Bill > HB1426

This bill mandates that the Department of Environmental Services (DES) must ensure that each of its program areas, which are specific divisions within the department responsible for certain environmental regulations, has at least one certified individual. This certified individual can be a direct employee or someone hired through a contract, and they must hold a current, valid certification or license relevant to the program area they are serving. The DES is permitted to use its existing funds, federal grants, or fees collected from its programs to cover the costs of training and certification for these individuals. Importantly, certified individuals working for or contracted by the DES will not have to meet certification maintenance requirements that could create a conflict of interest, such as submitting their own work to the department to prove experience, nor will they be responsible for paying their own certification fees to the DES. Furthermore, these certified individuals will be protected from liability for damages that may arise from their duties in carrying out the legal and regulatory responsibilities of their program at the DES. This act is set to take effect on July 1, 2027, and while the bill itself does not provide funding, the DES estimates an indeterminable increase in state expenditures between $100,000 to $500,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2028 to implement these requirements.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1744&inflect=2