Text to be removed highlighted in red.
1 New Section; Cost of Living Information. Amend RSA 282-A by inserting after section 180 the following new section:
282-A:181 New Hampshire Cost of Living Information.
I.(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the New Hampshire department of employment security.
(b) "Basic cost-of-living" means the minimum pre-tax dollar amount of annual personal income or earnings necessary for a typical household to maintain economic self-sufficiency, based on family composition and the number of adults with full time employment per household.
(c) "Economic self-sufficiency" means the ability of individuals and families to consistently meet their needs, including food, housing, utilities, health care, transportation, taxes, dependent care, and clothing, with minimal or no outside assistance or subsidies from public or private sources.
(d) "Current economic data" means data and statistical analysis collected and validated by bona fide public sources, including the New Hampshire department of employment security, the United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Agriculture, and other state and federal agencies that collect and analyze relevant economic and statistical data for New Hampshire and state sub-regions.
II. The commissioner shall conduct an annual cost-of-living study for New Hampshire. The study shall include:
(a) A calculation of the statewide estimated cost-of-living necessary for individuals and families to maintain economic self-sufficiency, adjusted for family size and number of full time employed adults per household.
(b) A calculation of the estimated basic cost-of-living by county, and by standard economic sub-regions as appropriate and when comparable data is available, adjusted for family size and the number of full-time employed adults per household.
(c) An analysis of statewide and county cost-of-living data, workforce age population and employment data, workforce educational attainment and estimated job totals with median annual wages for major occupational categories.
(d) A summary report of prevailing economic trends and changes over time.
III. Cost-of-living calculations shall use current economic data to estimate the minimum yearly cost of goods and services necessary for individuals and families to achieve and maintain economic self-sufficiency, including:
(a) Housing;
(b) Food;
(c) Healthcare;
(d) Transportation;
(e) Essential utilities, including heat, electricity, water, and telecommunications services;
(f) Child care, including the cost of before and after school care for children aged 5 to 12 when all adults in the household are employed full time;
(g) Federal and local taxes;
(h) Clothing; and
(i) Other common expenses necessary for household self-sufficiency, as determined by the commissioner.
IV. The commissioner shall publish cost-of-living estimates and summary reports in a portable electronic file format on the department of employment security website by October 1 of each year and provide copies to the governor and general court at the time of publication.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.
Text to be added highlighted in green.
1 New Section; Cost of Living Information. Amend RSA 282-A by inserting after section 180 the following new section:
282-A:181 New Hampshire Cost of Living Information.
I.(a) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the New Hampshire department of employment security.
(b) "Basic cost-of-living" means the minimum pre-tax dollar amount of annual personal income or earnings necessary for a typical household to maintain economic self-sufficiency, based on family composition and the number of adults with full time employment per household.
(c) "Economic self-sufficiency" means the ability of individuals and families to consistently meet their needs, including food, housing, utilities, health care, transportation, taxes, dependent care, and clothing, with minimal or no outside assistance or subsidies from public or private sources.
(d) "Current economic data" means data and statistical analysis collected and validated by bona fide public sources, including the New Hampshire department of employment security, the United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Agriculture, and other state and federal agencies that collect and analyze relevant economic and statistical data for New Hampshire and state sub-regions.
II. The commissioner shall conduct an annual cost-of-living study for New Hampshire. The study shall include:
(a) A calculation of the statewide estimated cost-of-living necessary for individuals and families to maintain economic self-sufficiency, adjusted for family size and number of full time employed adults per household.
(b) A calculation of the estimated basic cost-of-living by county, and by standard economic sub-regions as appropriate and when comparable data is available, adjusted for family size and the number of full-time employed adults per household.
(c) An analysis of statewide and county cost-of-living data, workforce age population and employment data, workforce educational attainment and estimated job totals with median annual wages for major occupational categories.
(d) A summary report of prevailing economic trends and changes over time.
III. Cost-of-living calculations shall use current economic data to estimate the minimum yearly cost of goods and services necessary for individuals and families to achieve and maintain economic self-sufficiency, including:
(a) Housing;
(b) Food;
(c) Healthcare;
(d) Transportation;
(e) Essential utilities, including heat, electricity, water, and telecommunications services;
(f) Child care, including the cost of before and after school care for children aged 5 to 12 when all adults in the household are employed full time;
(g) Federal and local taxes;
(h) Clothing; and
(i) Other common expenses necessary for household self-sufficiency, as determined by the commissioner.
IV. The commissioner shall publish cost-of-living estimates and summary reports in a portable electronic file format on the department of employment security website by October 1 of each year and provide copies to the governor and general court at the time of publication.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.