Morse will assume the Senate presidency Tuesday when Peter Bragdon relinquishes control amid criticism for taking a new job as executive director of the Local Government Center.
Morse won the unanimous support of GOP senators last week, assuring him of the majority needed to replace Bragdon, of Milford. Morse said he admires how smoothly the Senate operated under Bragdon. He said he's also reaching out to past Senate presidents for tips on how to manage the 24-member chamber.
"There's no text book on how to run the Senate presidency," he said.
He doesn't expect to make many changes but wants to talk to people after Tuesday's vote about issues including whether New Hampshire should expand Medicaid to an estimated 49,000 poor adults and where to find revenue for highway improvements.
Morse was a co-sponsor of a casino gambling bill this year that earmarked some funding for highway improvements. The bill passed the Senate but died in the House. The House instead passed a bill phasing in an increase in the gas and diesel tax for road fixes.
"I'm still totally opposed to the gas tax. I think it will stall the economy," Morse said.
That could affect Sen. Jim Rausch's plan to file legislation raising the gas tax to pay for highway improvements. As Senate president, Morse will have the power to decide whether the Senate will consider a gas tax increase since the chamber voted not to consider bills similar to the tax hike passed by the House.
Morse also has not changed his position on whether New Hampshire should expand Medicaid under the federal healthcare overhaul law. He said New Hampshire has to determine if it is in the state's best interest to expand the program and, if so, how.
"I think we should have what works for New Hampshire. If that's nothing, so be it. I don't know that yet," he said.
At Bragdon's insistence, a special Medicaid expansion study commission was established as a compromise in the budget debate. Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan and the Democrat-led House wanted to authorize Medicaid expansion in the budget bill, but the Republican-led Senate insisted on establishing a commission to study the issue first.
The commission must report its recommendations by Oct. 15, but lawmakers can begin filing bills this month for next year's session. Some lawmakers have talked about moving the legislation on a faster than normal track to ensure action as close as possible to the Jan. 1 implementation of the federal provision on expansion. That's when an estimated $2.4 billion in federal funding the state would get over seven years would kick in.
"That issue is so huge, I don't know what fast track is," Morse said.
