Revision: May 21, 2026, 1:22 p.m.
SB 569 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
14May2026... 1869h
2026 SESSION
26-2186
06/05
SENATE BILL 569
AN ACT relative to the qualifications for hearings officers within the department of labor.
SPONSORS: Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires hearing officers at the department of labor to be graduates of an accredited law school and directs the labor commissioner to give a hiring preference to licensed attorneys who have workers' compensation experience or who have administrative adjudication experience.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
14May2026... 1869h 26-2186
06/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT relative to the qualifications for hearings officers within the department of labor.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Hearing Officers. Amend RSA 281-A:42-b to read as follows:
281-A:42-b Hearing Officers. The commissioner shall appoint as many individuals as necessary to carry out the department's responsibilities under this chapter. Such individuals [shall have experience in workers' compensation and] shall hear workers' compensation cases before the commissioner. The commissioner shall set forth the job qualification necessary to [insure] ensure that each hearing officer is qualified to hear workers' compensation cases. Individuals employed as hearing officers shall have graduated from an accredited law school. The commissioner shall give a hiring preference to licensed attorneys who have workers' compensation experience or who have administrative adjudication experience. The hearing officer salary shall be commensurate with the responsibilities and experience required. The commissioner shall, by rules adopted under RSA 541-A, strengthen the reporting structure and the role of a hearing officer; develop a code of ethics for hearings and hearing officers; develop and require at least 15 hours of continuing education on an annual basis for hearing officers; and require a minimum of an additional 15 hours of annual training and briefing with the attorney general's staff.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.