CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire is not bound to any “broad and sweeping federal mandates” in considering acceptance of $27 million in federal aid to boost its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the state’s attorney general said Friday.
Attorney General John Formella, at Gov. Chris Sununu’s request, provided a written opinion regarding the impact of certain language in the terms and conditions of two COVID-19 grant awards. Both would need the approval of the Executive Council and a legislative fiscal committee.
Both groups have delayed voting on the grants, which would spend federal pandemic relief money on a public health manager and a dozen workers to promote the COVID-19 vaccine and address public concerns about it. Questions were raised that the grant language appears to claim the state must comply with “future directives” regarding the control of the spread of COVID-19, such as vaccine mandates.
Formella said that’s not the case. He said the language is limited to guidance and directives “as applicable to the award.” He said the currently issued guidance consists of clarifications to existing grant requirements and do not impose new conditions.
Formella added, “There would be strong legal grounds to challenge any guidance or directive that created broadly sweeping new and different conditions, such as a vaccine mandate or quarantine provision.”
Sununu said in a statement he appreciates that Formella “has been very clear in his determination that these contracts do not bind the New Hampshire state government to any sweeping federal mandates, ensuring our state’s sovereignty in how we manage the COVID pandemic.”
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THE NUMBERS
More than 123000 people have tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, including 528 cases announced Thursday. Four new deaths were announced, bringing the total to 1,497.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire has risen over the past two weeks from 401 on Sept. 22 to 471 on Wednesday.
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