[NH Bill Briefing] - 79 Hearings Today (Part 2 of 2)

Written by Andrew Horn of Amherst, NH

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. HB 629-FN – Dam Tax Debate
   Why It’s Notable: Would impose new fees on boat registrations and waterfront properties to fund state dam maintenance, sparking strong opposition from waterfront owners.

2. HB 635-FN – Immigration Nonprofit Tax
   Why It’s Notable: Targets nonprofits that settle illegal immigrants by stripping their tax-exempt status and offering bounties to those who report them, stirring major ethical and legal debates.

3. SB 83-FN – Video Lottery Terminals
   Why It’s Notable: Authorizes VLTs (similar to slot machines) for charitable gaming venues, creating a fund to reimburse certain property tax exemptions—significant expansion of gambling.

4. SB 168-FN-L – Online Gambling Launch
   Why It’s Notable: Legalizes and regulates online gambling in New Hampshire, redirecting a portion of proceeds to reimburse local property tax exemptions.

5. HB 688-FN-L – Charitable Gaming Tax
   Why It’s Notable: Allows municipalities to levy a special enterprise tax on large charitable gaming operators, affecting local charities and raising concerns over nonprofit funding.

6. HB 582-FN – Watercraft Age Restriction
   Why It’s Notable: Proposes a minimum operating age of 16 for personal watercraft and bans nighttime use, drawing intense opposition from recreational boaters.

7. HB 585 – Religious Rental Exemption
   Why It’s Notable: Expands property tax exemptions for religious organizations that rent parsonages or worship buildings, fueling debate on fairness and church-state boundaries.

8. SB 244-FN-A – Medicaid Rate Hike
   Why It’s Notable: Increases Medicaid provider rates and invests in health workforce recruitment, seen as critical to addressing healthcare shortages but costly for the state.

9. HB 644-FN – Drone Park Access
   Why It’s Notable: Ends a near-ban on drones in state parks by creating a structured system of permissions, fees, and fines—balancing recreation interests with privacy/safety concerns.

10. SB 137-FN – Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
    Why It’s Notable: Requires Medicaid to cover administrative “swing bed” days for postpartum parents and newborns, drawing attention to hospital stay reimbursements and maternal health.

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Contents

• Quick Summaries - Part 2 of 2

• In-Depth Analyses - Part 2 of 2

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Quick Summaries - Part 2 of 2

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House Resources, Recreation And Development

• HB 568 (6 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Allows subdivision regulations on water supply studies and private well testing
  Online Testimony: 10 support, 3 oppose

• HB 582-FN (2 sponsors, Democratic)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Sets new safety rules for personal watercraft, including age and nighttime restrictions
  Online Testimony: 5 support, 34 oppose

• HB 595-FN (12 sponsors, Lean Democratic)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Establishes coastal resilience zones with new flood resiliency funding options
  Online Testimony: 12 support, 4 oppose

• HB 607-FN (3 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Funds Hampton Beach area commission with a $5,000 annual appropriation
  Online Testimony: 4 support, 3 oppose

• HB 624-FN-A (2 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Creates a grant program for local river management advisory committees, appropriating $40,000 yearly
  Online Testimony: 18 support, 3 oppose

• HB 629-FN (3 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Proposes fees on boat registrations and waterfront properties to fund state-owned dam maintenance
  Online Testimony: 3 support, 23 oppose

• HB 644-FN (8 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Permits commercial and recreational drone use in state parks with specific exceptions and fees
  Online Testimony: 9 support, 5 oppose

• HB 657-FN (1 sponsor, Republican)
  Committee: House Resources, Recreation and Development
  Summary: Requires a short-notice reservation system prioritizing local NH residents for day-use at state parks
  Online Testimony: 1 support, 1 oppose

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House Ways And Means

• HB 650-FN (5 sponsors, Lean Republican)
  Committee: House Ways and Means
  Summary: Removes references to repealed funds, splits the state park fund, caps robotics education fund
  Online Testimony: 2 support, 3 oppose

• HB 585 (4 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: House Ways and Means
  Summary: Allows religious organizations to exempt certain rentals if rental income funds religious programs
  Online Testimony: 1 support, 13 oppose

• HB 688-FN-L (4 sponsors, Lean Democratic)
  Committee: House Ways and Means
  Summary: Authorizes municipalities to tax large charitable gaming facilities based on enterprise value
  Online Testimony: 4 support, 20 oppose

• HB 737-L (8 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: House Ways and Means
  Summary: Allows localities to prohibit “games of chance” by municipal vote
  Online Testimony: 7 support, 1 oppose

• HB 635-FN (1 sponsor, Republican)
  Committee: House Ways and Means
  Summary: Taxes nonprofits settling illegal immigrants and offers a reporting bounty program
  Online Testimony: 28 support, 196 oppose

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Senate Executive Departments And Administration

• SB 178 (1 sponsor, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Directs DHHS to adopt rules for water testing fees, moving fee-setting authority to rulemaking

• SB 179-FN (1 sponsor, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Administratively attaches the State Council on Housing Stability to the Department of Health and Human Services

• SB 180-FN (6 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Declares Coos County a distressed place-based economy, mandating collaborative regulations

• SB 181-FN (9 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Presumes firefighters’ cancers are work-related, requiring timely workers’ compensation payments

• SB 187-FN (7 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Adopts the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, streamlining interstate licensure

• SB 185-FN (16 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Sets timelines for professional misconduct probes by the Office of Professional Licensure

• SB 188-FN (6 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Allows private engineers or architects to inspect and certify building code compliance

• SB 194-FN (4 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Lowers cosmetology hours from 1,500 to 1,200 and adds a career-technical board member

• SB 196-FN (7 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Increases project-cost threshold for agencies exempt from competitive bidding, from $500K to $1M

• SB 199-FN (15 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Creates a recruitment and retention incentive program for new NH state troopers

• SB 201-FN (1 sponsor, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Permits unclassified positions to convert into classified exempt salary roles, modifies benefits rules

• SB 286-FN (4 sponsors, Lean Republican)
  Committee: Senate Executive Departments and Administration
  Summary: Creates an Office of Film and Creative Media, offering incentives to attract film productions

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Senate Health And Human Services

• SB 132-FN (14 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
  Summary: Expands prosthetic device insurance coverage to adults, including activity-specific prosthetics

• SB 122-FN (10 sponsors, Lean Democratic)
  Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
  Summary: Removes asset test and raises income eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program

• SB 244-FN-A (11 sponsors, Democratic)
  Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
  Summary: Improves access to primary care, boosts Medicaid rates, and funds workforce recruitment

• SB 137-FN (1 sponsor, Democratic)
  Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
  Summary: Requires Medicaid coverage for certain hospital “administrative days,” including postpartum care

• SB 134-FN (9 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
  Summary: Directs DHHS to reapply for a waiver imposing community engagement/work requirements in Medicaid

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Senate Ways And Means

• SB 60-FN (5 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Ways and Means
  Summary: Authorizes advanced deposit wagering on horse races, channeling taxes to the education trust fund

• SB 63-FN (9 sponsors, Bipartisan)
  Committee: Senate Ways and Means
  Summary: Expands the Division of Travel and Tourism’s budget by adjusting meals and rooms tax calculations

• SB 275 (8 sponsors, Lean Democratic)
  Committee: Senate Ways and Means
  Summary: Grants certain child care agencies property tax relief and clarifies preschool facility aid rules

• SB 83-FN (5 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Ways and Means
  Summary: Allows video lottery terminals at charitable gaming locations, creates fund for property tax exemptions

• SB 168-FN-L (4 sponsors, Republican)
  Committee: Senate Ways and Means
  Summary: Regulates and taxes online gambling, dedicating proceeds to reimburse local property tax exemptions

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In-Depth Analyses - Part 2 of 2

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House Resources, Recreation And Development

HB 568

AN ACT allowing subdivision regulations concerning water supply.

Bill text (PDF) - Docket

6 sponsors, Bipartisan

Sponsor(s): (Prime) Rep. Kat McGhee (D), Rep. Kate Murray (D), Rep. Nancy Murphy (D), Rep. Rosemarie Rung (D), Rep. Diane Pauer (R), Rep. Bill Boyd (R)

Selected quote(s) from the bill:

1 New Subparagraphs; Planning and Zoning; Subdivision Regulations; Water Supply. Amend RSA 674:36, II by inserting after subparagraph (o) the following new subparagraphs:

(p) Local planning boards may request a water supply study in accordance with local regulations to ensure water adequacy as housing density increases. Water studies for new subdivisions are discretionary and fall under the jurisdiction of local planning boards. This provision shall not apply to community water systems or large groundwater withdrawals regulated under RSA 485 and RSA 485-C.

(q) Include provisions to ensure there is an adequate water quantity to support existing, proposed, and reasonably anticipated future land and associated water uses, and to ensure the protection of water-dependent natural resources. Such provisions shall be established and administered in accordance with plans developed and approved under RSA 674:2. This provision shall not apply to community water systems or large groundwater withdrawals regulated under RSA 485 and RSA 485-C.

(r) Prescribe minimum on-lot private well testing requirements to ensure an adequate water supply. This provision shall not apply to community water systems or large groundwater withdrawals regulated under RSA 485 and RSA 485-C.

2 New Paragraph; Planning and Zoning; Subdivision Regulations; Costs. Amend RSA 674:36 by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraph:

VII. The planning board may, as part of its subdivision regulations, require an applicant to pay for notifying abutters and may assess reasonable costs for local administrative or investigative expenses deemed necessary for more complex applications.

Summary:
This bill allows local planning boards to adopt subdivision regulations requiring water supply studies, ensuring adequate water quantity for future uses, and establishing minimum on-lot private well testing requirements, while also clarifying that applicants are responsible for associated costs.

Argument For:
This bill addresses the growing concern of water resource impacts from increased development by empowering local planning boards to require water supply studies and adequate water quantity provisions for new subdivisions, protecting both water resources and future residents.

Potential Argument Against:
None

Online Testimony
Currently, 10 people support and 3 people oppose the bill. 77% support of 13 people

Support

I am a member of my town planning board and have expressed concerns about the impact of ever increasing development upon water resources. As such, I am in favor of this legislation. However, it would be helpful to provide some basic parameters for local boards. Perhaps, a provision could be added indicating adherence for subdivisions of 4 or more lots.

—Sherrill Howard, of Campton

Hearing: Wednesday, Feb 05 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 305 in the Legislative Office Building and streaming on YouTube.

HB 582-FN

AN ACT relative to safety requirements for operation of personal water crafts.