Bill Text: NH HB504 | 2023 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relative to the adult parole board and making an appropriation therefor.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2023-07-12 - Signed by Governor Sununu 06/30/2023; Chapter 134; 06/30/2023 House Journal 17 [HB504 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2023-HB504-Enrolled.html

HB 504-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

 

 

2023 SESSION

23-0636

04/05

 

HOUSE BILL 504-FN

 

AN ACT relative to the adult parole board and making an appropriation therefor.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Wallner, Merr. 19; Rep. Sytek, Rock. 25

 

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill allows the appointment of a previous adult parole board member to sit on the board, amends the stipend for the vice chairperson of the adult parole board, and makes an appropriation to the board.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0636

04/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

 

AN ACT relative to the adult parole board and making an appropriation therefor.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Parole of Prisoners; Adult Parole Board.  Amend RSA 651-A:3, I to read as follows:

I.  There shall be an adult parole board with members as set forth in paragraph II.  The members of the board shall be appointed by the governor with the consent of the council for staggered terms of 5 years or until their successors are appointed.  No member shall serve more than 2 consecutive terms.  A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired term.  The chairperson of the adult parole board may appoint a member who previously served on the adult parole board whose term has expired to sit on a hearing panel when illness, conflict of interest, or unavailability result in only 2 members being available for a scheduled hearing.  The compensation for such member appointed shall be $300 per day.  

2  Parole of Prisoners; Adult Parole Board.  Amend RSA 651-A:3, III to read as follows:

III.  The governor shall designate one member as chairperson.  The salary of the chairperson shall be that established in RSA 94:1-a as grade GG, with appropriate step to be determined in accordance the provisions of RSA 94:1-d.  The chairperson shall designate one other member to serve as vice chairperson who shall serve as chairperson in the chairperson's absence[, however, the vice chairperson shall not receive the chairperson's salary or employee status while serving in the chairperson's absence].  The vice chairperson shall receive an annual stipend of $40,000 to be paid in equal installments on each state employee pay period date.  In the case of a revocation hearing an attorney of the board shall be present at the hearing.  Board members, except for the chairperson and the vice chairperson, shall be paid an annual stipend of [$20,000] $30,000 [for each member], to be paid in equal installments on each state employee pay period date.  Board members shall be paid mileage at the state employee rate while engaged in parole hearings or administrative meetings.

3  Appropriation.  The sum of $103,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 is hereby appropriated to the adult parole board to pay previous board members' daily compensation and sitting board members' stipends required under this act.  The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

4  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect June 30, 2023.

 

LBA

23-0636

1/4/23

 

HB 504-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to the adult parole board and making an appropriation therefor.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

   Appropriation

$103,000

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$0

$51,500

$51,500

$51,500

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [    ] Other

 

 

 

 

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill allows the appointment of a previous adult parole board member to sit on the board, amends the stipend for the vice chairperson of the adult parole board, and makes an appropriation to the board.

 

The New Hampshire Adult Parole Board indicates this bill will increase the annual stipend of 3 parole board members by $10,000, from $20,000 to $30,000, and increases the stipend of the vice-chairperson by $20,000, from $20,000 to $40,000.  The bill would also allow a former Parole Board Member to sit in on hearings when a full panel of three cannot be attained.  This member would be paid $300 for the hearing day plus travel.  The Board assumes a former member would sit on hearings no more than 5 times a year.  The Board estimated an annual cost of $51,500 as follows:

Stipend increase for 3 board members  ($10,000 x 3) $30,000

Stipend Increase for the vice chair ($20,000) $20,000   

Former member to sit on hearings  ($300 x 5 times)  $1,500

   Total Additional Annual Expenditures: $51,500

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Adult Parole Board

 

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