Revision: May 21, 2024, 3:51 p.m.
Rep. Aron, Sull. 4
Rep. Weyler, Rock. 14
May 21, 2024
2024-2125h
05/08
Floor Amendment to SB 499-FN
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Summer EBT program and making appropriations therefor and relative to providing disaster relief funding to municipalities after a natural disaster.
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 3 with the following:
4 Purpose. The purpose of the emergency response and recovery fund is to provide immediate liquidity for towns suffering a disaster to allow time for the town to go through the steps necessary to petition for state or federal emergency funds. It is the intent that this grant would be reimbursable from state or federal or disaster relief programs.
5 Emergency Management Powers; Governor; Disaster Declaration. Amend RSA 4:47, III to read as follows:
III. The power to make, amend, suspend, and rescind necessary orders, rules, and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subdivision in the event of a disaster beyond local control; provided that civil liberties shall on no account be suspended, nor shall the United States Constitution or the New Hampshire Constitution be suspended. The governor may declare a disaster in the event of a natural disaster or severe weather event in one or more municipalities.
6 New Section; Homeland Security and Emergency Management; Municipal Road and Bridge Disaster Relief Funding. Amend RSA 21-P by inserting after section 37-d the following new section:
21-P:37-e Disaster Relief Procedures.
A municipality may request infrastructural disaster relief more than once in a calendar year, but shall not receive more than $100,000 in grant money in a calendar year. Requests shall be filed with the joint legislative fiscal committee within 45 days after the governor's declaration. Moneys shall be distributed from the New Hampshire disaster relief fund established in RSA 21-P:46-a. The joint legislative fiscal committee may decide to appropriate a lesser amount to the request based on available funding.
7 Emergency Response and Recovery Fund; Disaster. Amend RSA 21-P:46 to read as follows:
21-P:46 New Hampshire Emergency Response and Recovery Fund. There is hereby established a New Hampshire emergency response and recovery fund. The fund shall provide a source for the matching funds required as a commitment to secure federal emergency management agency relief assistance grants for costs incurred in disasters declared by the president of the United States. The fund shall also provide a source for emergency funds to be dispersed to municipalities that have incurred damage from natural disasters. The fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the department of safety.
8 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
2024-2125h
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill directs the department of health and human services to apply for and participate in the SNAP elderly simplified application project and makes an appropriation to the department for this purpose. The bill also makes an appropriation to the department of health and human services to begin participation in the Summer EBT program.
This bill also authorizes disaster relief aid for municipalities that suffer certain damage in natural disasters.