Bill Text: NH SB43 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Establishing a commission to study barriers to increased land development in New Hampshire.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-30 - II. Remainder Effective 07/29/2019 [SB43 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB43-Amended.html

SB 43 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

01/31/2019   0071s

01/31/2019   0217s

 

2019 SESSION

19-0889

10/03

 

SENATE BILL 43

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study barriers to increased land development in New Hampshire.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Levesque, Dist 12; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Rep. Gourgue, Straf. 25

 

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to study barriers to increased density of land development in New Hampshire.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01/31/2019   0071s

01/31/2019   0217s 19-0889

10/03

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT establishing a commission to study barriers to increased land development in New Hampshire.

 

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

 

1  New Section; Office of Strategic Initiatives; Commission to Study Barriers to Increased Density of Land Development in New Hampshire.  Amend RSA 4-C by inserting after section 8 the following new section:

4-C:8-a  Commission to Study Density of Land Development in New Hampshire.

I.  There is established a commission to study barriers to increased density of land development in New Hampshire.  The membership of the commission shall be as follows:

(a)  Two members of the senate, one of whom shall serve on the election law and municipal affairs committee and one of whom shall serve on the energy and natural resources committee, appointed by the senate president.

(b)  Two members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall serve on the municipal and county government committee and one of whom shall serve on the environment and agriculture committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(c)  Two public members, appointed by the governor.

(d)  The director of the office of strategic initiatives, or designee.

(e)  The commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee.

(f)  The commissioner of the department of business and economic affairs, or designee.

(g)  The executive director of the New Hampshire housing finance authority, or designee.

(h)  The executive director of New Hampshire Legal Assistance, or designee.

(i)  The executive director of Housing Action NH, or designee.

(j)  One representative of the New Hampshire Municipal Association, appointed by the association.

(k)  One representative of the New Hampshire Home Builders Association, appointed by the association.

(l)  One representative of the New Hampshire Association of Regional Planning Commissions, appointed by the association.

(m)  One representative of New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, appointed by the association.

(n)  One representative of the housing subcommittee of the Governor's Millennial Commission, chosen by the commission.

(o)  One person to represent conservation interests, chosen jointly by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the Nature Conservancy, and the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions.

(p)  One representative of the New Hampshire Association of Realtors, appointed by the association.

(q)  One member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Hampshire, appointed by the council.

II.  The commission shall study issues related to the density of land development in New Hampshire.  The commission's duties shall include, but not be limited to:

(a)  Review of current patterns of land development in New Hampshire, especially residential development and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.

(b)  Identification of barriers to increasing the density of land development.

(c)  Determine minimum standards of residential development density, considering the availability of public water and sewer infrastructure or other appropriate alternatives, and accounting for variability of environmental conditions.

(d)  Consider reinstating the housing and conservation planning program formerly established in RSA 4-C:24 through RSA 4-C:28, as enacted by 2007, 348.

(e)  Consider property tax incentives to promote residential development density, particularly workforce housing.

(f)  Recommend any proposed legislation resulting from the work of the commission.

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 senate member.  The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.  The senate election law and municipal affairs committee staff shall provide clerical, administrative, and research services to the commission as may be needed.

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

V.  The commission shall submit an interim report of its 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 November 1, 2019 and shall submit a final report on or before November 1, 2020.

2  Repeal.  RSA 4-C:8-a, relative to the commission to study density of land development in New Hampshire, is repealed.

3  Effective Date.

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2020.

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

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