HB 266 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0526
06/11
HOUSE BILL 266
AN ACT relative to structural changes to the department of energy.
SPONSORS: Rep. Harrington, Straf. 18; Rep. Notter, Hills. 12; Rep. Summers, Rock. 20
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Ensures the department's full party status in proceedings before the public utilities commission.
II. Requires the department to support the public utilities commission, site evaluation committee, office of the consumer advocate, and any related entities.
III. Allow the department to demand documents and specific answers from public utilities or related entities.
This bill is at the request of the department of energy.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0526
06/11
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to structural changes to the department of energy.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Establishment; Purpose. Amend RSA 12-P:2, IV to read as follows:
IV. The department shall have the authority to investigate any matter related to the statutes it administers or that may come before the public utilities commission and to appear before the commission to advocate for the department's position and for the purposes of providing a [complete] record for consideration by the commission as determined by the department.
2 Department of Energy; General Provisions. Amend RSA 12-P:3, III to read as follows:
III. The department shall have the authority to petition for any proceeding before the public utilities commission and shall automatically [be a party to all proceedings] have full party status and right to appeal in any adjudicative or non-adjudicative proceeding before the commission in which the department files a notice of participation. Any person or party that initiates a proceeding before the public utilities commission by petition or otherwise shall provide a copy to the department at the time of filing. Any person or party filing confidential information in any proceeding in which the department may appear, or exchanging confidential information in discovery or otherwise, shall provide the department with such confidential information. In adjudicative proceedings as defined by RSA 541-A:1, I, the public utilities commission and the department shall be subject to RSA 541-A:36.
3 Department of Energy; Duties of Commissioner. Amend RSA 12-P:5, VII to read as follows:
VII. Ensure that the department provides [all necessary] support required by RSA 21-G:10 to the public utilities commission, the site evaluation committee, office of the consumer advocate, and any other entity that is administratively attached to the department.
4 Department of Energy; Specific Answers. Amend RSA 12-P:10 to read as follows:
12-P:10 Specific Answers. The department [or the commission] may require any public utility or entity subject to its jurisdiction to provide documents and other materials and to make specific answers to questions upon which the department [or commission] may need information within a time period set by the department.
5 Repeal. RSA 12-P:2, III, relative to certain duties of the department of energy, is repealed.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Jan. 30, 2025: Vacated and Referred to Science, Technology and Energy (Rep. C. McGuire): MA VV (in recess of) 01/09/2025 HJ 3
Jan. 7, 2025: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Executive Departments and Administration HJ 2 P. 13