- Margaret Wood Hassan
-
Maggie Hassan 
Member of the New Hampshire Senate
from the 23rd districtIn office
January 03, 2005 – December 01, 2010Preceded by Russell E. Prescott Succeeded by Russell E. Prescott Personal details Political party Democratic Spouse(s) Thomas Profession attorney Margaret “Maggie” Wood Hassan (born February 27, 1958) is a former Majority Leader of the New Hampshire Senate. She represented the 23rd District from 2004 to 2010. She is a member of the Democratic Party. [1]
Contents
Early life, education, and early career
Hassan earned her B.A. from Brown University and received her JD from Northeastern School of Law. [2]
Hassan worked as an attorney for the law firm Edward Angell/Palmer Dodge [3]from 1985-1992. From 1993-1996, she was Associate General Counsel for Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Partners Healthcare. She has worked as an attorney for Sullivan, Weinstein and McQuay, a commercial and business Litigation firm, since 1996. [4] [5]
Hassan’s career in public service began in 1999 when she was appointed by Governor Shaheen as a citizen advisor to the Advisory Committee to the Adequacy in Education and Finance Commission. [2]
New Hampshire Senate
Elections
Hassan first ran for the New Hampshire State Senate in 2002 but lost to incumbent State Senator Russell Prescott 54% to 46%.[6] In 2004, she ran against Prescott again and won 52% to 48%.[7] In 2006, she won re-election against Natalie Healy 60% to 40%.[8] In 2008, she defeated Lee Quandt 57% to 43%.[9] In November 2010, Senator Hassan was defeated by Russell Prescott in a second rematch, 53% to 47%.[10] Republicans regained control of both the New Hampshire House of Representatives and New Hampshire Senate. [11]
She served as the Assistant Democratic Whip, President Pro Tempore, and Majority Leader of the State Senate during her 6 years in office.
She represented New Hampshire’s 23rd district, which includes the towns of East Kingston, Exeter, Kensington, Kingston, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, Seabrook, South Hampton and Stratham. [1] [2] [12]
Accomplishments
Economic Development Advisory Council – SB 394 (2008)
Hassan sponsored this bill, which established an economic development advisory council to aid in the division of economic development and to assist in establishing goals, measurements, and planning efforts related to economic development. [13]
Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – HB 1434 (2008)
RGGI is a regional market-based program designed to reduce air pollution at the lowest cost to consumers and businesses. It was instituted by ten northeastern states to help limit carbon emissions, encourage innovation in alternative energy, and improve energy efficiency. [14]
Southeast Watershed Alliance – SB 168 (2009)
Hassan chaired the Great Bay Estuary Commission which led her to sponsor this bill, which repealed the estuary alliance for sewage treatment by replacing it with the Southeast Watershed Alliance. This allows communities to create regional solutions to waste water infrastructure challenges. [15] [16]
Education Accountability - SB 180 (2009)
SB 180 is the final piece of a three-year legislative effort to define, determine the cost and ensure accountability for delivering a quality education. Under this legislation, schools are required to demonstrate they are providing an opportunity for a quality education either by meeting the school approval standards that relate to adequacy or by demonstrating that their students are meeting academic goals based on various performance measures. The accountability system relies on data that school districts and the state Department of Education already collect. [17]
Blocking Massachusetts Sales Tax Collection – SB 5 (2009)
This legislation was a direct response to a Massachusetts proposal to collect taxes on purchases made in New Hampshire by Massachusetts residents. It restricts New Hampshire retailers from disclosing private customer information to other states seeking to collect a sales or use tax. [18]
New Hampshire WARN Act - SB 40 (2009)
Requires companies to notify their workers in the event of massive layoffs or plant closings. [19]
Anti-Bullying Bill - HB 1523 (2010)
HB 1523 expands existing state law that requires schools to have policies against bullying and adds a new definition for cyber-bullying that addresses bullying through the use of electronic devices including but not limited to “telephones, cellular phones, computers, pagers, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging and web sites.” [20] The enhanced anti-bullying legislation also requires school districts to educate staff and volunteers so they can recognize and address instances of bullying. Under this legislation, The Department of Education assists local schools and prepares an annual report of each of the substantiated instances of bullying or cyber-bullying for the legislature.
NH Works – SB 501 (2010)
Allows existing businesses to scale back their operations without laying off workers. Under this legislation, companies and their workers can agree to reduced hours in place of layoffs and the state must make up part of the lost wages through unemployment benefits. The legislation also called for the Department of Employment Security to develop a system to assess the skills of unemployed workers and help them get skills or certifications that would make it easier for them to find work. A third component allows newly hired workers to continue on unemployment for up to six weeks of on-the-job training. At that time, the employer is able to decide if the worker had the skills needed to continue as a full-fledged employee. [21]
Health Care Access through Purchasing Alliances – SB 408 (2010)
SB 408 allows professional and non-profit associations like chambers of commerce that have been in existence for at least 10 years to form alliances for the purpose of purchasing small group health insurance coverage for their employees. The purchasing alliance must include at least 3,000 lives, including policy-holders and family members covered under the policy. [22]
Commission on Health Care Cost Containment - SB 505 (2010)
Hassan introduced SB 505, which established a state commission on health care cost containment. The bill was signed into law in July 2010. In 2012, the commission will report its findings on the impact of federal health care reform, options for creating a common payment system and ways to encourage the use of incentives to improve quality and efficiency. [23]
Conner’s Law - HB 569 (2010)
HB 569 was passed while Hassan was chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection. The law requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies like ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy. The bill was supported by Autism Speaks, the New Hampshire Council on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Autism Society of New Hampshire. [24]
Committee Assignments
- Capital Budget Committee
- Commerce, Labor and Consumer Protection
- Finance
- Public and Municipal Affairs (Chair)
- Energy, Environment, and Economic Development (Vice Chair)
- Internal Affairs Committee
- Executive Department and Administration Committee
2012 run for Governor
Hassan has previously stated that she will run for Governor if current governor John Lynch does not seek re-election. [25] On September 15th, Governor Lynch announced that he will in fact, not seek reelection. [26] In October 2011, she announced she will run for governor. She has supported Governor Lynch, and has been very critical of Speaker Bill O'Brien[27] She is vowing to keep taxes low and veto any sales or income tax and balance the budget.[28] Although State Republican Party Chairman Wayne MacDonald criticized her for proposing more than 80 tax and fee increases while in office.[29]
Personal life
Hassan lives in Exeter, New Hampshire. She is married to Thomas E. Hassan, who has been the principal of Phillips Exeter Academy since July 2009. Hassan and her husband have two children. [2] [30]
External links
- Maggie Hassan official website
- Maggie Hassan on Facebook
- Maggie Hassan on Twitter
References
- ^ a b Seacoast's former senator weighing bid for governor » Local News » NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA
- ^ a b c d e Margaret “Maggie” Wood Hassan
- ^ PalmerDodge Advisors
- ^ Margaret Wood Hassan, New Hampshire State Senator, 23rd District, Democratic - Profile
- ^ http://www.jigsaw.com/id94228/sullivan_weinstein_mcquay_company.xhtmlsince
- ^ Our Campaigns - NH State Senate 23 Race - Nov 05, 2002
- ^ Our Campaigns - NH State Senate 23 Race - Nov 02, 2004
- ^ Our Campaigns - NH State Senate 23 Race - Nov 07, 2006
- ^ Our Campaigns - NH State Senate 23 Race - Nov 04, 2008
- ^ Our Campaigns - NH State Senate 23 Race - Nov 02, 2010
- ^ Hassan concedes to Prescott in District 23 | SeacoastOnline.com
- ^ Brown Alumni Magazine - The Marriage of Career, Politics, and Family
- ^ SB394 (2008) | New Hampshire Liberty Alliance
- ^ New Hampshire Gov. Lynch Commends House Passage of Bill Allowing NH to Join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | All American Patriots: Politics, economy, health, environment,...
- ^ SB168 (2009) – 2009-06-30 revision | New Hampshire Liberty Alliance
- ^ Epilogue for an election
- ^ Blue Hampshire: Politics : A progressive online community for the Granite State
- ^ Mass., N.H. tax battle rages on » Local News » NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA
- ^ N.H. enacts law to protect workers during plant closings
- ^ Governor Lynch Signs Anti-Bullying Bill Into Law | Press Releases | Governor John Lynch
- ^ SB501 (2010) | New Hampshire Liberty Alliance
- ^ SB408 (2010) | New Hampshire Liberty Alliance
- ^ sb 0505
- ^ Autism Speaks Joins the New Hampshire Autism Community in Applauding State Senate Members For Passing Autism Insurance Legislation - **Autism Votes **
- ^ file://localhost/. http/::www.seacoastonline.com:articles:20110707-NEWS-110709851
- ^ Gov. Lynch Won't Seek Re-Election [VIDEO] - Concord, NH Patch
- ^ Hassan announces run for N.H. governor | SeacoastOnline.com
- ^ http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/937309-196/story.html
- ^ Former Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan makes gubernatorial bid official | New Hampshire NEWS06
- ^ http://www.exeter.edu/documents/Exeter_Bulletin/Bulletin_Fall_08_Hassan_Next_Principal.pdf
Categories:- New Hampshire State Senators
- Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
- 1958 births
- Living people
- American people of Irish descent
- United Church of Christ members
- Women state legislators in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Democrats
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