I often hear New Hampshire’s strengths include our small-state nature, the commitment of business and community leaders to improve the state, and the ability to interact on a personal basis with legislators.

This past week was a perfect example. The week included the Business & Industry Association’s annual Chamber & Trade Association Legislative Strategy Summit and our annual Meet the Legislators Networking Reception. More than 50 chamber and trade association representatives and other advocates joined the summit to review legislation that could affect businesses. And more than 175 business leaders and legislators gathered at the reception to mix and mingle.

Strengthening connections is essential to an effective legislative process as respective sides debate issues rather than one another. The more people talk through issues the better we are as a business community, legislature and state.

It’s going to be another busy session as lawmakers are poised to take up over 1,150 bills (more are still possible). The BIA, as the statewide chamber of commerce and leading nonpartisan business advocate, is focused on bills that could affect business positively or negatively. BIA’s policy advocacy team is already tracking close to 300 of them.

The need to increase housing at all price points to ease our workforce shortage is paramount. The housing and worker shortages are the top public policy priorities for BIA and many of our advocacy partners. There are over 40 housing-related bills headed to representatives and senators and it’s vital to make real gains to better balance our supply and demand. Expanding our economy to deliver greater prosperity to more Granite Staters depends on it.

There are many other pieces of legislation of significant importance to the business community. BIA’s Chamber & Trade Association summit helps ensure we are on top of issues that are as diverse as our 400-plus members of all sizes in industries across New Hampshire.

Building and passing a budget connects to a vast number of issues as both tax revenue and funding run throughout our economy. It’s expected to be a challenging budget process with some recent revenue figures suggesting a need to limit spending. However, it’s essential to maintain proper investment as much as possible. One such example is continuing to fully fund the state’s marketing and promotional efforts for travel and tourism. The state Division of Travel and Tourism reports its marketing strategy resulted in $268 in visitor spending for every $1 invested, and $17 in tax revenue for every dollar invested in FY2023.

Another example is legislation to increase the state research and development tax credit from its $7 million fiscal year cap to $10 million and raise the individual cap. A second bill would provide tax credits for angel investors on qualifying investments in certain businesses. Tax credits can produce significant returns, especially in New Hampshire’s booming life sciences sector and strong advanced manufacturing sector. The impact stretches through the economy from local jobs to R&D, which drives innovation and increases productivity.

It’s also important to invest in the state’s K-16 education system, including high school career and technical education centers, community colleges and the university system. All are vital partners in building our future workforce.

The need to enact policies that can help lower New Hampshire’s uncompetitive electricity prices is always a priority. Our industrial user costs in October 2024 were 89% higher than the U.S. average and commercial user costs were 51% higher. Legislation this session could help support commercial net metering and incent further alternative generation. Conversely, other legislation could stall it.

Supporting a better childcare system is a workforce development priority for BIA as too many parents remain out of work due to prohibitive costs and long wait lists. Legislation looks to extend childcare scholarships, provide subsidies for working families, exempt child care agencies from property taxes and reduce administrative burdens.

Scores of potential labor rules and regulations are concerning, including those targeting banking and financial services, contractors’ use of preexisting labor agreements, and businesses’ handling of personal information. And a new round of bills that expand liability is coming as well despite the American Tort Reform Association last year calling New Hampshire a “Lawsuit Inferno” due to lawmakers’ insistence on opening the doors for excessive litigation.

BIA is excited to embark on the new session because we believe business leaders and legislators will work together to position New Hampshire for even greater success.

Michael Skelton is president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association. Visit BIAofNH.com.