$100 Plus Mileage

How to advocate for your cause through election season

Election season is here, and it’s hard to turn on the TV or pull up a news site without being bombarded by messaging from candidates and interest groups. Still, if you have a cause you care deeply about, now is a great time to advance that cause by getting involved in the electoral process. In this article, we’ll explore some concrete steps you can take to do just that.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

Gone but not forgotten: these bills will probably come back in 2025

Summer vacation isn’t just for kids and teachers; the New Hampshire Legislature is also nearing its summer break. Most of the legislative action is over until the fall, when lawmakers will begin proposing a new round of bills. That makes now a good time to look back on some proposals that had a lot of buzz this year but didn’t make it to the finish line (Gov. Sununu’s desk). If the past is any sign of the future, this article won’t just be a retrospective, but a preview of coming attractions.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E11: Should NH ban a credit card category for firearm purchases?

As more of our world moves online, more policy debates center around how businesses collect and use our personal data. The debate over gun laws is no exception; this year the New Hampshire Legislature passed a bill blocking credit card companies from implementing a code for firearm purchases.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E10: Should NH ban Chinese companies from buying land in the state?

From the proposed TikTok ban to the infamous “Chinese spy balloon” that drifted across the United States last year, many American lawmakers have called for new laws defending against the threat of Chinese espionage. While much of this conversation has taken place at the federal level, Granite State legislators are considering a broad bill to prevent Chinese companies from buying land near U.S. military installations, farmland, critical infrastructure, and even restaurants and banks.  The bill sailed through the Senate, but now state representatives have raised some red flags.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E9: Should NH license music therapists?

When facing a controversial issue, the New Hampshire Legislature can take years to work out a bill. Marijuana legalization, firearm background checks, Right-to-Work, and school funding are some of the most well-known multi-year debates. For the past four years legislators have been working on another issue you might have missed: whether the state should license music therapists.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

Bonus Episode: NH legislators take action on AI

We have yet to fight time-traveling terminators, but artificial intelligence is still taking over. Chatbots are replacing customer service operators, generative AI is overtaking human stock photos, and students are letting ChatGPT do their homework. Until the federal government takes action, it’s up to state legislators to draw the line. Now the New Hampshire House and Senate are working on five bills that define the legal and illegal use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E8: Should NH regulate the batteries in electric scooters and e-bikes?

If you lived in an American city around 2021, you’ll likely remember how, all of a sudden, electric scooters seemed to be everywhere. Companies like Bird and Lime unleashed a fleet of scooters available for rent using a smartphone app, and many cities hosted shared e-bikes to help cut down on automotive traffic. Since then, the popularity of scooters and e-bikes for commuting has continued to grow. Some worry about the safety of these mobility devices however, since their rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if improperly built or cared for. Now, the New Hampshire Legislature is considering SB 365, a bill that prohibits sales of electric bicycles, scooters, and lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, that have not been safety certified.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E7: Do NH colleges and universities need a due process law?

Many of the debates around campus sexual assault in New Hampshire have focused on protecting victims and punishing perpetrators, but state Rep. Bob Lynn (R-Windham) sees the issue through a different lens. He’s concerned about the rights of the accused. Now the New Hampshire House of Representatives is debating a bill that would require detailed due process rights for students, faculty, and student organizations accused of misconduct at public colleges and universities.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E6: 2024’s Legislative Graveyard: bills that have been killed this year

Every year, New Hampshire legislators consider around 1,000 bills. About two thirds of them don’t survive long enough to make it to the governor’s desk. There are plenty of reasons for this—lawmakers may feel the proposed law would have unintended consequences, or that the proposal needs to be given more thought, or there might just be a clash of party ideals. As we approach the halfway point of this legislative session, let’s pause to remember some of the bills that have been killed this year.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.

S4 E5: Should restaurants, bars face stiffer penalties for overserving alcohol?

It’s not only illegal to drink and drive, it’s illegal for restaurants and bars to overserve alcohol. If a customer drives drunk and hurts someone, the business that served them may face a fine and a suspended alcohol license. To some victim advocates, however, these penalties do not go far enough. This year a New Hampshire family is working with legislators to raise the stakes for bars and restaurants overserving alcohol.

Listen as hosts Anna Brown and Mike Dunbar, of Citizens Count break it down in  $100 Plus Mileage. This podcast is produced in partnership with Citizens Count, Granite State News Collaborative and The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications at Franklin Pierce University.