State House Dome: Injured rep has first responder colleagues to thank
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Feb. 20—STATE REP. Ralph Boehm, R-Litchfield, on the mend after striking his head on a concrete floor, surely gives thanks to experienced rank-and-file legislators and colleagues who swung into action Thursday.
As soon as the loud crack of Boehm's head rang through the air, state Rep. Cody Belanger, R-Epping, yelled out, "Medic" and "I'm Calling 911" since licensed paramedics were not at the scene of Gov. Chris Sununu's state-of-the-state speech at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Manchester Hotel.
While the call went out and the American Medical Response crew was on the way, Boehm, had these colleagues rush to his aid:
—Rep. and Manchester Fire Lt. Stephen Pearson, R-Derry, took control of the scene and became its unofficial incident commander, a role he's assumed at hundreds of similar scenes;
—Retired spine surgeon and Rep. Jerry Knirk, D-Freedom, was making sure his head was stabilized;
—Retired hand surgeon and ex-New Hampshire Medical Society President Gary Woods was checking Boehm's vital signs and,
—Rep. Leah Cushman, R-Weare and a contract nurse, was assisting as was Legislative Chief Operating Officer Terry Pfaff, a retired firefighter.
"To see how quickly we all got into our strengths and acted thereupon was wonderful," said House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Pearson, R-Hampstead and Stephen's proud dad.
By the way, Reps. Knirk, Woods and Cushman all serve on Pearson's committee.
Godspeed in getting back to the State House, Rep. Boehm.
A hitch in the GOP armor
It was a roller-coaster ride for House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, as he had to break two ties, including one on abortion rights he ultimately lost.
The House flipped its committee and approved exemptions to the abortion ban (HB 1609) that have the backing of Gov. Sununu, but surely not the House GOP leadership.
Consider among the 12 House Republicans who voted off leadership and backed the bill were House Judiciary Committee Chairman Ned Gordon, R-Bristol, House Public Works and Highways Chairman (and bill co-sponsor) John Graham, R-Bedford, and House Ways and Means Chairman Norm Major, R-Plaistow.
House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, didn't hide his distaste for this outcome.
"I am disappointed to see so many of our House members who still feel the need to cater to extremists on this issue. Liberal bastion states like Massachusetts and California even have similar laws on the books," Osborne said.
In 2020, Massachusetts repealed its ban on late-term abortions that had no exemptions.
Osborne is right about one thing: abortion rights supporters can celebrate, but this is far from over.
In fact, it looks more at best like a pyrrhic victory.
The House Finance Committee now has custody of this bill and whatever the House ends up doing, Sununu needs to flip two Senate Republicans to get this bill to his desk.
That's a mammoth lift.
Amtrak calling all aboard
The campaign to bring commuter rail from Boston to Concord remains in limbo at the State House, but don't try to tell the top brass at Amtrak that.
Right on its website at the end of last week is, "Amtrak's Vision: Boston-to-Concord."
The federal train provider hyped the prospect of five daily round trips, saying it would generate $55 million in annual economic activity and $1.4 billion in one-time capital improvements.
Memo to Amtrak: The House GOP leadership likes the bill (HB 1432) of Rochester Rep. Aidan Ankarberg that's still in committee that would outlaw the use of state dollars to support a passenger rail project.
Tale of two hospital plans
Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette batted .500 with the Executive Council on her plans to increase mental health treatment capacity last week.
While that's a Hall-of-Fame batting average, she wants better stats than that.
The council approved spending $1.7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to pay six state administrators to manage Hampstead Hospital once the state takes over that facility.
Shibinette said it's still not enough money, but all the state can spend, even while pushing state salary schedules.
"We will pay $165,000 for a CEO when a comparable one in the private sector will make three times as much," Shibinette said.
The pay plan is for two years to give the state time to look at what kind of permanent administrative infrastructure should be there.
She said ultimately it might be an outside model such as the Dartmouth-Hitchcock physicians who manage care at state-run New Hampshire Hospital.
"We are going to put it out to bid, and there will be an evaluation in the next two years of where we are," Shibinette said.
This was her base hit. She whiffed last week at the $15 million capital investment the state would make to support Portsmouth Regional Hospital to create a single, much-bigger complex to treat mental health patients.
Shibinette withdrew the item after it was in danger of going down.
"It doesn't have the votes right now. Maybe it never will," said Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler, R-Milford.
Shibinette hosted a recent briefing on the project with all five councilors and remains optimistic it will happen.
Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield, objected to only a seven-year commitment by the for-profit hospital when other arrangements with the state have been 20 years.
Shibinette said she's working on convincing HCA, the owners of Portsmouth hospital, to support a renewal option of 12 years once that seven-year period were to pass.
Unhappiness with Vail
Sununu and councilors said they've gotten plenty of complaints about long lift lines and parking tie-ups at Sunapee ski area.
Some of this is tied to Vail, the operator of the resort, ending a reservation policy. This has led to more skiers showing up at the mountain than it can handle, especially in the midst of a workforce shortage.
State Parks Director Phillip Bryce said the state can't tell Vail how many tickets to sell.
"I am not aware of how much we can do about that," Bryce said. "Unfortunately, it does lead to a poor experience for consumers."
Sununu ran Waterville Valley Resort before becoming governor.
"I think the customer service at Sunapee stinks, and I think Vail has to be accountable for that," Sununu said.
Law enforcement team set
Sununu firmed up his law enforcement team with the confirmation of promoting John Morasco of Hooksett to be the next director of the Division of Motor Vehicles.
Morasco has most recently been the State Police major of investigations and information security.
In 2017, he was recognized with an MLK "Keeping the Dream Alive" award by the National Cultural Diversity Awareness Council for his efforts to strengthen police-community relations.
He formally replaces Director Elizabeth Bielecki on March 1.
Meanwhile, Sununu has nominated State Police Director Nathan Noyes of New Boston and Department of Safety Administrative Director Steven Lavoie of Allenstown to new four-year terms. Both make $126,048 a year.
Ex-Dem rep lashes out
Last Thursday, first-term Rep. Tony Labranche of Amherst struck out at Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley, explaining why he has left the party to become an independent.
Labranche claimed he ended up on Buckley's "blacklist" after backing Emmett Soldati, who challenged Buckley and lost in March 2021.
When Labranche reached out to Buckley for help after coming under attack in a local school election, Labranche said Buckley responded, "I'm busy. Send me an email."
"I wrote that email, and a year later I have yet to hear back from the party," Labranche said. "When I, as the youngest, openly gay legislator in the country reached out for help, I was ignored."
Democratic Party officials declined comment last Friday.
There remains some debate between Democratic leaders about strategy.
State Rep. Casey Conley, D-Dover, went on Twitter to urge Democrats to embrace a more positive message.
"Yesterday, @GovChrisSununu gave a positive, uplifting speech about the state of N.H.; doesn't matter if he omitted/glossed over key details," Conley posted.
"If Democrats want to win, we need to cut the crap, get a coherent message & embrace moderate policies."
Rep. Timothy Smith, D-Manchester, pushed back and hard Friday.
"@GovChrisSununu 'embrace moderate policies' would have been fine 30 years ago before the other side moved the goalposts, and now anything to the left of cannibalism is 'full on Marxism' so, no , that isn't the way forward," Smith responded.
Kevin Landrigan is the State House bureau chief for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News. Reach him at klandrigan@unionleader.com
