Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

fatlazyless · 03-10-2006, 08:26 PM

From today's March 10, Laconia Daily Sun, it is the lead story at the top of the front page. Written by Michael Kitch

CONCORD - The Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee yesterday torpedoed the bill to impose speed limits on New Hampshire lakes - House Bill 162 - by a margin of 4 to 1.
All four Republicans on the committee - Robert LeTourneau (Derry), who chairs the panel, Charles Morse (Salem), Robert Flanders (Antrim), and Andre Martel (Manchester) - voted against the bill, leaving Senator Peter Burling (D-Cornish) the lone dissenter. Senator Iris Estabrook (D-Durham) was not present.
The committee met at short notice following a long session of the Senate. Burling said that after Morse offered the motion to kill the bill, Flanders suggested the committee consider an amendment that would delete the specific speed limits of 45 mph, in daytime and 25 mph at night while retaining the requirementthat boats operate at a "reasonable and prudent" speed suited to the prevailing conditions at all times. This approach was favored by the minority of the House Resources, Recreation and Developement Committee and rejected by the House itself.
"There was no interest on either side of the issue for that approach in the Senate," Burling said. Burling said that after floating several suggestions for amendments in an effort to forge a majority, he became convinced that opponents of the bill were not open to compromise. "They were just interested in killing it," he said.
Burling counted no more than eight or nine votes for the bill in the 24-member Senate, four or five votes shy of a majority. He named six of the eight Democrats and two or three Republicans, including Carl Johnson of Meredith and Joe Kenney of Union, whose districts are filled with lakes, in support of the bill.
Despite the unfavorable committee recommendation, HB 162 will still be voted on by the entire Senate.

March 10, 2006, The Laconia Daily Sun, by Michael Kitch

Thankyou Laconia Daily Sun for this informative article. fll

03-10-2006, 08:26 PM	#15
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,883 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 304 Thanked 1,043 Times in 761 Posts	'Senate committee torpedoes boat speed bill' From today's March 10, Laconia Daily Sun, it is the lead story at the top of the front page. Written by Michael Kitch CONCORD - The Senate Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee yesterday torpedoed the bill to impose speed limits on New Hampshire lakes - House Bill 162 - by a margin of 4 to 1. All four Republicans on the committee - Robert LeTourneau (Derry), who chairs the panel, Charles Morse (Salem), Robert Flanders (Antrim), and Andre Martel (Manchester) - voted against the bill, leaving Senator Peter Burling (D-Cornish) the lone dissenter. Senator Iris Estabrook (D-Durham) was not present. The committee met at short notice following a long session of the Senate. Burling said that after Morse offered the motion to kill the bill, Flanders suggested the committee consider an amendment that would delete the specific speed limits of 45 mph, in daytime and 25 mph at night while retaining the requirementthat boats operate at a "reasonable and prudent" speed suited to the prevailing conditions at all times. This approach was favored by the minority of the House Resources, Recreation and Developement Committee and rejected by the House itself. "There was no interest on either side of the issue for that approach in the Senate," Burling said. Burling said that after floating several suggestions for amendments in an effort to forge a majority, he became convinced that opponents of the bill were not open to compromise. "They were just interested in killing it," he said. Burling counted no more than eight or nine votes for the bill in the 24-member Senate, four or five votes shy of a majority. He named six of the eight Democrats and two or three Republicans, including Carl Johnson of Meredith and Joe Kenney of Union, whose districts are filled with lakes, in support of the bill. Despite the unfavorable committee recommendation, HB 162 will still be voted on by the entire Senate. March 10, 2006, The Laconia Daily Sun, by Michael Kitch Thankyou Laconia Daily Sun for this informative article. fll