Gun bill fails on final day of legislative session — The NH Legislature’s last day ended with the defeat of House Bill 609, a sweeping Republican proposal that would have made gun and weapons regulation the exclusive domain of the Legislature, stripping state agencies of their ability to set their own firearms policies. The bill drew unexpected opposition from the state’s own Attorney General, John Formella, who penned a letter warning of unintended consequences — including concerns it could amount to “campus carry” by the back door. The Senate did not advance it.
Small businesses get tax break as legislature wraps up — In one of the final acts of the 2026 session, state lawmakers approved raising the filing threshold for the Business Enterprise Tax, a move GOP leaders say will exempt roughly 4,000 small businesses from having to pay it at all. The bill now heads to Governor Kelly Ayotte’s desk for signature.
AG investigates blocked Northern Rail Trail in Andover — A Andover landowner placed heavy concrete barriers across the Northern Rail Trail, claiming his own access to the property has been denied. The state Attorney General’s office has opened an inquiry into the matter, and Governor Ayotte publicly weighed in, saying she hopes the trail will be reopened soon and that rail trail access matters to Granite Staters.
Maine’s June 9 primary: Early voting strongly favors Democrats — With Maine’s contested gubernatorial and Senate primaries just days away on June 9, early absentee data shows more than 35,000 Mainers have already cast ballots — with Democrats returning nearly three times as many as Republicans, accounting for roughly 72% of returned ballots. Five Democrats and seven Republicans are running in wide-open gubernatorial primaries.
Robbins Lumber fire investigation continues in Searsmont — The devastating fire and silo explosion at the historic Robbins Lumber mill on May 15 killed one volunteer firefighter and injured a dozen others. State and federal investigators from the Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives continue to sift through hundreds of cubic yards of debris. The mill, family-owned since 1881, has pledged to rebuild.
Maine’s Data Center Advisory Council holds first public meeting — The 17-member council established by Governor Janet Mills via executive order — created after she vetoed a data center construction moratorium — held its inaugural meeting Wednesday. The panel is charged with developing recommendations by January 2027 on how to protect ratepayers, grid reliability, and the environment from large-scale data center development.
Vermont legislature adjourns after education-heavy 2026 session — The Vermont House and Senate gaveled out last week after a session dominated by education reform. The marquee legislation, H.955, creates a framework that encourages school district consolidation — though critics say financial penalties make it less voluntary than advertised. Governor Phil Scott told lawmakers: “I didn’t get everything I wanted, and neither did you. But that’s the way compromise works.”
Burlington’s South End set for major housing development — A long-awaited redevelopment project in Burlington’s South End is moving forward with more than 200 apartments in its first phase. City officials and developers say the project — described as “a new neighborhood being born out of a big parking lot” — could eventually grow to over a thousand units, a meaningful dent in Burlington’s ongoing housing shortage.
Hannaford faces renewed pressure over dairy worker conditions — Vermont immigrant advocacy group Migrant Justice is set to begin formal negotiations with Hannaford’s Dutch parent company, Ahold Delhaize, after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found merit in a complaint alleging serious labor violations in the grocery chain’s dairy supply chain — including overcrowded housing, 72-hour work weeks, and wage withholding.
