The Exchange

This tax season the new tax code passed by President Trump and a Republican-led Congress is finally in full effect. The legislation passed in late 2017 but most changes became effective in 2018 and this filing season's refunds could act as an indicator of the tax cut Americans were promised. Most already saw that cut in less witholding—or the money taken out of their paychecks. The IRS is reporting that the average refund is more —so more money going back to taxpayers —but the number of

More people are bringing their animals with them -- into stores, onto planes. Some are service animals, highly trained, assisting with such tasks as pulling a wheelchair or retrieving medicine. They also assist people who are blind or experiencing seizures. These animals are covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act and allowed in most public places. Emotional support animals are sometimes prescribed to a person with a disabling mental illness but they do not have the same legal

The New Hampshire House takes a big step toward legalizing recreational marijuana in the state, but Gov. Chris Sununu has already promised to veto. The New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon gets clearance to host a country music festival. And a Sig Sauer executive goes to court in Germany over a weapons deal. This and other stories from the week in news.

Back in December, The Exchange sat down with four newly-elected members of the N.H. House of Representatives. Now, two months in, NHPR's Michael Brindley caught up with these four new lawmakers, and asked them what's been most surprising about their new roles, and what they've seen as the biggest challenges so far.

New Hampshire has joined a handful of states that mandate some Medicaid recipients to engage in certain activities: for example, a job, school, or community services. But recent federal changes tightening certain aspects of the program, as well as proposed legislation, have renewed debate over the Granite State's approach.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating compound derived from marijuana plants. In New Hampshire, CBD is available for purchase online and in stores, and has seen a recent boom lately. Many users say it helps with a range of health issues, from insomnia to anxiety to pain. However, clinical research remains limited. We look at what we know about CBD, and what we don't.

Though drivers 65 and older wear seatbelts and drive the speed limit more than other age groups , but they have the second highest, after teen drivers, crash death rate per mile driven. How do age-related health challenges impact driver safety? And what can someone do to stay safe on the road, or help a loved one make safe driving decisions? We discuss all this, plus technology and education for drivers, and options for those who no longer drive.

The United States Senate is closely divided in favor of the GOP, but Democrats aren’t sitting silently on the sidelines. Among those Democrats is Senator Jeanne Shaheen. She recently announced she’ll run for a third term in 2020. We talk about the impending conclusion of the Mueller investigation, President Trump's recent national emergency declaration, as well as her take on Trump's upcoming second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Listen to the show: Watch the program:

With at least seven Democratic presidential candidates - and one Republican - showing up in New Hampshire recently, it's hard to tell the 2020 primary is a year away. Political observers are remarking on the number of candidate visits to the state as well as the crowds in N.H. at candidate events and are wondering how long the early energy can last. How many house parties or town halls have you attended so far? We take the entire hour to look at the field and get a sense of emerging themes.

New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster went viral earlier this month, raising the roof during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address (pictured above.) Representative Kuster is back in Washington this term along with a historic number of women serving in Congress. With a Democratic majority in the House, the Second Congressional District representative has a number of goals for this term. She just joined the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and leads a bipartisan task force