July 6, 2000

No. 38

To the Honorable Members of the General Court: June 21, 2000

It is with regret I have vetoed SB 153. I believe in the goals of SB 153 and support the motivation of the sponsors who seek to enhance the funding available for alcohol education and abuse prevention and treatment programs. However, I cannot responsibly sign into law the proposed funding mechanism included in the legislation.

The bill proposes to earmark a percentage of profits from state liquor sales specifically to fund alcohol education and abuse prevention and treatment programs. This bill does not create a new revenue source and dedicate that new revenue source to fund these substance abuse programs. Instead, it seeks to carve out part of an existing revenue stream and take it away from funding existing essential services. The profits we derive from the state's liquor sales all go into the state's general fund, which pays for essential services the state currently providers its citizens. In fact, we count on growth in liquor revenues to meet the increased costs we experienced yearly in existing programs and services because of inflation. As such, any future increase in liquor sales profits are not somehow "excess" profits available for new programs; they are part of the financial equation that enables us to keep up with the increasing service demand and cost pressures associated with existing programs and services.

SB 153 was pending during legislative consideration of the operating budget last year. Rather than grappling with the cost implications of the bill during that debate, SB 153 was amended to put off the effective date to FY 2002, thereby leaving the challenge of accounting for its costs to a future legislature.

Like other bills I have vetoed this session, SB 153 proposes new program expenditures outside of the biennial budget process. SB 153 will remove approximately $2 million from the general fund over the next biennium. That amount of money pays for a third of the meals we provide to seniors through our Meals on Wheels program. Two million dollars is also what it would cost to provide qualified child care providers with a 5% per year rate increase in their reimbursement rate, which would enhance their ability to attract more qualified workers and improve the quality of care received by our children. If funding for substance abuse programs is a priority for the legislature, the discussion of how best to fund them should have occurred in the context of the biennial budget process so that the need for these programs can be weighed against other priorities. All legislation that costs money must be considered in the context of the state's fiscal situation. It is irresponsible to focus only on the merits of a bill in isolation and not consider its impacts on the state's overall budget picture.

For these reasons I have regretfully vetoed SB 153.

To the Honorable Members of the General Court: June 12, 2000

By the authority vested in me as Governor of New Hampshire, pursuant to Part II, Article 44 of the Constitution of New Hampshire, I have this day vetoed SB 468, relative to the family division of the courts and relative to the jurisdiction of the family division in Rockingham County.

It is with regret I have vetoed SB 468. As a state senator, I voted for the creation of the Family Division Pilot Program, and I believe in the concept. The goals of the Family Division are laudable. Unfortunately, however, the existing pilot program has not been cost neutral, and expanding the family division to additional counties as proposed in this bill will cost even more. According the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant audit of the Judicial Branch Family Division Pilot Program, dated January 2000, the existing pilot program in Rockingham and Grafton counties costs $1.8 million in each of FY 2000 and FY 2001. Although SB 468, which expands the Family Division in the next biennium, does not have a fiscal note, ignoring its costs does not make them go away. Like other bill I have vetoed this session, SB 468 does not include a way to pay for its costs.

The increased services provided by the Family Division have come at an increased cost, and the LBA audit notes that some argue the existing court system could have made similar improvements and offered new services given more resources. Overall, the survey results documented in the LBA audit show no significant differences in levels of satisfaction with the Family Division Pilot Program, District Court or Superior Court.

SB 468 makes no mention of what funds will be used to finance the expansion of the program. Without additional funding, other court services or programs will have to be reduced to pay for the costs of an expanded Family Division program.

Finally, while the program has generally received favorable responses from many regular users of the court system, this positive response is not universal. For example, police departments have expressed concerns about the transfer of all juvenile issues from local courts to the designated family courts. Moreover, there is some concern that the Family Division has created two systems of domestic relations practice within the state, creating conflict within the court system.

For these reasons, I have regretfully vetoed SB 468.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanne Shaheen

Governor

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

CAPITAL BUDGET OVERVIEW COMMITTEE Room 201, LOB

9:30 a.m. Regular Meeting

COMMITTEE TO STUDY AND IDENTIFY OR ESTABLISH THE DUTIES OF THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION (SB 356, Chapter 30:1, Laws of 2000) Room 101, LOB

10:00 a.m. Study Committee

PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE STUDY - LAWRENCE TO MANCHESTER, CONCORD (HB 1409, Chapter 46:2, Laws of 2000) Room 203, LOB

10:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE STUDY - NEWBURYPORT TO KITTERY (HB 1378, Chapter 45:1, Laws of 2000) Room 203, LOB

11:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

NH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Transportation Enhancement Advisory Committee Meeting) Administrative Office Building Supreme Court, 1 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH

3:00 p.m. Committee Meeting

NH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Lincoln 13141, US Route 3 / Harvard Brook) Lincoln Town Hall Conference Room, Main St.

6:00 p.m. Public Informational

NH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Epping, 13057 NH 87 bridge over Lamprey River) Meeting Room Town Hall, 157 Main Street Epping, NH

7:00 p.m. Public Informational Meeting

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR OR CONTROLLED DRUGS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE (HB 84 Chapter 334:1, Laws of 1999) Room 204, LOB

1:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

NH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Allenstown-Pembroke, 12361 Replacement of US 3 Bridge) Pembroke Town Hall 311 Pembroke St. Pembroke, NH

7:00 p.m. Public Officials Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

LONG TERM CARE INSTITUTE BOARD Room 210-211, LOB

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

ATECH SERVICES GENERAL OPERATIONS (SB 176, Chapter 3, Laws of 2000) Room 308, LOB

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

NH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (Salem, 10418C Widening of I-93) W. Running Brook Middle School, 1 W. Running Brook Lane Derry, NH

6:00 p.m. Advisory task Force Meeting

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR OR CONTROLLED DRUGS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE (HB 84 Chapter 334:1, Laws of 1999) Room 204, LOB

1:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY WAITLIST FUND ALLOCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (RSA 171-A:1-b) Room 205, LOB

1:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

WORKING GROUP ON MARRIAGE PREPARATION Room 102, LOB

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE TUITION SAVINGS PLAN ADVISORY COMMISSION (RSA 195-H:2), Room 103, SH

9:00 a.m. Investment Subcommittee Meeting

10:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY WAITLIST FUND ALLOCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (RSA 171-A:1-b) Room 205, LOB

1:00 p.m. Regular Meeting

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE TUITION SAVINGS PLAN ADVISORY COMMISSION (RSA 195-H:2), Room 103, SH

9:00 a.m. Investment Subcommittee Meeting

10:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

PERINATAL ALCOHOL TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUG USE TASK FORCE (RSA 132:19) Room 101, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, Rooms 306-308, LOB

9:00 a.m. Regular Meeting