Capital Comments: N.H. community colleges are “technologically savvy”

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Sunapee News

Scroll down to read about New Hampshire’s Community College System. From State Senator Bob Odell I sent a note of apology for missing a committee meeting of the New Hampshire Humanities Council on Wednesday because our Senate session ran late.  The executive director of the council and the spouse of a State Representative replied that [...]

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Students learn about advanced manufacturing at Whelen

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Sunapee News

Scroll down to read about a private-public partnership that introduces students to advanced manufacturing at Whelen Engineering in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Capital Comments from State Senator Bob Odell The e-mail from a lobbyist’s iPhone read, “The telecom bill just passed STE (House Science and Technology Committee) 17-0 not amended.  Thank you for your help.  This [...]

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Capital Comments: Learning for legislators is on-going

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Sunapee News

Capital Comments from State Senator Bob Odell Each week I shuttle between meetings in my office and committee rooms in the State House and the Legislative Office Building across the street.  Every meeting, whether with a constituent, a lobbyist or government official, is a learning experience. If I were in school, a reader might compare [...]

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NH’s economy: good news balanced by challenges

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Sunapee News

Capital Comments from Senator Bob Odell “Crossover” or midpoint in the 2012 session, was finished a week earlier amidst some of the busiest legislative days of the year.  That meant last week there were too few bills ready for either the House or Senate to meet. A Wednesday not in Concord is very rare.  The [...]

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Capital Comments: Three surprises — redistricting, medical marijuana, biennial sessions

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Sunapee News

Capital Comments from State Senator Bob Odell Last Wednesday was cross over day in the State Senate.  And as I drove home late that night, I reflected on three surprises from the day. First, in the morning, before session or caucuses started, I wrote an email response to a constituent’s request that I vote to [...]

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Capital Comments: NH Senate appoves prescription drug monitoring

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Sunapee News

Capital Comments from State Senator Bob Odell At the start of each Senate session, our chaplain offers a brief comment and a prayer. Last week, Rev. Canon Charles LaFond mentioned that he has a sign at the entryway to his house that states that conversation in that house should be “kind, true and improve on [...]

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Capital Comments: RGGI, shoreland protection, and parakeets

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell “Tweet, tweet” Senators jokingly went back and forth. On Thursday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had its final public hearing for the 2011 session. And the hearing was on House Bill 651 allowing the sale and possession of monk, also called Quaker parakeets. The end of our hearings [...]

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Capital Comments: Friday’s budget session…

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Sunapee News

This week the Senate Finance Committee continues to hear from departments and agencies; voting on the budget begins the week of May 9th. This week’s column describes last Friday’s session and two items before the committee: Service Link and a program called Children in Need of Services (CHINS). Both programs were not funded in the [...]

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Capital Comments: Personal stories put faces to NH budget bills

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Sunapee News

By Senator Bob Odell “This is amazing,” Diane Woods of Durham said, as she began her testimony before last Thursday’s Senate Finance Committee public hearing on the budget bills, House Bills 1 and 2. More than 400 people signed up to speak.  And many of them got to speak during the 8 and 3/4 hours [...]

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It’s a challenging budget season

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Sunapee News

In this week’s Capital Comments, Senator Odell writes about the Senate Finance Committee and its works on the budget; the performance of “Annie” at the Newport Opera House; and Turning Points. By State Senator Bob Odell While Mondays and Fridays are usually quiet days in the State House, the Senate Finance Committee is using those [...]

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Capital Comments: Unity school aid bill moves on to finance committee

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell Some weeks there are single major events at the State House that draw everyone’s attention; other weeks there are interesting bits and pieces picked up from committee sessions and watching other action around the legislature that draw little attention. Snow forced postponement of our regular Senate session last Wednesday.  The [...]

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Capital Comments: Forums on education air local concerns

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell While the pace of activity picks up in Concord with floor sessions in the House and Senate and committees hearing bills in both chambers, legislators never want to forget about listening to what is going on back home. Those with a stake in the issues before the legislature want their [...]

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Capital Comments: Committee okays $2M tied to federal Affordable Care Act

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell On Wednesday of last week, the Republicans in the United States House of Representatives voted to repeal Obamacare. On Friday, the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee of the New Hampshire General Court voted to accept $2 million tied to the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act commonly known as Obamacare. [...]

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Wetlands: What’s in a Name? | Front Door Politics

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Sunapee News

The Daily Dispatch reports that a New Hampshire “Senate committee began work today on two proposed bills that could change the definition of wetlands. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will look into the bills, sponsored by committee chairman Sen. Bob Odell R-Lempster.” Read more via Wetlands: What’s in a Name? | Front Door [...]

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Capital Comments: Inauguration Day in Concord

Posted on January 9, 2011 by Sunapee News

On January 6, 2011 New Hampshire Governor John Lynch was inaugurated to a historic, fourth consecutive two-year term. By State Senator Bob Odell The Senate received a message inviting Senators to join the House in a joint convention for the purposes of swearing in the Governor and the five members of the Executive Council and [...]

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