Bill Text: NH SB102 | 2023 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to the Jones Act's effect on New Hampshire's heating and energy fuel market.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-06-08 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 06/08/2023 House Journal 15 P. 4 [SB102 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2023-SB102-Amended.html
SB 102 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
01/26/2023 0127s
2023 SESSION
23-0822
07/04
SENATE BILL 102
AN ACT relative to the Jones Act's effect on New Hampshire's heating and energy fuel market.
SPONSORS: Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Rep. Polozov, Merr. 10
COMMITTEE: Commerce
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department of energy to submit a report to the legislature on the impact of the Jones Act on New Hampshire's heating and energy fuel market.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
01/26/2023 0127s 23-0822
07/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT relative to the Jones Act's effect on New Hampshire's heating and energy fuel market.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Findings. The general court finds:
I. The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act, forbids shipping between US ports except in ships built by and crewed by citizens of the United States, in shipyards located therein; and
II. The Act provides that the Federal Department of Homeland Security may suspend the Act in the interest of national defense; and
III. There is currently only one shipyard in the United States that builds commercial cargo ships; and
IV. The United States produces less than 10 cargo ships per year, while China alone produces over 1,000 cargo ships per year, and
V. Out of 44,000 commercial ships worldwide, less than 200 meet the requirements of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920; and
VI. The act has been suspended in recent years in order to allow deliveries of oil, gasoline, and natural gas to Alaska, Florida, New Orleans, and Puerto Rico; and
VII. New England lacks sufficient pipeline capacity to transport necessary supplies of oil, diesel, or natural gas; and
VIII. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has disrupted energy markets worldwide; and
IX. New England's citizens are currently paying unprecedented prices for energy and heating oil; and
X. The climate in New England is such that access to heat and energy is a matter of life and death.
2 New Section; Department of Energy; Jones Act Report. Amend RSA 12-P by inserting after section 15 the following new section:
12-P:16 Jones Act Report. The department of energy shall submit a report to the legislature on the estimated impact of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act, on New Hampshire's heating fuel and energy market. The report shall include the department's findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before June 1, 2024.
3 Repeal. RSA 12-P:16, relative to the Jones Act report, is repealed.
I. Section 3 of this act shall take effect June 1, 2024.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
