Bill Text: NH HB106 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishing a commission to determine the monetary costs of climate damage to the state of New Hampshire and the best means of recouping such costs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-26 - To Be Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Science, Technology and Energy House Journal 2 [HB106 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB106-Introduced.html
HB 106 - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0028
07/08
HOUSE BILL 106
SPONSORS: Rep. Caplan, Merr. 8; Rep. Bixby, Straf. 13; Rep. Cormen, Graf. 15; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 12; Rep. McGhee, Hills. 35; Rep. Seibert, Hills. 21; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a commission to determine the financial cost of climate damage to New Hampshire and methods of recouping such costs.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0028
07/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Legislative Findings. The general court finds:
I. Climate damage caused by the anthropogenic use of fossil fuels threatens New Hampshire with untold billions of dollars in damages and adaptation costs in the coming years and decades.
II. A rapid shift in energy use may prevent the worst effects of climate damage, but even under a best case scenario, there will be significant damages and adaptation costs.
III. Costly and extensive adaptations to deal with the effects of climate damage will have to be made to the New Hampshire’s infrastructure, industry, agriculture, tourism, built environment, health care, and other industries.
IV. New Hampshire may be under significant fiscal pressure to meet these obligations, and aid from the federal government will not be guaranteed to meet the state’s needs in this regard.
V. Means of meeting the financial costs of paying for climate damage and adaptation must be equitable and not place an undue burden on private citizens or New Hampshire’s economy.
VI. New Hampshire has an obligation to seek every remedy for the damages incurred from fossil fuel usage and for the costs of climate damage adaptations, including legal action against fossil fuel companies, who knew decades ago that the fossil fuel products they produce and sell were altering the atmosphere and would cause dire climate damage impacts.
2 New Chapter; Commission to Study the Financial Costs of Damage Caused by Climate Damage to New Hampshire and the Best Methods for Recouping Such Costs. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 362-I the following new chapter:
CHAPTER 362-J
COMMISSION TO STUDY THE FINANCIAL COSTS OF DAMAGE CAUSED
BY CLIMATE DAMAGE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THE BEST
METHODS FOR RECOUPING SUCH COSTS
362-J:1 Commission to Study the Financial Costs of Climate Damage to New Hampshire and Methods Recuperating Such Costs. There is established a commission to study the financial costs of damage caused by climate damage to New Hampshire and the best methods for recouping such costs.
I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) Two members of the house of representatives' science, technology, and energy service committee, with one member being appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member being appointed by the minority leader of the house.
(b) Two at-large members of the house of representatives, with one member being appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member being appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
(c) One member of the senate energy and natural resources committee, appointed by the president of the senate.
(d) One at-large member of the senate, appointed by the senate minority leader.
(e) One representative of the business and industry community, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(f) The commissioner of the department of business and economic affairs, or his or her designee.
(g) The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or his or her designee.
(h) One representative from an Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) environmental organization, appointed by the governor.
II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
III. The commission shall study the financial costs of climate damage to New Hampshire and possible methods of recuperating such costs. The commission shall and receive testimony, advice, and other information, at its discretion, from relevant state, regional, and national agencies, organizations, and individuals, pertaining to:
(a) The various likely scenarios of climate damages impacting New Hampshire in the next 20 years and the next 50 years.
(b) The likely scope of damage to New Hampshire, its people, cities and towns, rural areas, natural resources, infrastructure, industry, agriculture, tourism, and other relevant industries.
(c) The likely adaptations needed to prevent these scenarios.
(d) The financial estimates of such scenarios and preventative measures.
(e) The best means of recouping costs accumulated by the state in preventing and responding to climate-related damage, including municipal bonding, insurance, legal action, fees, and other methods.
IV. The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Five members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
V. The commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2026.
3 Repeal. RSA 362-J:1 relative to the commission to study the financial costs of damage caused by climate damage to New Hampshire and the best methods for recouping such costs, is repealed.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2026.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
