Revision: Jan. 26, 2009, midnight
HB 649-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2009 SESSION
05/01
HOUSE BILL 649-FN
AN ACT relative to the governor’s authority to expend funds for heating assistance.
SPONSORS: Rep. L. Ober, Hills 27; Rep. Renzullo, Hills 27; Rep. Leishman, Hills 3; Rep. R. Ober, Hills 27; Rep. G. Andersen, Graf 11
This bill permits the office of energy and state planning to expend funds for the state fuel assistance program based on anticipated federal funds received for this purpose.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
09-0320
05/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
AN ACT relative to the governor’s authority to expend funds for heating assistance.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; State Fuel Assistance Program. Amend RSA 4 by inserting after section 19 the following new section:
19-a State Fuel Assistance Program. In order to provide timely heating assistance to income eligible New Hampshire citizens, and in anticipation of federal revenue received annually pursuant to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the office of energy and planning, with approval from the joint legislative fiscal committee and the governor and council, may expend a sum not to exceed the anticipated federal grant amount in each year of the biennium for the purpose of funding the state fuel assistance program. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. It is the intent of the general court that any state funds so expended will be restored by federal funds received for this purpose. Nothing in this section shall prevent the additional appropriation of state funds for heating assistance or similar weatherization programs.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.
LBAO
09-0320
01/23/09
HB 649-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to the governor’s authority to expend funds for heating assistance.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Energy and Planning states this bill may increase state expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2010 and each year thereafter. This bill will have no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county and local revenue.
This bill appropriates a sum not to exceed the anticipated federal grant amount in each year of a biennium to the Office of Energy and Planning for the purpose of funding the state fuel assistance program.
METHODOLOGY:
The Office of Energy and Planning states this bill would allow the Governor to draw a warrant from Treasury from funds not otherwise appropriated for the state fuel assistance program, with any state funds expended restored by federal funds for fuel assistance received by the Office. The Office states the fuel assistance program is funded through a formula grant, which changes little from year to year, and a supplemental appropriation which fluctuates widely. The Office would not obligate any funds beyond the formula grant level, even if the budgeted amount was higher. The Office states there is some risk that after general funds have already been used, the state receives less in federal revenue than anticipated. This may result in a potential state general fund expenditure due to insufficient federal funding to reimburse the general fund.