrade would cost $31 million — $15 million to implement it and the rest for licensing fees the state would pay out over 10 years, state officials said.

Information Technology Commissioner Denis Goulet supports this decision as does Gov. Chris Sununu.

"Sometimes it is 'our new shiny thing' we want and sometimes if it is really different, it is going to be just as hard to implement and more costly with a new system," Goulet said.

Putting the entire system out to bid and starting from scratch with a new system could cost $75 million or more, Keane said.

Councilor Cinde Warmington, D-Concord, asked if the state could be missing out on better opportunities by not seeking other proposals.

"Could another system be cheaper? Maybe, but it would be the first time I would see that in my career," Goulet responded.

State officials are also concerned that getting proposals could mean the "price" to stick with Infor goes up.

A similar-size state, Idaho, went to a new system a few years ago and it cost the state more than $100 million, state officials noted.

Sununu asked the team to make a more detailed presentation on the topic to the council at its next breakfast meeting on May 3.

Delaney remains in limbo

Former New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney continues to be a judicial nominee in waiting as the Senate Judiciary Committee held over Delaney and five other President Biden nominees to the bench.

The opposition to Delaney's appointment has intensified largely over his legal representation of St. Paul School and the handling of student Chessy Prout who accused former student Owen Labrie of raping her. After a trial, a judge convicted Labrie of misdemeanor sexual assault and found him not guilty of felony rape.

The state's two Democratic U.S. senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, still support Delaney's bid.

Republicans continue to block these nominations as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, has been missing from the Senate for weeks recovering at home from a bout with shingles.

The panel did move forward several nominees to the full Senate including former Rockingham County Attorney and Londonderry Police Chief William Hart to become the next U.S. marshal for New Hampshire.

Feinstein has asked Senate leaders to replace her temporarily with another Senate Democrat on the panel so these nominations can move forward.

Sununu's commentary goes national — again

Sununu can't stop getting national media attention (not like he's avoiding it) most recently last weekend as he spoke about Fox News during a no-press event with Republican donors in Nashville, Tennessee.

"I was on with [Fox News business anchor and senior vice president Neil] Cavuto this morning, and I talk to the leadership at Fox all the time," Sununu said, according to National Public Radio that obtained audio, which Sununu's staff confirmed.

"I go, 'Look guys, I saw a panel discussion with four panelists on Fox and they all were literally agreeing with each other...They're talking in an echo chamber. What are you doing to grow the team?'"

"If you don't do it," he said, "we're going to lose."

Sununu aide Benjamin Vihstadt said Sununu was saying more Republicans need to go on Democratic-leaning news networks such as CNN and MSNBC as Sununu has because GOP voters watch them, too.

Then last Monday, on cue, Sununu repeated on CNN the view Republicans need to speak to more than the converted.

"Republican leaders across this country get too wrapped up in talking in our own echo chamber, telling our people what they want to hear," Sununu said, adding that it's like an "endorphin rush" for politicians.

Memo to Biden: Get more likeable

With President Biden set to make it official and announce for a second term this week, his first job in New Hampshire starts with getting more Democrats to like him.

According to last week's University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll, there were eight Democratic figures who were more popular than the President.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama led the bunch with 80% favorable toward her and just 5% unfavorable (+75%).

As for Biden, 54% were favorable and 23% were unfavorable (+31%); the rest were neutral or had no opinion.

Trailing behind Michelle Obama, but ahead of Biden, among likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (+55%), Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (+50%), Georgia Senate and gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams (+52%), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Witmer (+44%), Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (+42%), Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (+42%) and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (+41%).

The two declared Democratic hopefuls have much more work than Biden does on this front. Among New Hampshire Dems, 15% were favorable but 37% unfavorable toward environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (-22%) who officially announced for President in Boston last week.

Only 4% were favorable toward author and 2020 hopeful Marianne Williamson while 40% held an unfavorable view.

Buckley launches podcast

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley kicked off a new weekly podcast with Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, D-Manchester, serving as his first guest. Now there's a guy who always has something to say.

TikTok doesn't rate high here

Capitol Hill continues to consider whether to pass legislation banning TikTok, the very popular app for short videos.

Among all surveyed by UNH last week, 72% said they have never used it; 11% who have used it have stopped over concerns the Chinese government controls it and it's become a national security issue.

On whether to ban TikTok, 52% said Congress should do it, 23% said it should not and the other 25% did not know or care either way.

Electricity rate presser coming up

350 NH is hosting a news conference Wednesday to call for an end to electric utility shutoffs and to oppose further electric rate hikes.

The move comes as the deadline to apply for the emergency assistance funding runs out next Sunday.

Although 50,000 households qualified for the aid, less than 2% of the money was given out as of last week.

Speakers will include State Rep. Jackie Chretien, D- North Country resident Jordan Applewhite and 350NH Youth Program Organizer Elisabeth Bialosky of Portsmouth.

The group says that with high energy prices and no option to seek further assistance there should be a pause on any shutoffs of residential customers for nonpayment.

House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, said not spending taxpayer money is a cause for celebration, not condemnation.

"A fine chap once said, 'There's no greater responsibility in all of public service than managing somebody else's money.' I completely agree. I am glad that a large amount of the $35 million we put aside to help Granite Staters through the winter ended up not being needed," Osborne said in a statement.

"I am proud of the bipartisan work we accomplished to pass the largest energy relief package in our state's history that thoughtfully and prudently targeted the relief to those who really needed it."

Some key votes coming up

Both the New Hampshire House of Representatives and state Senate have taken at least a two-week hiatus from holding sessions while committees catch up with bills from the other chamber.

There could be some important votes and hearings worth watching in the next week.

The House Special Committee on Housing will meet nearly all day Monday taking testimony from stakeholders.

On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee holds a hearing on the House-passed bill (HB 367) that raises eligibility for families to receive Education Freedom Accounts from 300%-to-350% of the federal poverty level.

The House Ways and Means Committee on the same day considers the Senate-passed bill (SB 104) to legalize online wagering with the proceeds going to support scholarships for community college students.

The House Education Committee has scheduled an executive session Tuesday morning. Bills on its dockets including the Senate-passed, parental rights measure (SB 272) that attracted a huge crowd from both sides at its hearing last week.

The Senate Finance Committee will work on the budget for the Division of Children, Youth and Families on Tuesday afternoon.

The House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee on Wednesday will hold an executive session with bills that include the Senate-passed one (SB 263) to make Medicaid expansion permanent.

House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, told House members the next House session is May 4.

Pappas opposes same-sex sports bill

U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas spoke out strongly against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act that cleared the U.S. House along party lines last week.

"Banning trans women and girls from participating in sports and allowing schools to directly discriminate against students on the basis of their gender identity would do lasting harm," Pappas said.

"I strongly oppose this legislation, which is the latest in a series of bigoted, harmful attacks on the transgender community. All students deserve the opportunity to participate fully at school, including in school sports..."

Congressional Republicans believe as the N.H. House GOP leaders do that a majority of voters want their sport teams made up of members of the same biological sex.

Not on board with Biden

On Friday, Pappas took a swipe at the Biden administration after it approved the sale of $259 million in software upgrades to Turkey's existing F-16 aircraft.

"I am disappointed the Administration has moved forward with this sale without fully addressing Turkey's reckless behavior in the Aegean," said Pappas who is a co-chair of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus.

Sununu gets "Jeopardy!" billing

On Thursday night, Gov. Sununu was the answer to a "Jeopardy!" question under the category of Face of a Politician worth $800.

"It's a good thing he got it right," Sununu quipped.

Nurse of the Year

Sen. D'Allesandro, was beaming after his daughter-in-law, Renee D'Allesandro was named school nurse of the year in New Hampshire.

She works at Concord High School.

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Kevin Landrigan is State House Bureau Chief for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. Contact him at klandrigan@unionleader.com.