HB 452-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
15Feb2017... 0338h
2017 SESSION
17-0488
05/10
HOUSE BILL 452-FN
AN ACT establishing the office of the business advocate in the department of resources and economic development and making an appropriation therefor.
SPONSORS: Rep. Packard, Rock. 5; Rep. Hinch, Hills. 21; Rep. Jasper, Hills. 37
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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This bill establishes an office of the business advocate in the department of resources and economic development and makes an appropriation for that 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
15Feb2017... 0338h 17-0488
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Office of the Business Advocate. Amend RSA 12-A by inserting after section 14 the following new section:
12-A:14-a Office of the Business Advocate.
I. There is hereby established in the department of resources and economic development an office of the business advocate. The commissioner of the department of resources and economic development shall designate a person qualified by reason of education and experience to serve as the state's business advocate. The business advocate may, with the approval of the commissioner of resources and economic development, designate an additional staff member to assist in the performance of the duties of the business advocate.
II. The business advocate shall:
(a) Serve as a liaison between the public and private sector to facilitate communication on regulatory matters impacting business operations and growth.
(b) Assist businesses with state licensing, permitting, and regulatory requirements.
(c) Review all current and pending administrative rules affecting the business community that adversely or disproportionately affect businesses, particularly those related to small businesses, and make recommendations to alleviate those effects.
(d) Communicate the interests of the business community before state agencies and the legislature.
III. The business advocate shall be an unclassified state employee, whose salary shall be as specified in RSA 94:1-a.
2 Salary Classification. The salary of the business advocate position established in section 1 of this act shall be determined after assessment and review of the appropriate temporary letter grade allocation in RSA 94:1-a, I(b) for the position which shall be conducted pursuant to RSA 94:1-d and RSA 14:14-c.
3 Appropriation; Department of Resources and Economic Development; Office of the Business Advocate. The sum of $25,000 is hereby appropriated to the department of resources and economic development for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, for the purpose of establishing the office of the business advocate as provided in section 1 of this act. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for such sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
17-0488
Amended 2/27/17
HB 452-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2017-0338h)
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2018 | FY 2019 | FY 2020 | FY 2021 |
Appropriation | $25,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill adds a new section to RSA 12-A:14 establishing the office of the business advocate within the Department of Resources and Economic Development and creating an unclassified position to perform related job duties. This bill allows the business advocate, with the approval of the commissioner for the Department of Resources and Economic Development, to designate an additional staff person to assist in the performance of the duties of the business advocate. This bill also appropriates $25,000 in general funds in FY 2018 for the purpose of establishing the office of the business advocate. The Department states it already addresses the duties described in this bill with existing positions dedicated to business retention and recruitment, though not in the structured format laid out in the bill where one person would be responsible to assist stakeholders with issues involving state licensing, permitting and regulatory requirements. The Department assumes the position's initial labor grade would be EE or FF with the salary ranging from $63,991 to $90,832. Benefit costs will vary as they are partially dependent on the health plan selected by the new employee. The Department also assumes additional costs of $15,000 (marketing and publication costs ($10,000), and a one-time expense for office equipment ($5,000)) in FY 2018 and ongoing marketing and publication costs of $10,000 each year thereafter.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Resources and Economic Development
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 24, 2017 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 8, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 15, 2017 | House | Floor Vote |
| March 13, 2017 | House | Exec Session |
| March 23, 2017 | House | Floor Vote |
March 23, 2017: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/23/2017 HJ 11 P. 6
March 23, 2017: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate for 03/23/2017 (Vote 25-0; CC) HC 16 P. 3
March 13, 2017: Executive Session: 03/13/2017 10:00 AM LOB 210-211
Feb. 28, 2017: Division I Work Session: 02/28/2017 11:20 AM LOB 212
Feb. 15, 2017: Referred to Finance 02/15/2017 HJ 7 P. 43
Feb. 15, 2017: Ought to Pass with Amendment 0338h: MA RC 220-113 02/15/2017 HJ 7 P. 41
Feb. 15, 2017: Amendment # 2017-0338h: AA VV 02/15/2017 HJ 7 P. 41
Feb. 15, 2017: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2017-0338h for 02/15/2017 (Vote 13-4; RC) HC 11 P. 21
Feb. 8, 2017: Executive Session: 02/08/2017 10:15 AM LOB 305
Jan. 24, 2017: Public Hearing: 01/24/2017 10:30 AM LOB 305
Jan. 5, 2017: Introduced 01/05/2017 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 3 P. 13