There is growing acceptance of the importance of wearing a mask to reduce the spread of the cororonavirus, but not so much acceptance of the fact that, for some people, mask-wearing is medically impossible.
A mother taking her child to an appointment at Mid-State Health Center in Bristol was turned away, and her son refused treatment, because, although she was wearing a medically approved face shield as she had in the past, the nurse and doctor on duty insisted that she wear a mask or leave.
Most businesses make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities or medical problems that make mask-wearing untenable. There usually is a workaround through the Americans with Disabilities Act that affords such people a way to access necessary services. Often, however, such people are shamed or accosted for “not following the rules.”
Then there are those who purposely flaunt the health directives. Several members of the New Hampshire Legislature have refused to wear masks on the false premise that doing so would be giving up their liberties.
The selectmen of Paris, Maine, went so far as to approve a resolution that declares the Maine governor’s executive order requiring masks to be unconstitutional and urging that state’s legislature to nullify the order, all under the guise of “protecting those with medical exemptions.”
Disability Rights Maine disputes that argument, with Executive Director Kim Moody saying, “People who do not know the law are using it in their interest, rather than in the interest of people with disabilities. … It is distressing that my fellow Mainers are using the ADA this way when we still do not have full implementation of the law.”
Paris Town Manager Dawn Noyes claims that the resolution is being mischaracterized because the town still plans to enforce the mask mandate in town buildings. “The rest of us, we suck it up and we put our mask on every day to protect everybody else. It’s those people that really truly can’t is who we want to protect,” she said.
State Revenues Strong Despite Pandemic
The House Ways and Means Committee reports that the state expects about $2.67 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2021, $18.5 million more than the estimates had forecast.
Ways and Means Chairman Norman Major said three factors helped to offset the tax revenue losses from businesses and restaurants struggling through the pandemic: Massachusetts’ decision to ban flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes, which drove business to New Hampshire and increased revenue from the tobacco tax; people in urban areas moving to the state and driving up home values and rental costs; and the increased popularity of state-run lottery games.
House Tables Affordable Housing Bill
Despite bipartisan support and Governor Chris Sununu’s blessing, House Bill 586, which would have addressed the lack of affordable housing for New Hampshire residents, was tabled, 175-172.
“Our constituents across the state were already struggling to find affordable housing, and the economic shockwaves caused by the pandemic have only intensified this problem,” said Representative Marjorie Porter, a Hillsborough Democrat. “It is extremely disappointing that House Republicans would buck the governor, their own caucus members, and most importantly their constituents to sideline this bill.”
Republicans opposing the bill said it would increase bureaucracy and favor land developers.
The bill would have encouraged zoning boards to approve affordable housing by adding incentives toward building housing for older people, expanding the use of economic development and revitalization districts, and extending tax credits for affordable housing projects.
Standing Your Ground
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to support House Bill 197, which expands the grounds for the use of deadly force by citizens. Instead of limiting someone using deadly force to circumstances where they “reasonably believe” the other person is about to use deadly force, in threatened violence during a burglary or home invasion, or if someone is about to commit a forcible sex offense, as it does under current law, the bill would allow deadly force when someone “Is likely to use any unlawful force in the commission of a felony against a person in a vehicle, dwelling or its curtilage.”
The current law generally limits that “stand your ground” provision to apply to one’s home, but the change makes it justifiable while in a motor vehicle was well.
Representative Jennifer Rhodes, a Winchester Republican, said, “The rights of Granite Staters and their loved ones are of utmost importance and shall always be protected, upheld and reaffirmed, regardless of property line boundaries.”
Those objecting to the bill said it would make it harder to determine whether a felony was being committed, or whether it was really a case of road rage.
Nursing Shortage At Schools
House Bill 349 would reverse the recent restrictions on school nurses that now require them to have four-year degrees. With the current nursing shortage, schools have had a hard time finding people who meet the enhanced requirements. The bill would only require school nurses to be licensed registered nurses.
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