Revision: Nov. 30, 2017, 3:23 p.m.
HB 1771-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED
2018 SESSION
18-2152
01/10
HOUSE BILL 1771-FN-A
AN ACT relative to hiring a state toxicologist and making an appropriation therefor.
SPONSORS: Rep. Messmer, Rock. 24; Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. McConnell, Ches. 12; Rep. McBeath, Rock. 26; Rep. P. Gordon, Rock. 29; Rep. Edgar, Rock. 21; Rep. Pantelakos, Rock. 25; Rep. Bean, Rock. 21; Rep. H. Marsh, Rock. 22; Rep. T. Le, Rock. 31; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of health and human services to hire a state toxicologist. The bill makes an appropriation for the purposes of the bill.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
18-2152
01/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen
AN ACT relative to hiring a state toxicologist and making an appropriation therefor.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
I. The general court hereby finds that:
(a) The state of New Hampshire had previously employed a state toxicologist.
(b) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the incidence of breast cancer is the highest in the country.
(c) There is a CDC-defined double pediatric cancer cluster acknowledged by the department of health and human services in a 5-town area of the seacoast.
(d) The department has acknowledged that rates of brain and CNS cancer are more than 2 times expected in the children of the same 5-town area.
(e) According to the state of New Hampshire rates of prostate cancer are elevated. Prostate cancer is known to be potentially related to environmental triggers.
(f) Bladder cancer, known or suspected to be related to exposure to arsenic in drinking water, incidences are elevated in some counties in New Hampshire.
(g) Approximately 2000 citizens including 350 children were exposed to elevated levels of perfluorinated chemicals in their drinking water and now have serum levels of perfluorinated chemicals in excess of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's averages.
(h) There are significant environmental issues within our state that have caused exposure in our citizens.
II. Therefore, the general court hereby requires the department of health and human services to hire a toxicologist.
2 Toxicologist. The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall hire a board-certified toxicologist.
3 Appropriation. The sum of $1 is hereby appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 to the department of health and human services for the purposes of section 2 of this act. This appropriation shall be in addition to any other sums appropriated to the department. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
18-2152
11/28/17
HB 1771-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to hiring a state toxicologist and making an appropriation therefor.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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STATE: | FY 2018 | FY 2019 | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | ||||
Appropriation | $1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||||
Expenditures | $0 | $129,000 | $127,000 | $133,000 | $135,000 | ||||
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Federal | ||||||||
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to hire a board-certified state toxicologist, and appropriates $1 in FY 2018 from the general fund for this purpose. For the purpose of calculating costs, the Department assumes a hire date of July 1, 2018, and projects that total salary, benefit, and related other expenses (equipment, office space, etc.) will total $129,000 in FY 2019, $127,000 in FY 2020, $133,000 in FY 2021, and $135,000 in FY 2022. These costs are based on a labor grade 32 position beginning at step 5 of the pay scale. The Department notes that it has submitted a request to reclassify a vacant position to create a clinical toxicologist position, and anticipates that this position will be funded with 100% federal Centers for Disease Control Public Health Block Grant Funds. However, there is uncertainty as to the reliability of this funding source, as it is at the discretion of the federal budget process.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services