Ready to join the action at NAIFA-New Hampshire? Our organization is looking to grow and adapt, and we need your help!

In case you missed it, last week New Hampshire became the 43rd state to adopt the best interest of consumer enhancements in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation. 

NAIFA-New Hampshire continues to evolve to meet the challenges faced by our industry and association. These challenges require capable and willing volunteers to help us grow. NAIFA-New Hampshire volunteers work hard but receive a great deal of personal satisfaction and leadership experience.

Interested in volunteering for NAIFA-New Hampshire? We have a place for you, whether you are able to commit to 2 hours per month or 2 hours per year, we will find you a spot!

A review of the latest happenings in and around the New Hampshire Statehouse. This report is compiled by our NAIFA-New Hampshire Lobbyist firm, J. Grimbilas Strategic Solutions, LLC. 

Article reported in the NH Business Review, 8/12/2022 "Teeing up Paid Family Leave"

‘Publicity blitz’ planned for new state plan

A “publicity blitz” about the state’s new Granite State Paid Family Medical Leave Plan, to be launched shortly, will mean that every employer in the state should receive a brochure explaining the program by Aug. 26, says Richard Lavers, deputy commissioner of NH Employment Security, one of the agencies administering the program.

On Thursday, May 26, the House and Senate met to vote on Committee of Conference reports. The Committee of Conference process is used to reconcile differences between differing version of the same bill. For example, if the House passes a bill. The Senate must hold a hearing on the same bill. If they amend the bill, there would now be two differing versions of the same piece of legislation. Committees of Conference allow for Representatives and Senators to discuss their separate versions and determine if a compromise can be reached.

NAIFA is currently accepting nominations for NAIFA Quality Awards (NQA), NAIFA Diversity Champion Award, Advisor Today’s 4 Under 40, Terry Headley Lifetime Defender Award, YAT Leader of the Year, and John Newton Russell. All award deadlines are July 31, 2022.

The unofficial halftime of each legislative session is referred to as “Crossover”. This is the date by which the House must complete their work on Senate bills and the Senate must complete their work on House bills. Those bills which were passed by either the House or Senate crossover to the other body. The crossover date this year is March 31. The Legislature is scheduled to complete their work prior to Memorial Day. The second half of the legislative session will have a brisk pace since there will be a lot of issues remaining with not that much time to work.

Last week, Governor Sununu delivered his "State of the State" address. His remarks focused on the progress the State has made with regard to COVID and the economy.

The New Hampshire legislative process has remained basically unchanged for many years. Our process is different than those used in many other states. In NH, every bill that is introduced must receive a public hearing, a vote in the committee, and, at some point, a vote before the full legislative body. The system provides a clear and consistent process that all bills must follow.

The 2022 legislative session will begin during the first week of January. Due to the ongoing challenges associated with large group gatherings, the 400 member House will meet at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Manchester. The 24-member Senate will likely use the much larger House of Representatives Chamber within the State House to allow for their members to be further apart

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu announced earlier this week he will not run for Senate next year, choosing rather to seek a fourth two-year term as governor.

"My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington. It is to the citizens of New Hampshire.

In an online world, it pays to be visible. A benefit of your NAIFA membership is being included on our consumer facing search engine, FinancialSecurity.org.

For the Monitor

By Christopher Nicolopoulos & D.J. Bettencourt

In the fall of 2017, New Hampshire’s individual health insurance market was in jeopardy. Nationally, some states were seeing all participating insurers exit the individual market, leaving Americans with no options to purchase an individual market health plan. The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) vision for a reformed individual market was wobbling under the weight of increased costs and financial losses that made the market unsustainable for both consumers and insurers. The ACA needed a change, but Congress was gridlocked over how to approach it.

NAIFA-New Hampshire Members,

My name is Nate Lehman, CAE, and it is indeed my pleasure to have been appointed as the Interim Executive Director of NAIFA-New Hampshire. 

The most important resource in any organization is the people who make it up. NAIFA-New Hampshire is no different and we need your help. We're looking for members who desire to get involved and help to shape the future direction of this chapter... Your chapter. 

This year, members of the NH House of Representatives were able to file bills for the 2022 legislative session between September 13 and September 17. House members provide information to professional staff at the State House who assist them in developing language for their legislation. Once the staff receives the request for drafting, a one sentence summary of their ideas are made public. While few specifics are available, you can get a sense of the topics on which the legislators will focus in the upcoming session. In addition, you can determine the volume of bills.