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NH Wildlife Federation
2021 Session

Hearings scheduled the week of February 22, 2021
HB 82, relative to amending a conservation easement between the state and a landowner. (Public Hearing)


Bill:

HB 82

Title:

relative to amending a conservation easement between the state and a landowner.

Sponsor:

Rep. Paul Berch

Committee:

House Judiciary

Status:

Public Hearing: 02/23/2021 09:00 am

Comments:

Seeks to allow the amendment of a conservation easement between a government body and a landowner to correct an injustice or to advance the public good. It specifically mentions allowing the exchanging of another parcel in return for easing current use restrictions.


Bill:

HB 118

Title:

relative to the fish and game commission.

Sponsor:

Rep. Cathryn Harvey

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Retained by the House on 02/01/2020

Comments:

No further action will be taken this year.



Bill:

HB 192

Title:

relative to pistols permitted for the taking of deer.

Sponsor:

Rep. John MacDonald

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass for 02/24/2020 Vote (17-3; CC)

Comments:

Adds 45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), .460 Rowland, .45 Super, .50 AE (Action Express), .357 SIG Sauer, .327 Federal Magnum, and .400 Corbon to the list of pistol calibers permitted for the taking of deer.


Bill:

HB 241

Title:

relative to trout.

Sponsor:

Rep. Lino Avellani

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Retained by the House on 02/1/2021

Comments:

Department concerned that changing this language in statute will have broad implication to the rules and regulations of the department.


Bill:

HB 250

Title:

relative to pet vendors.

Sponsor:

Rep. Howard Pearl

Committee:

House Environment and Agriculture

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2021-0350h (Vote 18-1; CC)

Comments:

Supported by hobby breeder who feel the recently changed law is torestrictive on their hobby. Amendment makes technical changes at the request of the Department of Agriculture.


Bill:

HB 311

Title:

establishing a committee to study rail trail best management practices.

Sponsor:

Rep. Suzanne Smith

Committee:

House Resources, Recreation and Development

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass for 02/24/2021 (Vote 20-0; CC)

Comments:

Would establish a committee to study and develop best management practices for repurposing former rail beds into rail trails, best management practices for maintaining rail trails to reduce or limit exposure to possible contamination to users and report their findings by November 1, 2022.


Bill:

HB 338

Title:

relative to penalties for dog theft and tampering with a dog's radio collar.

Sponsor:

Rep. Brian Sullivan

Committee:

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Status:

Public Hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Would make tampering with or removing a radio dog collar a class B felony.Amendment coming that would change the penalty to a misdemeanor.


Bill:

HB 342

Title:

relative to the taking of game by certain lever-action firearms.

Sponsor:

Rep. James Spillane

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2021-0136h (Vote 20-0; CC)

Comments:

Committee chair will ask that the bill be referred to the Municipal and County committee so that the NH Municipal Association has an opportunity to weigh in.


Bill:

HB 352

Title:

relative to operation of recreational vehicles on state highways.

Sponsor:

Rep. Peter Leishman

Committee:

House Transportation

Status:

Schedule pending

Comments:

Would direct the Commissioner of Safety to adopt rules regarding the safe operation of recreational vehicles on state roads and highways.


Bill:

HB 446

Title:

establishing a committee to study the effects of recreational vehicles and other vehicles used in recreational activities on class 5 and 6 roads.

Sponsor:

Rep. Andrew Renzullo

Committee:

House Resources, Recreation and Development

Status:

Public Hearing: 03/03/2021 01:00 pm

Comments:

Would establish a committee to study the effects of recreational vehicles on class 5 and class 6 roads, their effect on the environment, quality of life for area residents and their economic impact to communities. The prime sponsor filed the bill because he felt the HB 1182 study committee was not properly addressing the subject.


Bill:

HB 467

Title:

relative to current use tax rate eligibility.

Sponsor:

Rep. Ellen Read

Committee:

House Municipal and County Government

Status:

Public Hearing: 03/01/2021 10:30 am

Comments:

Seeks to disqualify any farmland or forest land used to harbor non-native, non-domesticated animal species from eligibility for a current use assessment.


Bill:

HB 490

Title:

permitting the use of live-action game cameras.

Sponsor:

Rep. Terry Roy

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Retained in Committee on 02/01/2021

Comments:

Will be addressed through rule making process. No further action will be taken on this bill this year.



Bill:

HB 529

Title:

relative to cruelty to a wild animal, fish, or wild bird.

Sponsor:

Rep. Ellen Read

Committee:

House Fish and Game and Marine Resources

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass for 02/24/2021 (Vote 19-1; CC)

Comments:

Indentical bill passed in 2020 but died on the table in the Senate due to COVID-19. Creates enhanced penalties for anyone who purposely beats, cruelly whips, tortures, or mutilates any wild animal, fish or wild bird.


Bill:

HB 534

Title:

relative to municipal control of certain frozen water bodies.

Sponsor:

Rep. Mary Beth Walz

Committee:

House Resources, Recreation and Development

Status:

Public Hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Opposed by all but the prime sponsor and her constituent. Concerns it will create a patchwork of regulations by municipalities and is overly broad as to whether or not private water bodies under 10 acres would also be included in the bill.


Bill:

SB 84

Title:

adopting omnibus legislation relative to the posting of notices on land and relative to public bodies.

Sponsor:

Sen. John Reagan

Committee:

Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Status:

Schedule pending

Comments:

The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources had concerns about Sections 1 and 2 and believe the current system is working. Committee members appeared to share similar concerns. Section 1 of the omnibus would allow a person to post their land to prohibit criminal trespass and physical activities by painting purple vertical lines on trees, rocks or posts no more than 100 yards apart and on common entrances. Section 1 and 2 would make it optional to write the name and address of land owner on no trespassing signs.


Bill:

SB 86

Title:

adopting omnibus legislation relative to planning and zoning.

Sponsor:

Sen. Jay Kahn

Committee:

Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Status:

Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2021-0420s, for 03/04/2021; (Vote 5-0; CC)

Comments:

The omnibus bill would create a Housing and Conservation Planning Program administered by the Office of Strategic Initiatives. It would also prohibit local ordinances from restricting the purchase or installation of commercially available heating or energy systems.


Bill:

SB 129

Title:

relative to minimizing environmental impacts on the habitats of endangered or threatened species.

Sponsor:

Sen. Jeb Bradley

Committee:

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Status:

Adopted by the Senate with Amendment on 02/18/2021

Comments:

Would soften the Endangered Species Conservation Act by clarifying state agencies can build/modify an area if it does not significantly impact endangered species. It also would setup a fund at Fish and Game to accept monies for mitigation for unavoidable impacts to wildlife or habitats.


Bill:

SB 131

Title:

adopting omnibus legislation relative to vehicles, municipal water maintenance certificates, safety certificates, nondrivers's picture i.d.s, decals, and private roads.

Sponsor:

Sen. David Watters

Committee:

Senate Transportation

Status:

Public Hearing: 03/02/2021, 01:15 pm

Comments:

Section 4 would establish a mandatory OHRV and snowmobile safety certification training program beginning in 2023 and phasing it in for all age groups by 2028.



Bill:

SB 146

Title:

adopting omnibus legislation relative to the environment.

Sponsor:

Sen. David Watters

Committee:

Senate Energy and Natural Resources

Status:

Public Hearing: 03/01/2021, 01:00 pm

Comments:

Section 1 would create a nonlapsing, continually appropriated coastal fund. Section 2 seeks to create a statewide solid waste disposal reduction goal similar to the Senate passed SB 591 from last year. Section 3 would prohibit the incineration of PFAs, create bans on packaging containing PFAs beginning in 2024 and establish a Plastics Advisory Council which would among other things examine the health impacts of single-use plastics and micro-plastics.


Bill:

SB 148

Title:

adopting omnibus legislation relative to vocational and career education, environmental education, and emergency plans for sports injuries.

Sponsor:

Sen. Ruth Ward

Committee:

Senate Education

Status:

Public hearing held on 02/18/2021

Comments:

Part V seeks to add environmental science and outdoor education to criteria for an adequate education and establishes a New Hampshire Youth Environmental Education and Conservation Council.





2021 Legislation Relating to Firearms

Bill:

CACR 8

Title:

relating to firearms. providing that the legislature make no law restricting the right to own, carry, or use firearms or firearm accessories.

Sponsor:

Rep. Terry Roy

Committee:

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Status:

Public hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Would require a 2/3rd vote in both the Senate and the House. Passage unlikely.


Bill:

HB 195

Title:

adding display of a firearm as an exception to reckless conduct.

Sponsor:

Rep. Michael Yakubovich

Committee:

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Status:

Public hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Seeks to clarify that displaying a firearm does not constitute reckless conduct.


Bill:

HB 246

Title:

establishing a protective order for vulnerable adults.

Sponsor:

Rep. Robert Renny Cushing

Committee:

House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs

Status:

Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate for 02/24/2021 (Vote 14-7; RC);

Comments:

Seeks to establish protocols to protect vulnerable adults from financial exploitation. Similar bill vetoed in 2020 over 2nd amendment due process concerns.


Bill:

HB 307

Title:

relative to the state preemption of the regulation of firearms and ammunition.

Sponsor:

Rep. Norman Silber

Committee:

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Status:

Public hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Would prohibit municipalities for creating or enforcing firearm regulations more restrictive than what is in state law.


Bill:

HB 334

Title:

relative to prohibitions on carrying a loaded firearm on an ohrv or snowmobile.

Sponsor:

Rep. John Burt

Committee:

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety

Status:

Public hearing held on 02/10/2021

Comments:

Seeks to repeal the prohibition on carrying a loaded pistol or revolver on an OHRV and snowmobile.


Bill:

SB 154

Title:

prohibiting the state from enforcing a presidential executive order that restricts or regulates the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

Sponsor:

Sen. Jeb Bradley

Committee:

Senate Judiciary

Status:

Schedule pending

Comments:

Would prohibit the state from enforcing or funding any executive orders limiting firearm rights.

New Hampshire Wildlife Federation 54 Portsmouth Street Concord, NH 03301
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