Revision: April 2, 2024, 4:02 p.m.
Rep. D. McGuire, Merr. 14
April 2, 2024
2024-1396h
11/08
Amendment to HB 1589-FN
Amend RSA 490-I:4-8 as inserted by section 1 of the bill by replacing it with the following:
490-I:4 Reimbursement Program Created.
I. There is established a statewide veterans court program which shall provide state matching funds as appropriated to support veterans courts in state superior court and circuit court districts as established herein.
II. The veterans court coordinator or designee shall be responsible for developing a process by which counties may receive an annual state reimbursement on a per case basis for operational costs of a veterans court. Subject to approval of the chief justice of the supreme court or designee, the coordinator shall:
(a) Determine approval requirements for reimbursements. Prior to providing reimbursements, the approval checklists shall be posted on the judicial branch website. The checklists shall be updated on the website as revisions are made.
(b) Establish and periodically update guidelines for operating veteran courts.
(c) Develop draft policies and procedures including a participant handbook, program outline, and implementation plan.
(d) Measure recidivism rates and other outcome measures.
(e) Evaluate compliance with relevant standards.
(f) Assist in creating veteran courts in counties seeking to implement or continue them.
(g) Assist counties in obtaining ongoing training.
490-I:5 Eligibility for Reimbursements.
I. For the purpose of providing reimbursements and subject to available state appropriations, counties and districts shall be eligible for an annual reimbursement of up to $5,000 per case. Counties shall be reimbursed on a first-come, first-served basis. Reimbursements shall be prorated based on the amount of appropriation available. Any state veterans court program funds that are not expended by the end of the fiscal year shall lapse to the general fund.
II. To be eligible for reimbursement, a county operating a veterans court shall receive a recommendation for approval from the coordinator's office. Reimbursement for all cases shall be paid annually at the end of each fiscal year by the administrative office of the courts following receipt of recommendations by the coordinator and final approval of the chief justice of the supreme court. The coordinator shall determine how often approval shall be required and shall recommend subsequent reimbursements when the currently operating veterans court establishes compliance with the New Hampshire veterans court approval checklist as promulgated by the coordinator.
III. A county shall make a good faith effort to apply for federal funding to provide as match funds to supplement, but not supplant, state funds, as and where required as a condition of those funds. A county need only apply once.
IV. A county seeking to implement a veterans court may obtain a state reimbursement of up to $5,000 per case for the costs associated with veterans court establishment, administration, and operation after satisfying the conditions in paragraph III.
V. To obtain reimbursement from the state, a county shall:
(a) Submit a budget for the total cost of the program to the coordinator for review;
(b) Obtain draft policies and procedures from the coordinator, including a participant handbook or program outline and implementation plan, which the county may amend and return to the coordinator for consideration and approval;
(c) Obtain and complete veterans court or veteran offender program training as approved by the coordinator; and
(d) Establish that the veterans court is cost effective.
(e) Based on the information provided in subparagraphs (a)-(d), the office shall recommend court programming for final approval of the chief justice of the supreme court.
VI. The judicial branch administrative office of the courts is authorized to expend from appropriated sums the amounts necessary to fund reimbursements approved by the chief justice of the supreme court.
490-I:6 Report. Beginning with a report due on or before January 1, 2026, the office shall prepare an annual report on the activities, expenditures, operation and outcome measures for the veterans court program. The report shall include the information provided by each county and shall be presented by state superior court district and on a statewide basis. The report shall be forwarded to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the office of the legislative budget assistant to be posted on the website of the office of the legislative budget assistant. If the required report is not provided by January 30 in any year, the veterans court program shall be suspended until such report is provided.
490-I:7 Veterans Court Special Account. There is hereby established in the state treasury the veterans court special account. The funds may be comprised of public funds, gifts, grants, donations or any other source of funds, and shall be used for any relevant veterans court administrative purpose deemed appropriate by the chief justice of the superior court and the administrative judge of the circuit court. The account shall be nonlapsing and shall be continually appropriated to the administrative office of the courts.
490-I:8 Appropriation. The sum of $163,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, is hereby appropriated to the administrative office of the courts and deposited in the veterans court special account. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated. For each biennium thereafter, appropriations of state general funds shall be made through the judicial branch biennial operating budget. If federal funds are available from the veterans court special account, those funds shall be spent prior to state general funds.
Amend the bill by replacing section 2 with the following:
2 Application of Receipts; Veterans Court Special Account Fund. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (394) the following new subparagraph:
(395) Moneys deposited in the veterans court special account fund as established in RSA 490-I:7.