HB 399-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2015 SESSION
\t15-0635
\t09/01
HOUSE BILL\t\t399-FN
COMMITTEE:\tLegislative Administration
\tThis bill establishes a force of state capitol security officers who have the authority to carry firearms.
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t15-0635
\t09/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen
AN ACT\testablishing a force of state capitol security officers with the authority to carry firearms.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 New Section; State Capitol Security Officers. Amend RSA 14 by inserting after section 50 the following new section:
\t14:51 State Capitol Security Officers.
\t\tI. There shall be a force of state capitol security officers with authority to keep the peace at the state house complex including the state house, the state house annex and the legislative office buildings and land, and on the streets adjacent thereto.
\t\tII. State capitol security officers shall be under the direction and control of a chief of security who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the general court and shall assist the house and senate sergeants-at-arms in the maintenance of order and decorum in accordance with policies adopted by the general court.
\t\tIII. State capitol security officers are, by virtue of their appointment, constables and conservators of the peace. They shall have the same powers of arrest as local police officers under RSA 105 but their authority shall be limited to the state house complex as described in paragraph I. State capitol security officers shall, as soon as practicable after appointment, complete part-time officer training provided by the police standards and training council and such other education and training, including annual refresher training, as is required or approved by the speaker of the house of representatives.
\t\tIV. Such state capitol security officers as the chief of security determines shall be provided with firearms and such other defensive weapons to carry out their duties after they have competed a course of suitable training in the use of such weapons under the direction of a certified training officer or officers approved by the police standards and training council, including a council-approved firearms training course and annual recertification including classroom instruction and range training with a council-certified firearms training officer.
\t\tV. Nothing in this section shall prevent the enforcement of the law by state and local police or county sheriffs or their deputies if they encounter a crime at the state house complex or in response to a call for service or a request from the house or senate sergeant-at-arms or a member of state capitol security to render assistance.
\t2 Repeal. RSA 14:50, relative to legislative security; authority, is repealed.
\t3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLBAO
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t15-0635
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t01/16/15
HB 399-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\testablishing a force of state capitol security officers with the authority to carry firearms.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Office of Legislative Accounting and the Police Standards and Training Council state this bill, as introduced, will increase state general fund expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2015 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county and local expenditures, or state, county, and local revenue.
METHODOLOGY:
The Office of Legislative Accounting states this bill establishes a force of state capitol security officers who have the authority to carry firearms. The bill states that such security officers shall be provided with firearms and other defensive weapons to carry out their duties, after completing suitable training in the use of such weapons under the direction of a certified training officer approved by the Police Standards and Training Council and annual recertification including classroom instruction and range training. The Office projects the following costs in FY 2015:
Total:\t\t$20,370
The Office projects the following costs in FY 2016 and each year thereafter:
Total:\t\t$6,450
The Police Standards and Training Council states the bill’s fiscal impact is indeterminable, since it is unclear what trainings the Council would need to offer and for how many officers.