Bill Text - HB1499 (2024)

(New Title) establishing a committee to study the civilian clean energy, community resilience, and conservation corps, and establishing a committee to study the child protection act.


Revision: May 30, 2024, 3:50 p.m.

HB 1499 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

 

1Feb2024... 0102h

05/23/2024   2120s

2024 SESSION

24-2757

12/02

 

HOUSE BILL 1499

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study the civilian clean energy, community resilience, and conservation corps, and establishing a committee to study the child protection act.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Wilhelm, Hills. 40; Rep. Kenney, Straf. 10; Rep. Germana, Ches. 1; Rep. D. Ford, Hills. 40; Rep. Brennan, Merr. 9; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21

 

COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a study committee to study clean energy, community resilience and conservation corps.  This bill also establishes a committee to study the child protection act.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

1Feb2024... 0102h

05/23/2024   2120s 24-2757

12/02

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study the civilian clean energy, community resilience, and conservation corps, and establishing a committee to study the child protection act.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Committee Established.  There is established a committee to study the feasibility and impact of a New Hampshire Clean Energy, Community Resilience and Conservation Corps.

2  Membership and Compensation.

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

(a)  Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b)  Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

II.  Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

3  Duties.  The duties of the committee shall be to:

I.  Define a new civilian national service program or programs, designed to meet local needs by deploying low-cost, reliable, clean energy; implementing energy-efficient solutions to help families save money on their energy bills; rebuilding coastal wetlands to protect coastal communities from storm surges and flooding; managing forests to prevent wildfires; protecting public lands and waters for future generations; enhancing agricultural systems to protect natural resources and conserve water during droughts; and ensuring that all Granite Staters live in healthy, thriving communities.

II.  Perform and publish rigorous projected cost/benefit analyses of all programs using an accepted methodology, for example:

(a)  Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), which compares the present value of benefits to the present value of costs.  It is calculated by dividing the total benefits by the total costs.  Formula: BCR = Present Value of Benefits / Present Value of Costs Consideration: A BCR greater than 1 indicates that the benefits exceed the costs.

(b)  Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA), which compares the costs of achieving a specific outcome or benefit.  It is often used in situations where outcomes are difficult to quantify in monetary terms.  The goal shall be to identify the most cost-effective option for achieving a particular objective.

III.  Seek all private and nonprofit grants available to aid in its administration, and determine how to fund programs without the use of taxpayer or ratepayer funds.

IV.  Seek partnerships with organizations such as Clean Energy NH, the Sierra Club, the Conservation Law Foundation, Granite Outdoor Alliance, Nature Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America,  Girl Scouts of the USA, and Future Farmers of America in furtherance of proposed programs.

V.  Identify nonprofit sector organizations to oversee effective implementation of the overall program and community-based projects including: (a) Uniform data collection, reporting, and oversight; (b) Uniform grant applications and packages; and (c) Funding levels and types of projects for local organizations.

VI.  Build partnerships with institutions of postsecondary education to provide post-service pathways to affordable degrees, credentials, and certifications.

VII.  Build partnerships with public, private, and nonprofit employers to provide skills-based workforce training and curriculum and post-service pathways, including apprenticeships.

VIII.  Develop a sustainable member recruitment strategy that does not interfere with state business economic interests.

4  Chairperson; Quorum.  The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member.  The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

5  Report.  The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2024.

6  Committee Established.  There is established a committee to study the child protection act.

7  Membership and Compensation.

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

(a)  Two members of the senate, one from the majority and one from the minority, appointed by the president of the senate.

(b)  Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

II.  Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

8  Duties.  The committee shall:

I.  Study the definitions under the child protection act.

II.  Study circumstances creating a rebuttable presumption of harm under RSA 169-C:12-f and prospective repeal of the section on July 1, 2024, pursuant to 2020, 26:56.

III.  Study the expansion of the child abuse reporting requirement to include health care providers who treat a child under 13 years of age for a sexually transmitted disease.

IV.  Propose any legislation the committee deems appropriate as a result of its study.

9  Chairperson; Quorum.  The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named senate member.  The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

10  Report.  The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2024.

11  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.