Bill Text: NH HB240 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishing a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - Inexpedient to Legislate: Motion Adopted Voice Vote 01/08/2020 House Journal 1 P. 47 [HB240 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-HB240-Introduced.html

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HB 240 - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0231

01/04

 

HOUSE BILL 240

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Abramson, Rock. 20; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock. 5; Rep. Doucette, Rock. 8

 

COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0231

01/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.

 

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

 

1  New Subdivision; Commission to Study the Causes of High Suicide Rates of Emergency and First Responders.  Amend RSA 21-P by inserting after section 68 the following new subdivision:

Commission to Study the Causes of High Suicide Rates of Emergency and First Responders

21-P:69  Commission to Study the Causes of High Suicide Rates of Emergency and First Responders Established.  

I.(a)  There is established a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.  The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(1)  One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the majority leader  of the house of representatives.

(2)  One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

(3)  One member of the senate, appointed by the majority leader of the senate.

(4)  One member of the senate, appointed by the minority leader of the senate.

(5)  The commissioner of safety, or designee.

(6)  Three current or former emergency responders, which shall include one police officer, one firefighter, and one medical emergency responder, appointed by the governor.

(b)  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

II.(a)  The commission shall study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders.  Specifically, the commission shall consider aspects of the profession that may contribute to higher rates of suicide, including exposure to on the job stress and emotional trauma, medication, substance abuse, handling of personnel issues, interaction with the criminal and civil court system, and any state policies that members or witnesses believe increase stress or suicide risk.

(b)  The commission may solicit input from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to its study.

III.  The members of the 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.

IV.  On or before November 1, 2019, the commission shall submit a report of 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.  

2  Repeal.  RSA 21-P:69, relative to a commission to study the causes of high suicide rates of emergency and first responders, is repealed.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2019.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.