Also on today’s menu:
AG Pursues Another Easy Money Source
Man Perishes When Car Lands In Androscoggin River
State Increases Reimbursements Under Medicare
President Joe Biden Jr., who wants to make South Carolina the first state to hold a primary election and force New Hampshire and Nevada to share second place on the primary calendar, will not be filing for the Granite State primary by Friday’s deadline, according to his reelection campaign. His campaign said he will be on New Hampshire’s November 2024 general-election ballot, confident that he will win the Democratic primary. The Democratic National Committee will see to that with its efforts to keep any challengers away from its chosen candidate.
By law, New Hampshire must hold its primary election before any other state’s primary, but the DNC over the last few years has been trying to force the state to abandon its first-in-the-nation status, arguing that New Hampshire does not represent the rest of the country.
During a press briefing on the primary process on October 24, Secretary of State David Scanlan answered the criticism that New Hampshire is too white and too rich, saying, “There really is no state that truly reflects the makeup of America. I don’t think New Hampshire should apologize for its ethnic makeup … that’s not what this is about.” Instead, he said, New Hampshire provides an opportunity for any candidate for the nation’s highest office to meet with voters and articulate their positions, while allowing voters to question them about the issues.
New Hampshire’s filing fee to appear on the ballot is $1,000, while South Carolina’s filing fee is $20,000 per candidate. A candidate can avoid the Granite State filing fee by obtaining the signatures of 10 voters from each county.
AG Pursues Another Easy Money Source
New Hampshire has done quite well suing companies for the harm to users who abuse their products, and companies whose products have been found to be dangerous. The tobacco settlement, for instance, netted $285 million, even though smokers have known for years that nicotine can cause cancer but chose to smoke anyway. The federal government encouraged petroleum companies to add methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) to unleaded gasoline, but when the compound was found to contaminate groundwater, the Granite State was able to obtain $136.5 million in a settlement. Now Attorney-General John Formella is suing Meta Platforms, Inc., and its subsidiary, Instagram, LLC, in Merrimack County Superior Court, on charges of violating the state’s consumer protection statute and other laws.
The complaint alleges that Meta purposefully designed Facebook and Instagram to include addictive features in order to entice and prolong the time children spend on the platforms. When children attempt to step away, Meta bombards them with alerts designed to lure them back. “These and other features work together to exploit the developmental vulnerabilities of children and trap them into never-ending use that the social media giant knows harms their mental health and wellbeing,” Formella said.
Governor Chris Sununu said, “This lawsuit against Meta marks a significant development in New Hampshire’s ongoing efforts and investigation of social media companies and the harms they perpetrate against the children of our state. This spring I issued an executive order directing state agencies to develop curriculum specifically related to social media harms. At the same time, the Attorney-General’s Office has begun investigations into additional companies, and that work remains ongoing today. These actions show the health and welfare of our children are paramount concerns, and we will take real action to protect New Hampshire’s kids.”
Man Perishes When Car Lands In Androscoggin River
A 21-year-old Littleton man died when his 2000 Ford Mustang, registered out of Upton, Maine, went off the road south of Errol and landed in 12-15 feet of water in the Androscoggin River.
A motorist called E-911 on October 24 around 4:10 p.m. to report the vehicle in the water. First responders from Errol Fire and Rescue and a state police officer from the Troop F barracks found the vehicle just under the water line about 50 feet offshore, but were unable to locate a driver or any passengers and could not access the vehicle due to the depth of the water. New Hampshire Fish and Game sent a dive team, and Marine Patrol and the Milan Fire Department also went to the location.
Divers found the driver, Michael Marshall, inside the vehicle and believe he was the only person in the car at the time of the crash. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
State Increases Reimbursements Under Medicare
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has announced increases in Medicaid reimbursements to home health agencies, ambulance providers, the children’s dental program, and pregnancy care providers, including midwives, obstetricians, and birthing centers, as a result of testimony in Concord that led lawmakers to increase the funds.
The state budget passed in June increased Medicaid rates by $134 million, and the federal match brings the amount to nearly $300 million — far more than the $24 million that Governor Chris Sununu included in his budget proposal.
All providers received a 3 percent increase at the start of the budget year in July, and will see additional raises in January.
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