SB395 (2014) Detail

Relative to the retirement classification of the director of the division of forests and lands.


SB 395-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2014 SESSION

14-2779

10/08

SENATE BILL 395-FN

AN ACT relative to the retirement classification of the director of the division of forests and lands.

SPONSORS: Sen. D’Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Forrester, Dist 2

COMMITTEE: Finance

ANALYSIS

This bill provides for continued group II membership of the director of the division of forests and lands if he or she was a member of group II for at least 10 years prior to appointment and continues to meet the applicable qualifications of a permanent fireman under the retirement 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

14-2779

10/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen

AN ACT relative to the retirement classification of the director of the division of forests and lands.

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

1 State Forester; Initial Appointment, Tenure, and Retirement. Amend RSA 12-A:9-a to read as follows:

12-A:9-a Director of the Division of Forests and Lands, State Forester; Initial Appointment and Tenure; Retirement.

I. The director of the division of resources development in office on the effective date of this section shall continue in office as director of the division of forests and lands subject to the provisions of this chapter. His or her tenure and salary shall be as has been established for the director of the division of resources development. All of the powers, duties and functions heretofore performed by the director of the division of resources development pursuant to any provisions of the statutes shall henceforth be performed by the director of the division of forests and lands subject to the provisions of this chapter. Wherever reference is made to the director of the division of resources development, it shall henceforth be construed to mean the director, division of forests and lands, department of resources and economic development.

II. In addition to the title of director, division of forests and lands, said director shall also be entitled the state forester.

III. For purposes of classification under the provisions of RSA 100-A, the director shall be considered a permanent fireman if the director was a permanent fireman of group II for at least 10 years prior to appointment as director and continues to meet the physical, mental, educational, and other qualifications to fight forest fires pursuant to RSA 100-A:1, VIII(b).

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

LBAO

14-2779

11/21/13

SB 395-FN – FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to the retirement classification of the director of the division of forests and lands.

FISCAL IMPACT:

    The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill, as introduced, will have an indeterminable impact on state general fund expenditures in FY 2016 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county and local expenditures, or state, county, and local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Resources and Economic Development states this bill provides for the continued Group II membership of the Director of the Division of Forests and Lands, provided that he or she was a member of Group II for at least ten years prior to appointment and continues to meet the standards for Group II membership established in RSA 100-A:1, VIII (b). The Department states that, due to the higher employer contribution rate for Group II employees, the bill will result in additional costs of $8,755 per year. The Department goes on to state that these costs can be absorbed within the Department’s current budget, and so there will be no additional general fund costs in FY 2014 or FY 2015. (Any impact on Department expenditures beyond FY 2015 will be determined during the FY 2016-2017 budget process.) The Department further states that it will experience some savings from filling the position of Chief of Forest Protection at a lower pay step. (Currently, the same individual functions as both the Chief of Forest Protection and as Interim Director of the Division of Forests and Lands.)