By Anne Saunders, Associated Press Writer | February 18, 2005

CONCORD, N.H. -- Gov. John Lynch and a bipartisan group of state senators announced a compromise Friday to reform a health insurance law that hurt many of the state's small employers.

"Although passed with good intentions, the impact of SB110 on our small businesses has been devastating," Lynch said, noting that health insurance costs shot up abruptly for many employers. "These increases have made it difficult for our small businesses to grow, to hire new employees, to invest in new equipment."

With 13 senators signed on, the bill has enough votes to pass the Senate. It also would have to pass the House to become law.

"This bill provides stability to the market, it provides efficiency and fairness," Sen. Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester and one of the chief sponsors, said at a hearing Friday.

Co-sponsor Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, spoke of one restaurant owner in her town who stopped offering health insurance to his employees when his rates went up 75 percent. "We all end up paying for the uninsured," she said.

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Democracy for New Hampshire has responded to despicable mail pieces from District 23 state Senator Russell Prescott's campaign with our first-ever newspaper ads. The full-page ads, which ran Friday in the Exeter News-Letter and Hampton Union, denounce Prescott's use of an image of rooting pigs to demean his opponent, DFNH Dozeneer Maggie Hassan, and call on voters to defeat dishonesty by defeating Prescott.

The ads were funded entirely with restricted contributions to DFNH from supporters of Maggie Hassan, who collected over $2,800 in pledges in just a few days. Their success speaks volumes about the power of the grassroots to make a positive difference in New Hampshire politics.

Read our ad
Get a printable version (2.4 MB PDF)

Maggie Hassan, Carole King (yes, that Carole King) and Eileen Flockhart campaigning in Exeter on Thursday.

Blog Free or Die reports on the excellent showing by DFNH Dozeneer Maggie Hassan in a candidate forum against incumbent state Sen. Russell Prescott. Prescott's health insurance law, SB110, has caused huge rate hikes throughout the state.

In response to a question from the audience, Prescott defended the bill, and said he was on a committee working to improve it....

He said when the bill was first created, it was impossible to predict some of the adverse impacts it might have.

Hassan called that statement "disingenuous," and said right from the beginning opponents of SB110 predicted that it would hurt the elderly and the ill.

Go Maggie!

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Conservation Group Endorses Maggie Hassan for State Senate
‘Most competitive’ race a priority

September 29, 2004 —The Granite State Conservation Voters Alliance announced its endorsement of Maggie Hassan of Exeter in her bid to unseat Russell Prescott.

At a press conference by the Exeter River that included local conservationist Joanna (Jody) Pellerin, GSCVA board member Roger Stephenson and Maggie Hassan, the local senate race between Russell Prescott and Maggie Hassan was described by Stephenson as the most competitive state senate race of 2004.

The New Hampshire State Building and Construction Trades Council officially endorses Maggie Wood Hassan for the State Senate in District 23, Secretary Treasurer Dennis Adams announced today.
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First Round of Candidates Endorsed

The Granite State Conservation Voters Alliance has endorsed its first slate of candidates leading up to the September 14 primary.

Maggie is running for office to be a fiscally prudent, effective, and truly representive voice for the people of District 23. In particular, Maggie wants to lower health care costs by repealing the new health insurance law known as Senate Bill 110, which was sponsored by her opponent. This law has raised costs throughout the seacoast and discriminates against older and sick workers. She also want to ensure that New Hampshire finds a stable and predictable way of funding our schools without an income or sales tax, that we create good paying jobs, and that we protect our open spaces, water, and air.

PO Box 681
121 Water St.
Exeter, NH 03833
(603) 775-0485

Campaign Manager: Molly Cowan
molly@maggie2004.org
(603) 770-1775 (c)
www.maggie2004.org

Biography:

Maggie Wood Hassan, 46 years old.

Married, two children, lived in Exeter since 1989.

Law degree from Northeastern University School of Law, class of '85.

Professional experience: Lawyer with Sullivan Weinstein & McQuay in Mass. and NH, since 1996, practiced at Brigham and Women's Hospital from 1993-1996 and Palmer & Dodge prior to that. Licensed in both NH and Mass.

Community and Leadership Experience: Member, Advisory Committee to Adequacy in Education and Finance Commission, 1999-2000, Volunteer in Exeter Public Schools, Member Exeter Congregational Church.

Maggie Wood Hassan for State Senate (District 23)

Maggie Hassan's campaign needs pollworkers on election day, canvassers, callers, and more.

If you are able to help, please contact Matt Kanner, our Volunteer Coordinator, at 772-9624, or call Maggie's office at 775-0485.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with weekend and weeknight canvassing. If anyone has just 2 hours free on a Thursday or Friday evening, or 3 hours on Saturday or Sunday, please call and let us know that you will be joining efforts to get Maggie Hassan elected.

We greatly appreciate your volunteer contributions, which are so essential to getting Maggie elected.

Thank you, Molly Cowan and Matt Kanner.

www.maggie2004.org

office: 775-0485