Legislative update: Current teen work rules are unmanageable

To The Daily Sun,

It’s been 500 days since I was elected and it has been an education. Being a part of your Legislature has been fulfilling. I say “your” because although I was the representative, all of you made it worthwhile. I will run for re-election this Fall, but this is not a career. I think more than two or three terms is enough and then some of you can to step into the job. I will be looking for my replacement.

This is the 44th of my periodic reports and the last for this season covering House legislative activity for the 2017/18 Session. Just before Memorial Day the last session dealt with all the Committee of Conference reports. These were bills that emerged from both chambers with some differences requiring a meeting of the minds. Although we could debate them, in the end we could only vote up or down on the reports. The reports could not be amended.

So, what did we cover? Not being a boater, SB-119 was not high on my list of critical bills. It determined the length for temporary docks. I understand there is probably a reason because, like my waist line, boats are getting bigger, but why are we micro-managing your lives? This is really a local town decision. Similarly, SB-318 manages standards for teenage work hours. Our current rules are unmanageable. This change is not an improvement. It burdens the employer to know the school session week for every student from every school and then the employer is forced to limit the hours worked. Why not make it simpl e… no working hours between 10 p.m. or before 6 am? No limits on number of hours. The parents and kids decide if it is impacting school work. Get the government out of parenting.

SB-564 granted a business tax deferral for 10 years to an exploratory business developing “regenerative manufacturing.” This is a totally new area for the development of human organs. A new venture in Manchester puts New Hampshire at the head of this new technology. Successful or not, it moves our state to the forefront. Some of my colleagues say this is picking winners and losers and violates [Art] 5-b of our Constitution. I had a financial reason. It is money we don’t have today so we are not robbing anyone. The state will receive no additional business tax except if the economy grows or businesses are successful. The state should only receive new money through economic growth or by restricting areas of unnecessary spending.

I’ll change my forum this summer. Some will be about new legislation I intend to introduce while others will be topical. I will also be walking throughout my district to meet those I serve as I run for re-election. I hope to see you too. I’m available for coffee. Just give me call at (603) 320-9524 or email me at dave@sanbornhall.net.

Dave Testerman

Representative for Hill and Franklin

Franklin