State House Dome: Council Faces Big Tech Decision

April 22 - The board will make a $31 million decision.

The question is whether to look for proposals for a completely new ERP system or to upgrade from an existing vendor.

This system is essentially the IT backbone for most government finances, including human resources, payroll, financial management, accounting, and more.

Deputy Administrative Services Commissioner Cassie Kane recently told the board that exploring proposals for an entirely new system would likely cost the state more than proceeding with a corporate provider that has been around for about 15 years, New-based Infor York.

"It's an aging system that requires a lot of maintenance and a lot of staff," Kane told the board.

What are we doing with this system, what is our next step?

He said the plan is to move most of the data to the cloud with regular updates from the provider, which could lead to greater efficiencies.

Government officials said the cloud-based upgrade would cost $31 million to build -- $15 million to deploy -- with the rest of the royalties paid by the state over 10 years.

IT Commissioner Dennis Goulet supports the decision, as does Governor Chris Sununu.

"Sometimes we need the 'shiny new thing' and sometimes when it's really different, with the new system it's just as difficult to implement and more expensive," Gullett said.

Kane said auctioning off the entire system and building a new system from scratch could cost $75 million or more.

Dee Concord, attorney Cindy Warmington, asked if the state is missing out on better opportunities by not looking elsewhere.

Could another system be cheaper? Maybe, but it's the first time I've seen this in my career," Gullit replied.

Government officials also worry that receiving offers will mean a higher "price" for staying with Infor.

State officials noted that a similarly sized state, Idaho, switched to the new system a few years ago, at a cost to the state of more than $100 million.

Sununu asked the team to give a more detailed presentation on the subject to the board at the next breakfast on May 3rd.

Delaney is still in limbo

Former New Hampshire Attorney General Michael Delaney is still considered a candidate for the court as the Senate Judiciary Committee nominated Delaney and five other Biden presidential candidates.

Opposition to Delaney's candidacy was greatly increased by her legal representation of St. Paul's and the treatment of college student Chessie Pruett, who had accused former student Owen LaBrie of rape. After the trial, the judge found Labrie guilty of sexual assault and not guilty of rape.

Two Democratic Senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, continue to support Delaney's proposal.

Republicans continue to block those nominations because California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has been absent from the Senate for weeks while she recovers at home from a bout of shingles.

The group has nominated several Senate candidates, including former Rockingham County Attorney General and Londonderry Police Chief William Hart, to become the next Marshal of New Hampshire.

Feinstein asked the Senate leadership to temporarily replace her with another Democratic senator from the faction to allow those nominations to proceed.

Sununu's comment once again went viral across the country.

Sununu still garnered national media attention (not that she's avoiding it) last weekend when she spoke for Fox News at a press event with Republican donors in Nashville, Tenn.

"I was with [Fox News Business Anchor and Senior Vice President Neil] Cavuto this morning and spoke to Fox management the entire time," Sununu said, according to NPR, which received the audio, which was confirmed by Sununu staff.

"I'm like, 'Listen guys, I saw a four-speaker panel on Fox, and everyone literally agreed ... they're speaking in an echo chamber.'" What do you do for team development?

He said, "If you don't do it, we will lose."

Sununu says more Republicans should turn to pro-democracy news networks like CNN and MSNBC like Sununu because GOP voters are watching them too, said Benjamin Wechstadt, an adviser to Sununu.

Then, just in time on CNN on Monday, Sununu reiterated that Republicans need to talk to more than just converts.

"Republican leaders across the country are too busy speaking into our echo chamber and telling our people what they want to hear," Sununu said, adding that it sounds like an "endorphin rush" for politicians.

Biden's admonition: Be more charismatic

With President Biden making it official and announcing his second term this week, his first job in New Hampshire will begin promoting more Democrats.

According to a University of New Hampshire Research Center poll last week, eight Democrats are more popular than the president.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama tops the list with 80% of the vote with just 5% against (+75%).

54% support Biden, 23% (+31%) against; Others were neutral or had no opinion.

After Michelle Obama but before Biden, likely Democratic voters in the New Hampshire primary included Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (+55%), Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (+50%), Georgia Senate and presidential nominee . Governor Stacy Abrams (+52%). , Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (+44%), Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock (+42%), Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (+42%) and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (+41%).

Both announced Democratic candidates have more work to do on this front than Biden. Among New Hampshire Democrats, 15% were in favour, but 37% opposed environmental advocate and anti-vaccination advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (-22%), who formally declared his presidency in Boston last week.

Just 4% supported writer and most promising newcomer of 2020, Marian Williamson, while 40% were opposed.

Buckley started a podcast

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley launched a new weekly podcast with Sen. Lou D'Alessandro, DM, as his first guest. Now there's a man who always has something to say.

TikTok has no high score here

Capitol Hill continues to consider passing legislation to ban TikTok, the hugely popular short-form video app.

Of those polled by the United Nations last week, 72% said they had never used it. 11% of those who used it stopped because they feared it would be controlled by the Chinese government and become a national security issue.

When it comes to banning TikTok, 52% say Congress should do it, 23% say they didn't, and the remaining 25% don't know or don't care.

Click on electricity price on arrival

On Wednesday, NH 350 will hold a press conference to call for an end to the power outages and to oppose increases in electricity prices.

The move comes as the deadline to apply for emergency funding is next Sunday.

While 50,000 households qualify, less than 2% of the funds were disbursed last week.

Speakers will include State Representative Jacqui Chrétien, Jordan Applewhite from the North and Elizabeth Bialowski, organizer of the 350NH youth program in Portsmouth.

The group says that with energy prices soaring and the inability to request further help, any disruption to residential customers for non-payment should be suspended.

House Majority Leader Jason Osborne R-Auborne said the refusal to spend taxpayers' money was cause for celebration, not condemnation.

A good man once said, "There is no greater responsibility in public service than handling other people's money." "I wholeheartedly agree with him," Osborne said in a statement. And I'm glad the big $35 million we gave to help the Granite Staters through the winter wasn't needed."

"I'm proud of our bipartisan work to deliver the largest relief program in our state's history, carefully and thoughtfully designed to help those who need it most."

Some big voices are coming

The New Hampshire House and State Senate each took at least two weeks off while committees reviewed bills from the other house.

There could be some key votes and hearings worth watching next week.

The House Selection Committee on Housing will spend most of Monday gathering evidence from interested parties.

On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee is holding hearings on a House-approved bill (HB 367) that would increase families' freedom of education entitlements from 300% to 350% of the federal poverty rate.

On the same day, the Ways and Means Committee is considering a Senate-passed bill (SB 104) to legalize online gambling, with proceeds going to support college scholarships. society.

The House Education Committee has scheduled an executive meeting for Tuesday morning. Bills in his work, including the Senate parental rights measure (SB 272), which drew large crowds from both sides at a hearing last week.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee will discuss the budget for the Children, Youth and Family Department.

The House Committee on Health, Human Services and Seniors will hold an executive session on Wednesday to review bills, including one passed by the Senate (SB 263) to make Medicaid expansion permanent.

House Speaker Sherman Packard R-Londonderry told members of the House that the next session of the House of Representatives will be held on March 4.

Pappas is against the gay sports law

US Rep. Chris Pappas has spoken out strongly against the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act, which the US House of Representatives passed on partisan grounds last week.

"Excluding transgender women and girls from sports and allowing schools to directly discriminate against students based on their gender identity would do irreparable harm," Pappas said.

"I strongly oppose this law, which is the latest in a series of harmful bigoted attacks on the transgender community. All students deserve the opportunity to fully participate in school life, including school sports."

Republicans in Congress, like GOP leaders in the NH House, believe most voters want their sports teams to be single-sex.

I disagree with Biden

On Friday, Pappas took aim at the Biden administration after it agreed to sell $259 million in software upgrades for Turkey's existing F-16.

"I am disappointed that the government made this sale without considering Turkey's reckless behavior in the Aegean," said Pappas, co-chair of the Greek Congress Committee.

Sununu is in danger! bills

On Thursday night, Governor Sununu responded to a "Danger!" question in the $800 "Politician Face" category.

"It's too good to be true," Sununu joked.

general nurse

Senator D'Alessandro smiled as his daughter-in-law Renee D'Alessandro was named Nurse of the Year in the New Hampshire School District.

Works at Concord High School.

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Kevin Landrigan is Bureau Chief of the New Hampshire Chamber of State Union Leaders and Sunday News. Contact him at klandrigan@unionleader.com.

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