Bill Text: NH HB1486 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to an income-based public assistance stipend for legislators.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-16 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 02/16/2022 House Journal 3 [HB1486 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2022-HB1486-Introduced.html
HB 1486-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2022 SESSION
22-2309
08/10
HOUSE BILL 1486-FN
AN ACT relative to an income-based public assistance stipend for legislators.
SPONSORS: Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Levesque, Straf. 4; Rep. Frost, Straf. 16
COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS
This bill directs the department of health and human services to determine eligibility for and administer a stipend provided to members of the general court where members receive such stipend from any program for public assistance.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
22-2309
08/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT relative to an income-based public assistance stipend for legislators.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; General Court Assistance Program. Amend RSA 14-A by inserting after section 6 the following new section:
14-A:7 General Court Assistance Program. The general court directs the department of health and human services to develop an assistance program for members of the general court. The department shall determine eligibility for and administer a stipend provided to members of the general court where members receive such stipend from any program for public assistance implemented by the department. Members of the general court shall be eligible for an annual stipend if the member's annual household income from the previous calendar year was less than median household income in New Hampshire for that year. The annual stipend shall equal the difference between the median household income in New Hampshire for that year and the member's annual household income from the previous calendar year or 25 percent of the median new Hampshire household income for that year, whichever is less. Members may apply after January 1 of the second year of their first term. Members shall be eligible up to one year after their term of office ends. The department shall develop a process and schedule for calculating cost of living adjustments for the income limits in this section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.
22-2309
Redraft 11/29/21
HB 1486-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to an income-based public assistance stipend for legislators.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
|
| |||
| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
|
|
|
|
|
METHODOLOGY:
This bill creates an assistance program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, for members of the General Court. Members of the General Court shall be eligible for an annual stipend if the member's annual household income from the previous calendar year was less than the median household income in New Hampshire for that same year. The annual stipend shall equal the difference between the median household income in New Hampshire for that year and the member's annual household income from the previous calendar year or 25 percent of the median for a New Hampshire household income for that year, whichever is less.
The Department of Health and Human Services states there would be an indeterminable increase in State expenditures. The Department states they are unable to determine how many of the 424 members of the General Court would qualify for the program and how the funding would be appropriated for the "stipends" back to the qualified legislators. The Department assumes they would be responsible for standing-up the program and all the necessary administrative functions required to run the program. This would result in the Department needing new staff to develop and maintain the new program as well as IT- system-related cost to either add to an existing database or to create a new system.
The Legislative Branch states any ancillary administrative functions required by the Branch are anticipated to be minimal and could be absorbed within their current budget.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Health and Human Services and Legislative Branch
