Compare versions
--- version:As Amended by the House+++ version:Introduced@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@-HB1199-ASAMENDEDBYTHEHOUSE-19Feb2026... 0527h+HB 1199 - AS INTRODUCED2026 SESSION26-254908/06@@ -11,15 +10,15 @@Dist 7; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Watters, Dist 4COMMITTEE: Fish and Game and Marine Resources─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────-AMENDED ANALYSIS+ANALYSISThis bill enables the fish and game department to create a permit and fee for the use of fish andgame staff by other state agencies and departments.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -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removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.-HB1199-ASAMENDEDBYTHEHOUSE-19Feb2026... 0527h 26-2549+HB 1199 - AS INTRODUCED+26-254908/06STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIREIn the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six@@ -29,11 +28,10 @@1 New Section; Interagency Support Permit and Reimbursement. Amend RSA 206 by insertingafter section 33-h the following new section:206:33-i Interagency Support Permit and Reimbursement.-I. The executive director of the fish and game department may establish, after consultation-with the fish and game commission, a permit or fee structure for the provision of department-personnel, equipment, or expertise to other state agencies or departments, when such support is-requested or required for the fulfillment of that agency’s statutory duties, by rule adopted pursuant-to RSA 541-A.+I. The executive director of the fish and game department is authorized to establish, by rule+adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, a permit or fee structure for the provision of department personnel,+equipment, or expertise to other state agencies or departments when such support is requested or+required for the fulfillment of that agency’s statutory duties.II. The permit or fee shall be based on the actual cost to the department, including but notlimited to:(a) Personnel time, including salary and benefits.@@ -41,21 +39,7 @@(c) Administrative overhead associated with coordination and reporting.III. All revenues collected under this section shall be deposited in the fish and game fundestablished under RSA 206:33.-2 Lifetime Licenses. Amend RSA 214:9-c to read as follows:-214:9-c Lifetime Licenses.-I.(a) The executive director, at the department of fish and game headquarters only, shall-issue lifetime hunting, freshwater fishing, or combination hunting and freshwater fishing licenses-similar to that issued on an annual basis under RSA 214:9, III to any resident applicant upon-payment of the proper fee, which shall be established by the executive director in accordance with-the provisions of paragraph II.-(b)(1) In addition, the executive director may issue lifetime licenses to any resident-under 16 years of age.-(2) In addition further, the executive director may issue discounted lifetime licenses-to residents [who have not yet reached] at any time on or before their first birthday. The-executive director shall establish the discounted amount of such lifetime licenses in rules adopted-under RSA 541-A, except that the fee for a combination hunting and freshwater fishing lifetime-license for a resident who has not yet [reached] passed his or her first birthday shall be set by the-executive director as prescribed in paragraph II.+2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.123@@ -71,222 +55,3 @@131415-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-HB1199-ASAMENDEDBYTHEHOUSE--Page2--(3) The parent or legal guardian of the applicant shall be a resident pursuant to RSA-207:1, XXIII. The hunting license or hunting portion of the combination license shall not be valid-until the licensee has met the requirements of RSA 214:23-a. Upon meeting the requirements of-RSA 214:23-a, the licensee shall have the hunting license or the combination hunting and fishing-license validated at the fish and game department headquarters only.-(4) The executive director, upon application, may issue a discounted lifetime license-to a resident who is a permanently disabled veteran and complies with the provisions of RSA 214:13.-II. The discounted amount of a permanently disabled veteran's lifetime license shall be 50-percent of the cost of a lifetime license calculated pursuant to paragraph II of this section.-III. The executive director shall obtain an actuarial table based on an appropriate annuity-from the commissioner of insurance and shall set the fee for the various licenses, including-newborns, annually on July 15 of each year for the following year based on the age of the applicant.-The fee for any applicant under 16 years of age shall be the same as the fee for a 16-year-old-applicant, except for newborns which shall be set by the executive director. In addition the applicant-shall pay the agent's fee in accordance with RSA 214-A:4.-IV. In no case shall any lifetime license issued be transferable or any portion of the cost of-the license refundable.-V. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the monies received from the sale of such-lifetime licenses shall be deposited with the state treasurer who shall keep the same in a separate-fund to be known as the prepaid fish and game license fund. The state treasurer shall invest the-monies in the fund and shall annually transfer to the fish and game fund from the prepaid fish and-game license fund an amount equal to 9 percent of the principal balance in the fund each year and-any interest that accrues to the prepaid fish and game license fund in excess of 5 percent as-unrestricted funds, available for expenditure for any lawful purpose authorized under-RSA 206:38.-VI. In addition, the state treasurer shall pay the amount of one annual license fee to the fish-and game fund from the proceeds of each lifetime license sold during the current year, the balance-going into the prepaid fish and game license fund.-VII.(a) The state treasurer shall establish a separate, nonlapsing account within-the fish and game fund, separate from the amounts transferred pursuant to paragraphs-IV and V, to be known as the fish and game modernization and sustainability account. Up-to $600,000 of the principal of the prepaid fish and game license fund may be credited to-the fish and game modernization and sustainability account in each of the fiscal years-2027 and 2028, and $50,000 shall be continually appropriated and credited to the account-annually beginning in fiscal year 2029, in a single lump sum payment, provided that no-such payment shall reduce the balance of the prepaid fish and game license fund below-$1,000,000.-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-HB1199-ASAMENDEDBYTHEHOUSE--Page3--(b) Moneys in the fish and game modernization and sustainability account shall-be used exclusively for the following purposes:-(1) Supporting business operations, technological modernization, and-outreach efforts that improve the sale, distribution, and management of hunting, fishing,-and trapping licenses.-(2) Enhancing digital and operational systems.-(3) Advancing public education and engagement on fish, wildlife, and-marine resources through technology enabled communication, community outreach, and-targeted informational programs.-[VI.] VIII. Licenses issued pursuant to this section shall entitle the holder thereof to the-same privileges and subject the licensee to the same restrictions as a holder of an annual license.-[VII.] IX. The executive director shall issue a bear license and tag upon application by the-valid holder of a lifetime hunting or combination license. Such license and tag shall be valid for the-current bear season only. The bear license and tag shall be issued at no charge and each shall be of-a type and design approved by the executive director. Lifetime licensees holding bear licenses shall-comply with all provisions of RSA 208 relative to tagging, transportation and possession of bear.-[VII-a.] X. A person holding a valid lifetime fishing license or lifetime combination hunting-and fishing license, issued prior to January 1, 2011, may make an application for a saltwater license-at no charge to be issued by the executive director to fish for saltwater smelt, saltwater shad, and-saltwater salmonoids only. Such licenses shall be valid for a calendar year only.-[VIII.] XI. The executive director shall, if necessary, adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A,-relative to the issuance and validation of the lifetime licenses.-3 New Subparagraph; Fish and Game Modernization and Sustainability Fund. Amend RSA-6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (410) the following new subparagraph:-(411) Moneys deposited into the fish and game modernization and sustainability-account established in RSA 214:9-c.-4 Effective Date.-I. Sections 2-3 of this act shall take effect July 1, 2026.-II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-LBA-26-2549-03/16/2026-HB1199-FISCALNOTE-AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-0527h)-AN ACT enabling the fish and game department to create a permit and fee for the use of-fish and game staff by other state agencies and departments.-FISCALIMPACT:-EstimatedStateImpact-FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029-Revenue $0 Indeterminable-Revenue Fund(s) Fish and Game Fund and Prepaid Fish and Game License Fund-Expenditures* $0 Indeterminable Increase-Funding Source(s) Various Agency Funds, Fish and Game Fund (Fish and Game-Modernization and Sustainability Account)-Appropriations* $0 See Methodology Below $50,000-Funding Source(s) Fish and Game Modernization and Sustainability Account-*Expenditure=Costofbill *Appropriation=Authorizedfundingtocovercostofbill-METHODOLOGY:-This bill makes various changes, related to the Fish and Game Department:-Section 1 (Effective 60 Days After Passage)- Authorizes the Fish and Game Department, through rulemaking under RSA 541-A, to-establish a permit or fee structure to recover the costs of providing personnel, equipment,-or specialized expertise to other state agencies or departments.-o The Department states it cannot project the frequency with which other agencies-would request such assistance or the level at which fees would be set.-Accordingly, any resulting revenue to the Department and related expenditures,-both for the Department and for requesting agencies, are indeterminable.-Section 2 and 3 (Effective July 1, 2026)- Expands eligibility for the purchase of a discounted newborn lifetime hunting and fishing-license by allowing the license to be sold from the date of birth through the child’s first-birthday, rather than only up to the day before the first birthday under current law.-o The Department states it cannot reasonably estimate how many parents would-choose to purchase a lifetime license on a child’s first birthday. Accordingly, any-change in revenue resulting from this provision is indeterminable.- Provides that interest earned on the prepaid Fish and Game License Fund in excess of 5-percent (5%) be treated as unrestricted funds, available for expenditure for any lawful-purpose authorized under RSA 206:38.-o The Department states this provision would not change the amount of interest-earned, but would change the classification of certain interest earnings from-restricted to unrestricted. As a result, such funds would become available for-general departmental use, and the Department assumes any unrestricted funds-realized under this provision could be expended as it becomes available.- Establishes a separate, nonlapsing Fish and Game Modernization and Sustainability-Account (“Account”) within the Fish and Game Fund, distinct from existing transfers-under RSA 214:9-c, IV and V. The bill allows up to $600,000 of principal from the-prepaid Fish and Game License Fund to be credited to the account in each of FY 2027-and FY 2028. Beginning in FY 2029, it also provides for a continual annual-appropriation of $50,000, credited in a lump sum, provided the prepaid license fund-balance is not reduced below $1,000,000. This bill does not include clear appropriation-(spending) authority for FY 2026 and FY 2027.-o The Department states the Account would support technology and operational-modernization initiatives, including implementation of a customer relationship-management system intended to improve customer service, increase operational-efficiency, and support long-term revenue growth. The Department assumes the-$600,000 transfers in FY 2027 and FY 2028 would be fully expended in those-fiscal years (although this bill may need clarification relative to appropriation-authority in those two years). While the Department cannot quantify the precise-revenue gains expected from modernization, it anticipates substantial long-term-benefits from improved efficiency and accessibility, noting that comparable-technology investments typically recover their costs within approximately 12 to-18 months.-It should be noted this bill does not continually appropriate this new Account to the Department,-therefore, the Department will need to request the funds be included in the operating budget or-need to come before the Fiscal Committee and Governor and Council to request to accept and-budget funds from this Account.-AGENCIESCONTACTED:-Fish and Game Department
Diffs are computed deterministically from extracted bill text and show additions, deletions, and section moves. Scanned-PDF text extracted via OCR is flagged where confidence is low; see methodology.