Bill > HB1029

This bill modifies the legal definition of "excavate" or "excavation" under New Hampshire's underground utility damage prevention laws to explicitly exclude certain low-impact activities. Specifically, the bill clarifies that hand planting of perennial or annual flowers, small shrubs and bushes not exceeding 3-gallon pots, and shallow hand-dug irrigation repairs will not be considered excavation. This means that homeowners and gardeners performing these minor landscaping tasks would not be required to follow the same utility notification and marking procedures that are mandatory for more substantial ground-disturbing activities like trenching, drilling, or using mechanized equipment. The change aims to provide clarity and reduce bureaucratic requirements for minor landscaping work while maintaining safety protocols for more significant excavation projects. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage and is estimated to have a minimal fiscal impact of less than $10,000 annually.

Business and Industry

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1668&inflect=2