Revision: Jan. 16, 2019, 9:46 a.m.
HB 665-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0869
05/08
HOUSE BILL 665-FN
AN ACT relative to New Hampshire cost-of-living information.
SPONSORS: Rep. Cleaver, Hills. 35; Rep. Telerski, Hills. 35; Rep. Mangipudi, Hills. 35; Rep. Edgar, Rock. 21
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the director of the office of strategic initiatives to compile certain data relative to the cost of living in New Hampshire.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0869
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
AN ACT relative to New Hampshire cost-of-living information.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Cost-of-Living Study. Amend RSA 4-C by inserting after section 37 the following new subdivision:
Cost-of-Living Study
4-C:38 Definitions. In this subdivision:
I. "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.
II. "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.
III. "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.
4-C:39 Cost-of-Living Study.
I The office of strategic initiatives 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.
II. 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.
III. The director of the office of strategic initiatives 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, 2019.
19-0869
1/9/19
HB 665-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to New Hampshire cost-of-living information.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
METHODOLOGY:
This proposed legislation requires the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) to conduct an annual cost-of-living study for New Hampshire using specified calculations, analyses and current economic data sets. OSI is also required to publish cost-of-living estimates and summary reports on the Department of Employment Security website by October 1 of each year and provide copies to the Governor and General Court. OSI states the mandated cost-of-living study would require additional staff time and expertise that is not currently available. As such, the agency would have to contract out the report each year at an unknown cost, and thus the fiscal impact is indeterminable.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Office of Strategic Initiatives