$100 Plus Mileage

S4 E4: Should NH remove the right to treasure hunt with a metal detector on school grounds?

New Hampshire takes its rights seriously—we are the “Live Free or Die State” after all. But here’s one right you probably didn’t know you had: the right to go treasure hunting with a metal detector on athletic fields and school grounds. That access may be in jeopardy however. This year, the New Hampshire Legislature is considering removing these areas from the list of allowed places to metal detect.

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 E3: Should state law require libraries to grant access to children’s records?

State law protects the privacy of library records, which means even the police need a court order to see what you’re reading. It also means that if a minor has their own library card, a parent does not have automatic access to their child’s checkouts. This year a state representative introduced a bill to open children’s records for parents, but questions remain about liability and the legal role of libraries.

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.

Citizens Count is a nonprofit serving the New Hampshire community by providing objective information about issues, elected officials, bills, elections, and candidates.  These articles are being shared with partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org

S4 E2: Should NH limit coyote hunting to coincide with pup season?

Coyotes have long been vilified in New Hampshire and across the country. Generations of farmers learned to despise these predators for ravaging livestock. New Hampshire hunters can target coyotes all year long with no bag limit. Advocates argue that the coyote’s bad reputation is unfair, however. This has led to HB 1100, a bill that would limit coyote hunting to protect pup rearing season.

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.

Citizens Count is a nonprofit serving the New Hampshire community by providing objective information about issues, elected officials, bills, elections, and candidates.  These articles are being shared with partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org

S4 E1: Should NH ban bots and regulate ticket resales?

If you bought tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour last year, you probably battled bots on Ticketmaster or paid a reseller thousands over face value. Bots and scalpers don’t just impact international popstars, however; artists, venues, and fans in New Hampshire are getting scammed. Now the New Hampshire Legislature is considering how – and if – the state can fight back.

On January 16 the Senate Commerce Committee will host a public hearing on SB 328, a bill that takes on deceptive ticket sales.

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.

S3 E12: Putting a face to the name: New Hampshire proclaims new observances, names new bridges, and more

Every year, New Hampshire legislators consider a host of bills establishing commemorative days and naming bridges and highways after various notables. It’s easy to overlook these bills as the product of legislative “sausage making,” but they say a great deal about how New Hampshire—by way of its legislators—sees itself. Let’s take a look at some of this year’s “naming” bills and where they’ve ended up.

S3 E11: New law will allow EMTs to help K-9s

The New Hampshire Legislature recently passed a bill that will allow emergency services personnel to treat and transport police dogs. 

This new law is inspired by the story of Nero, a Massachusetts K-9 that was shot in the face while serving an arrest warrant in Barnstable in 2018. While there were multiple ambulances on site, none could legally help or transport Nero. A senior law enforcement officer made the decision to place Nero in the back seat of his cruiser and find a vet. During the ride a doctor from the SWAT team intubated Nero with a drinking straw. Nero survived that day, although his injuries forced an early retirement.

Sargent Sean Gannon, Nero’s handler, did not survive. The same man who shot Nero took Sgt. Gannon’s life.

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

S3 E10: Should NH require rear-facing car seats for children under 2 years old?

New Hampshire state law doesn’t require adults to wear seat belts, but the law is not so laissez-faire when it comes to infants. Passengers under age seven must be fastened by a child restraint system (e.g. a car seat) with specific rules spelled out by the federal government. Now, the Legislature is set to vote on SB 118, a bill that would require rear-facing car seats for children less than two years old

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

S3 E9: Should NH mandate solid playground paths for wheelchairs?

According to some Granite Staters, new playgrounds are failing to provide access for children with disabilities. Now the state legislature is considering a bill that would require solid, rubber-like materials for playground pathways.

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.

S3 E8: Should New Hampshire lessen the penalty for driving without a driver’s license?

There are a variety of reasons someone might break the law by driving without a valid driver’s license—they let it expire, or their family couldn’t afford drivers’ education courses, for example. If someone drives without a license because they can’t pass a safety test, however, it puts everyone on the road at risk. A 2015 law introduced stricter penalties for those who drive without a license. Now New Hampshire is considering HB 201, a bill to roll back some of those changes.

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.

S3 E7: Should NH remove the requirement for schools to offer free period products in bathrooms?

This year there has been a lot of attention on school policies related to sex and gender, but not every bill has received the same scrutiny. One bill, HB 129, would ease the state requirements for schools to provide free pads and tampons in bathrooms. The bill received almost no attention in the House of Representatives but may hit some roadblocks in the Senate.

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.