HB 1426-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2539
08/06
HOUSE BILL 1426-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. Kesselring, Hills. 18; Rep. Cole, Hills. 26; Rep. Morse, Merr. 3; Rep. Markell, Rock. 18; Rep. Morton, Hills. 39; Rep. Drew, Hills. 19; Rep. Dupont, Hills. 20
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of environmental services to employ certified personnel in each program area.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2539
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Departmental Functions; Certified On Call Individuals. Amend RSA 21-O:1 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. The department of environmental services shall seek, through recruitment and retention efforts, training, or state contracting to ensure that each of its program areas with regulatory, permitting, or enforcement responsibilities has at least one certified individual, either as a direct employee or through a contracted arrangement, who is on call to address program-related matters and any issues that may arise in the course of its operations. The department may use existing appropriations, federal grants, or program fees for costs associated with training and certification under this section. A certified individual shall be an employee who holds a current, valid certification or license in the program area they serve. Certified individuals employed by or contracted with a department of environmental services program area shall not be required to comply with certification maintenance requirements that present a conflict of interest, including but not limited to submitting work product to the department to maintain hours of work experience. Certified individuals employed by the department of environmental services shall not be responsible for paying licensing or certification fees to a department of environmental services program while so employed. No certified individual shall be liable for damages arising from their duties to carry out the statutory duty and regulatory requirements of their respective program at the department of environmental services.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.
26-2539
11/30/25
HB 1426-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $0 | Indeterminable Increase $100,000 to $500,000 | Indeterminable Increase $100,000 to $500,000 | ||
Funding Source(s) | General Fund and Multiple Other Agency Funds | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires the Department of Environmental Services (DES) to ensure that each of its regulatory, permitting, or enforcement program areas has at least one certified individual available on call, either as an employee or through contracting.
DES states this bill will result in an indeterminable increase in state expenditures, estimated to be between $100,000 to $500,000 per a year starting in FY 2028. The Department notes that it would meet the requirements of the bill by incorporating certification or licensing requirements into job postings for vacant positions, identifying opportunities to upskill existing staff, and contracting for certified individuals when necessary. Costs would depend on the number of program areas requiring certified personnel, the availability of qualified applicants, training or upskilling expenses, and the need for contracted certified individuals.
Because the bill provides DES with flexibility by directing it to “seek… to ensure,” actual expenditures will vary and cannot be exactly determined.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Environmental Services
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Feb. 3, 2026 | 2026-0331h |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 14, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Jan. 28, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Jan. 28, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
Feb. 3, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0331h 01/28/2026 (Vote 16-0; RC) HC 6 P. 17
Jan. 21, 2026: Executive Session: 01/28/2026 10:00 am GP 228
Jan. 9, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/14/2026 01:00 pm GP 228
Dec. 4, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Resources, Recreation and Development