Revision: March 12, 2021, 11:33 a.m.
SB 114-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/11/2021 0567s
2021 SESSION
21-0976
04/05
SENATE BILL 114-FN
AN ACT relative to protecting the safe use and enjoyment of publicly-accessible recreation areas.
SPONSORS: Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Rep. Alicea, Merr. 8; Rep. Espitia, Hills. 31; Rep. Harriott-Gathright, Hills. 36; Rep. Perez, Hills. 23; Rep. Wazir, Merr. 17
COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the departments of natural and cultural resources and fish and game to develop protocols to address the enjoyment and safe use of publicly-accessible recreation areas for people without fear of violence resulting from discrimination, and requires authorized personnel from both departments to undergo ethics and diversity training. The bill also requires the police standards and training council to provide additional training to law enforcement officers.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/11/2021 0567s 21-0976
04/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT relative to protecting the safe use and enjoyment of publicly-accessible recreation areas.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
5 New Section; Police Standards and Training Council; Additional Training Required. Amend RSA 106-L by inserting after section 8 the following new section:
106-L:8-a Additional Training Required. The director of the police standards and training council shall provide education and training to law enforcement officers on de-escalation, ethics, implicit bias, and cultural diversity. Every law enforcement agency shall develop a department policy to provide operational direction for their officers regarding de-escalation, ethics, implicit bias, cultural diversity, and how to handle incidents that may violate RSA 354-B.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
21-0976
1/26/21
SB 114-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to the enjoyment of publicly-accessible and publicly-funded recreation areas.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
The Department of Fish and Game was contacted for a fiscal note worksheet on January 14, 2021, January 15, 2021, January 20, 2021 and January 22, 2021, which they still have not provided as of January 26, 2021.
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires personnel with police powers of the Departments of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) and Fish and Game to enforce the use and enjoyment of all publicly-accessible and publicly-funded areas of the state by individuals without fear or threat of verbal or physical violence. The DNCR shall establish and maintain a publicly-accessible database documenting violations of this provision charged by DNCR or the attorney general, including the final disposition of such cases. The database shall not contain any personally identifiable information. The bill also requires the officers of the departments to have ethics and diversity training.
The DNCR assumes the Police Standards and Training Council is developing training as required by this bill for the certified officers within the Department as part of their law enforcement certification and such training will be free of charge. The Division of Forests and Lands, Forest Protection Bureau currently maintains investigation information and such information is available pursuant to RSA 91-A (Right to Know Law) but is not available on a publicly-accessible web-based platform. The database also does not track investigations conducted by other agencies. If such a web-based portal was required, it would necessitate a request for proposals with an unknown development cost and ongoing maintenance cost.
It is assumed this bill will be effective July 1, 2021.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Fish and Game