SB 147-FN-LOCAL – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/24/05 0700s
2005 SESSION
05/09
SENATE BILL 147-FN-LOCAL
AN ACT relative to eligibility for local assistance.
SPONSORS: Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Johnson, Dist 2; Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. Clegg, Dist 14; Rep. Morneau, Coos 4; Rep. Mears, Coos 4; Rep. Theberge, Coos 4; Rep. Lary, Coos 3; Rep. Buzzell, Coos 4
COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services
This bill provides that if a person has been a resident of a town for less than 90 days and seeks local assistance, the town may seek reimbursement for such assistance from the person’s town of prior residence.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/24/05 0700s
05-0605
05/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five
AN ACT relative to eligibility for local assistance.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Aid to Assisted Persons; Residency Required. Amend RSA 165:1, I to read as follows:
I. Whenever a person in any town is poor and unable to support himself or herself, [he] the person shall be relieved and maintained by the overseers of public welfare of such town, whether or not [he] the person has residence there. For the purposes of this chapter the term "residence" shall have the same definition as in RSA 21:6-a.
2 Assisted Person Defined; Local Responsibility; Reimbursement from Town of Prior Residence Permitted. Amend RSA 165:1-a to read as follows:
165:1-a Assisted Person Defined; Local Responsibility. Any person in a town or city who is poor and unable to support himself or herself shall be known as a town or city assisted person, and shall be relieved and maintained at the expense of the town or city of residence. If the person has been a resident of the town or city for less than 90 days, the town or city may seek reimbursement for such assistance from the person’s town or city of prior residence.
3 Aid to Assisted Persons; Nonresidents; Temporary Assistance to Return to Place of Residence. Amend RSA 165:1-c to read as follows:
165:1-c Nonresidents. Any person, poor and unable to support himself or herself, who is temporarily in a town or city which is not his or her residence, and who does not intend to make it his or her residence, shall be provided such temporary assistance as is reasonable and necessary by such town or city[. Such town or city may, if requested, cause] so that such person [to] may be returned to his or her place of residence.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2006.
LBAO
05-0605
Amended 4/6/05
SB 147 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to eligibility for local assistance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The New Hampshire Municipal Association and Department of Health and Human Services state this bill, as amended by the Senate (Senate Amendment #2005-0700s), will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on local revenue and expenditures in FY 2006 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state and county revenue or expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The New Hampshire Municipal Association stated current law contains no residency requirement, and any person in need who applies to a municipality for assistance must be provided with some level of help. The Association assumed that delaying eligibility for the receipt of assistance by 90 days may reduce local welfare costs for some municipalities. The Association indicated it is not clear which entity would be responsible for assistance provided and it may be possible the municipality would be responsible for some of the person’s expenses in the first 90 days. The Association stated the amounts of savings or additional expenditures will depend on specific circumstances and cannot be determined at this time.
The Department of Health and Human Services indicated this bill could result in a fiscal impact on town and city budgets, but is not able to determine the fiscal impact.