SB 299 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-1163
06/08
SENATE BILL 299
AN ACT relative to penalties for contractors violating water pollution and waste disposal regulations.
SPONSORS: Sen. Pearl, Dist 17
COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources
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ANALYSIS
This bill imposes penalties on contractors who supervise or perform work in violation of the shoreland water quality 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-1163
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to penalties for contractors violating water pollution and waste disposal regulations.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Shoreland Water Quality Protection Penalties. Amend RSA 483-B:18 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:
IV. Contractors who supervise or do any work violating the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the following:
(a) Upon petition of the attorney general or the municipality in which the violation occurred, the superior court may levy upon any person violating this chapter a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation. The superior court shall have jurisdiction to restrain a continuing violation of this chapter and to require remediation.
(b) The commissioner, after notice and hearing pursuant to RSA 541-A, may impose an administrative fine of up to $5,000 for each offense upon any person who violates this chapter. Rehearings and appeals relating to such fines shall be governed by RSA 541. Imposition of an administrative fine under this section shall not preclude the imposition of further civil penalties under this chapter.
(c) Notwithstanding the $5,000 fine limit in subparagraph (b), the administrative fine for each repeat violation of this chapter may be multiplied by a factor of 2 for every previous violation committed by the person or entity.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| March 11, 2025 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote | |
| March 20, 2025 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| April 16, 2025 | House | Hearing |
| April 16, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
| April 16, 2025 | House | Exec Session |
April 1, 2025: Executive Session: 04/16/2025 02:00 pm LOB 305
March 31, 2025: Executive Session: 04/16/2025 01:30 pm LOB 305
March 31, 2025: Public Hearing: 04/16/2025 11:30 am LOB 305
March 28, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development HJ 11
March 20, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/20/2025; SJ 8
March 11, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/20/2025; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 13
March 11, 2025: Committee Report: Ought to Pass; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 13
March 7, 2025: Hearing: 03/11/2025, Room 103, SH, 09:00 am; SC 12
Feb. 25, 2025: Introduced 02/13/2025 and Referred to Energy and Natural Resources; SJ 6