CONCORD – The New Hampshire Legislature returns today to a week crammed with business that involves more than 150 public hearings and a joint session tomorrow that begins with the governor's State of State message.

Gov. John Lynch will give his mid-term update on how the state is faring, and on his agenda for the coming year. His legislative priorities include stashing much of the state's surplus in the Rainy Day reserve fund, energy aid for human services agencies, keeping kids in school until age 18, and passage of the Child Protection Act, which comes up for a public hearing today.

The bill, HB 1692, would toughen penalties for sex offenders who prey on children, allowing prosecutors to seek a 25-year term for a first-time offender. It would also restrict how close to parks, schools and children's centers convicted offenders could live and would require them to wear GPS monitoring devices after they are released.

The bill has strong support in the House and Senate. Lawmakers reserved Representatives Hall, with 400 seats, for a special public hearing that runs from 2 to 4 p.m. and resumes at 6 p.m. for two more hours.

Following Lynch's speech tomorrow, the House convenes to resume voting on bills that were introduced last year and studied during the summer. Some of the most controversial involve bills on living wills and end-of-life issues; boat speed limits; religious exemption from sex education classes; a state pharmacy program; fire-safe cigarettes; limits on radio frequency tags in consumer products; and expanding the state's right-to-know law to account for Internet communications.

Election law changes are also on tap, including a bill to require voters to show photo IDs to get a ballot, a bill that makes voter affidavits public records, and traceable ballots that would let election officials match a ballot to a voter affidavit after polls close.

In the Senate tomorrow, a $1 million school voucher bill, voter ID requirements, enhanced punishments for crimes against the elderly, and new rules on home improvement contracts face final votes.

In the House today, public hearings are scheduled on bills that include HB 1177, requiring bars and restaurants to be smoke free, and HB 1632, raising the cap on elderly property tax exemptions.

The Senate takes up SB 370, setting up child protection teams in every county as well as SB 326 and SB 386, which limit large-volume groundwater withdrawals.

On Thursday, House committees will take testimony on HB 1737, establishing a new beverage tax on soft drinks; HB 1741 and HB 1742, requiring hospitals to report infection rates among patients; and HB 1455, establishing a recycling fund tax on new computers and TVs.

The Senate on Thursday will hold public hearings on SB 380 and SB 381, establishing business tax credits for research and development costs; SB 387, authorizing energy efficiency loans and guarantees by the Business Finance Authority; SB 287, revising eminent domain laws; and SB 318, expanding the use of deadly force by the public in response to felonies.