1 New Section: Commission to Study the Feasibility and Structure of a Legislative Office to Provide Longitudinal Cost-Benefit Analysis of Significant Proposed Legislation and of Budgetary Revenue Estimates. Amend RSA 14 by inserting after section 52 the following new section:

14:53 Commission to Study the Feasibility and Structure of a Legislative Office to Provide Longitudinal Cost-Benefit Analysis of Significant Proposed Legislation and of Budgetary Revenue Estimates. There is established a commission to study the feasibility and structure of a legislative office to provide longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of significant proposed legislation and of budgetary revenue estimates.

I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) Four members of the house of representatives, one from the finance committee and one from the ways and means committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one from the finance committee and one from the ways and means committee, by the leader of the minority party.

(b) Two members of the senate from the finance or ways and means committees, one appointed by the president of the senate and one by the leader of the minority party.

(c) The director of the legislative budget assistant, or designee.

(d) The commissioner of the department of revenue administration, or designee.

(e) Two economists with long experience of budget and revenues analysis in New Hampshire, retired or in private employ, selected by the director of the legislative budget assistant.

(f) An economist from the University System of New Hampshire, specialized in economic impact analysis, selected by the director of the legislative budget assistant.

II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

III. The commission shall study the feasibility of establishing a legislative office to provide independent multi-year revenue estimates as input into the ways and means committee work, and longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of proposed legislation with significant fiscal effects as input into the finance committees. In order to achieve stability and neutrality, it shall consider and recommend the best administrative home, the criteria for selection of proposals to be analyzed, and the composition of the oversight committee, split equally among the parties, that would choose proposals to analyze. In order to maximize the efficacy of a small office, it shall consult with existing econometric modeling firms working with the public sector and with their state or county clients.

IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Six members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V. The commission shall issue a final report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 15, 2024, to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairs of finance and ways and means in the house of representatives and the senate, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library.

2 Repeal. RSA 14:53, relative to the commission to study the feasibility and structure of a legislative office to provide longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of significant proposed legislation and of budgetary revenue estimates, is repealed.

3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 15, 2024.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.

1 New Section: Commission to Study the Feasibility and Structure of a Legislative Office to Provide Longitudinal Cost-Benefit Analysis of Significant Proposed Legislation and of Budgetary Revenue Estimates. Amend RSA 14 by inserting after section 52 the following new section:

14:53 Commission to Study the Feasibility and Structure of a Legislative Office to Provide Longitudinal Cost-Benefit Analysis of Significant Proposed Legislation and of Budgetary Revenue Estimates. There is established a commission to study the feasibility and structure of a legislative office to provide longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of significant proposed legislation and of budgetary revenue estimates.

I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) Four members of the house of representatives, one from the finance committee and one from the ways and means committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one from the finance committee and one from the ways and means committee, by the leader of the minority party.

(b) Two members of the senate from the finance or ways and means committees, one appointed by the president of the senate and one by the leader of the minority party.

(c) The director of the legislative budget assistant, or designee.

(d) The commissioner of the department of revenue administration, or designee.

(e) Two economists with long experience of budget and revenues analysis in New Hampshire, retired or in private employ, selected by the director of the legislative budget assistant.

(f) An economist from the University System of New Hampshire, specialized in economic impact analysis, selected by the director of the legislative budget assistant.

II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

III. The commission shall study the feasibility of establishing a legislative office to provide independent multi-year revenue estimates as input into the ways and means committee work, and longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of proposed legislation with significant fiscal effects as input into the finance committees. In order to achieve stability and neutrality, it shall consider and recommend the best administrative home, the criteria for selection of proposals to be analyzed, and the composition of the oversight committee, split equally among the parties, that would choose proposals to analyze. In order to maximize the efficacy of a small office, it shall consult with existing econometric modeling firms working with the public sector and with their state or county clients.

IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Six members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V. The commission shall issue a final report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 15, 2024, to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairs of finance and ways and means in the house of representatives and the senate, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library.

2 Repeal. RSA 14:53, relative to the commission to study the feasibility and structure of a legislative office to provide longitudinal cost-benefit analysis of significant proposed legislation and of budgetary revenue estimates, is repealed.

3 Effective Date.

I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 15, 2024.

II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.