House committee recommends more study on license reciprocity for foreign workers – New Hampshire Bulletin

A proposal to create driver license reciprocity for international agricultural employees seems to be unlikely to move the Home this session, after a Home committee voted towards shifting the invoice ahead. As a substitute, committee members mentioned the invoice wants further examine.

Senate Invoice 308 would have granted license reciprocity to international agricultural employees legally coming into the state by means of the H-2A employee visa program that enables folks from different nations to enter the state every year to work on a short lived foundation. The invoice would have allowed employees who’ve a driver license issued by one other nation to drive a automotive in New Hampshire. 

The invoice would have an effect on between 100 and 200 international employees who come to New Hampshire every year by means of this system, in keeping with Rob Johnson, director of the NH Farm Bureau Federation. And the laws would have an effect on employers as nicely, who depend upon employees to drive farm tools. 

However lawmakers within the Home Transportation Committee mentioned too many questions remained unanswered on the invoice to maneuver it ahead.

“Of all of the payments we have now right here, I’ve to be trustworthy, that is the one we labored on the toughest. We had conferences with the Division of Motor Automobiles, with the senator, with the Farm Bureau, and I believe there’s something we will get to that does give some aid to them,” mentioned Rep. Thomas Walsh, a Hooksett Republican and the committee chair. “But it surely appears each time we obtained a solution on one challenge, we got here up with a query on one other.”

Rep. George Sykes, a Lebanon Democrat who had co-sponsored the laws, agreed to ship the invoice to interim examine. “As a result of I’ve nice respect for the chair and his vice chair and take their phrase that this shall be a authentic interim examine, regardless that I’ve been a co-sponsor of this invoice, I might urge my colleagues to assist the interim examine movement,” he mentioned.

In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Home Transportation Committee really helpful interim examine on SB 308 – a reversal from the bipartisan assist the invoice had gained within the Senate, the place it acquired a unanimous suggestion it move out of committee after which handed the Senate ground on a voice vote in February.

The invoice will now head to the Home ground for a vote on the committee’s suggestion.