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NH Senate raises age to buy tobacco products, rejects biometric protection bill

AP PHOTO/HOLLY RAMER
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Senate voted Wednesday to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products, even though the federal government has already made the same move.

As part of a massive spending bill signed by the president last month, no one under 21 can legally buy such products anywhere in the United States.

In New Hampshire, the minimum age had just increased from 18 to 19 on Jan. 1. The state Senate on Wednesday voted 18-6 in favor of raising it further to 21.

Supporters said they want to ensure the legal age is set at 21 should the federal government lower it in the future, and they described the millions of dollars smoking-related illnesses cost the state each year. Opponents argued that those over age 18 should decide for themselves whether to take on the health risks associated with smoking.

The bill now goes to the House.

But this was not the only thing to be deliberated by the New Hampshire Senate:

Senate votes more study on minimum wage bill

The New Hampshire Senate on Wednesday shelved a bill to establish and then gradually increase the minimum wage but the debate will continue.

The state currently defaults to the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Lawmakers last year approved the creation of a state minimum wage of $10 this year and $12 in 2022, but Republican Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed it.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted to further study a similar House bill it had held from last year. But Democrats plan to continue pushing the issue, arguing that they have a better shot given that the minimum wage just increased in three other New England states.

Senate rejects biometric information protection bill

New Hampshire lawmakers aren’t ready to prohibit companies from using fingerprints, DNA and other biometric information for purposes beyond what customers could reasonably expect.

The Senate voted Wednesday to further study a bill that the House passed last year that would have allowed individuals to file complaints against companies under the state’s Consumer Protection Act. It would have defined biometric information as “an individual’s physiological, biological, or behavioral characteristics,” including images of the iris, retina, face and fingerprints; voice recordings; and sleep, health or exercise data that contains identifying information.

The bill faced opposition from the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association and others who argued that the definition of biometric information was too broad and that the standard for compliance was too subjective.

Sen. Jon Morgan, D-Brentwood, said while privacy rights are important, those concerns warrant further study.

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