Bill > SB569

This bill modifies the qualifications for hearing officers within the New Hampshire Department of Labor by requiring that these officers be licensed attorneys in good standing who possess specific professional qualifications. The bill amends an existing law (RSA 281-A:42-b) to mandate that hearing officers have education and experience in conducting administrative adjudicative hearings and applying legal principles to factual scenarios. Additionally, the bill maintains existing requirements for hearing officers, such as having experience in workers' compensation, and continues to require the commissioner to establish job qualifications, develop a code of ethics, mandate at least 15 hours of annual continuing education, and require an additional 15 hours of annual training with the attorney general's staff. The bill also makes a minor language change, replacing "insure" with "ensure" in the original text. The new provisions will take effect 60 days after the bill's passage, aiming to ensure that hearing officers handling workers' compensation cases are professionally qualified and well-trained legal professionals.

Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1385&inflect=2