The Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce invites the Seacoast community to a free, half-day conference designed to explore and discuss significant legislative issues affecting the Seacoast region and its businesses.

An overview of the program follows:

This workshop will feature Leslie Ludtke, health policy analyst with the New Hampshire Department of Insurance, who will provide an overview of the resulting impacts of Senate Bill 110 on the State's business community, especially small businesses. A brief review of the 2005 health care reform bills will also be discussed.

SB 110 became effective in January 2004 and eliminated community rating for small businesses. The new law lets insurance companies consider location, business classification, and health status in setting premiums for small businesses. The Seacoast's business community has been particularly hard hit with stiff increases in health care insurance renewals this year. Many small businesses, those with less than 10 employees, saw premium increases as high as 60-90 percent. Members of the business community will be encouraged to share their recent "insurance experience" with the group.

The second workshop will provide an opportunity for attendees to meet their "silent business partners". Portsmouth's elected representatives will share their legislative agendas with the business community and also to discuss other significant public policy issues under consideration by State lawmakers in Concord. Invited guests include: Representatives Terie Norelli; MaryAnn Blanchard; Laura Pantelakos; Jim Splaine; Jim Powers; Jacqueline Cali-Pitts; and Christopher Serlin.

This session will be informal and will allow participants to personally meet their local state representatives. There will also be a question and answer period for interactive discussion between state lawmakers and members of the business community.

This reception is held annually to bring together our elected officials from Concord and Washington and the diverse membership of the Chamber to discuss in an open and social setting important State and Federal issues impacting business opportunities and growth.

Invited guests include Governor John Lynch, Executive Councilor Ruth Griffin, State Senator Martha Fuller Clark, U. S. Senator Judd Gregg, U.S. Senator John Sununu and U.S. Representative Jeb Bradley.

The Chamber encourages members and local business owners to take advantage of this opportunity to make their voices heard.