HB1421 (2010) Detail

Establishing regional advisory councils in the state park system.


HB 1421-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2010 SESSION

10-2659

04/05

HOUSE BILL 1421-FN

AN ACT establishing regional advisory councils in the state park system.

SPONSORS: Rep. P. McMahon, Merr 3; Rep. Drisko, Hills 5; Rep. Gottling, Sull 3

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes regional advisory councils in the state park system.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

10-2659

04/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten

AN ACT establishing regional advisory councils in the state park system.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Expansion of State Park System; Regional Advisory Councils. Amend RSA 216-A by inserting after section 3-k the following new section:

216-A:3-l State Park System Regional Advisory Councils.

I. There is established a regional advisory council for each region of the state park system established by the division of parks and recreation, which shall include the Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee, Great North Woods, Lakes, Merrimack Valley, Monadnock, Seacoast, and White Mountains regions. Each regional advisory council shall consist of the following members:

(a) One representative of the department of resources and economic development, division of parks and recreation, appointed by the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development.

(b) One member of the governing body from each city or town in the region, appointed by the governor.

(c) One member from a regional planning commission in the region, appointed by the planning commission.

(d) One member from the lakes association in the region, appointed by the lakes association.

(e) One representative from a city or town recreation department from a city or town in the region, appointed by the governor.

II. Each regional advisory council shall have the following duties:

(a) Implement the state park master plan within the region.

(b) Apply for, accept, and expend funds from any state or federal source to address priorities facing the state park system addressed in the state park master plan.

(c) Advise and make recommendations to the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development relative to the implementation of the state park system master plan and any other issue relating to the development and improvement of the state park system.

(d) Perform any duties assigned by the director of the division of parks and recreation.

III. Members of each regional council shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to receive mileage and expenses when attending to the duties of the council.

IV. Each regional council shall submit a report of its activity during the year and any findings or recommendations for legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library no later than November 1 each year.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

10-2659

11/18/09

HB 1421-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing regional advisory councils in the state park system.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill will increase state restricted expenditures by $15,235 in FY 2010, $15,789 in FY 2011, $16,343 in FY 2012, $16,620 in FY 2013, and $17,174 in FY 2014. There is no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county, and local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill establishes regional advisory councils in the state park system and allows council members to receive reimbursement for travel to meetings. The Department assumes there will be a total of 278 members on the councils throughout the state (13 cities, 221 towns, 22 unincorporated areas, 7 regional planning members, 7 lakes association members, 7 local recreation department members, and a representative from the Department’s Division of Parks and Recreation). The Department assumes one meeting a quarter (4 meetings a year), average of 25 miles round trip each meeting, and all council members except the Department representative would be provided mileage (277 members). Additionally, the Department assumes mileage reimbursed at the federal rate of 55 cents a mile, increased by approximately 3 percent a year and mileage would be paid by the park fund.

 

FY 2010

FY 2011

FY 2012

FY 2013

FY 2014

Average Miles Round Trip

25

25

25

25

25

Federal mileage rate (increased by 3% a year)

0.55

0.57

0.59

0.60

0.62

Total meetings a year

4

4

4

4

4

Total # of members eligible for mileage reimbursement

277

277

277

277

277

Total

$15,235

$15,789

$16,343

$16,620

$17,174

                      LBAO

                      10-2659

                      11/18/09

    The Department assumes it will require the addition of 196 staff hours for its staff to travel to and attend the regional advisory council meetings. These additional labor costs will be absorbed by the Department.