SB164: (2nd New Title) establishing a committee to study unprotected drinking water sources.

CHAPTER 238

SB 164 - FINAL VERSION

03/07/2019 0653s

23May2019... 1743h

2019 SESSION

19-1056

08/06

SENATE BILL 164

AN ACT establishing a committee to study unprotected drinking water sources.

SPONSORS: Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Martin, Hills. 23; Rep. Panasiti, Hills. 22; Rep. Rung, Hills. 21; Rep. Marsh, Carr. 8

COMMITTEE: Energy and Natural Resources

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a committee to study unprotected drinking water sources.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/07/2019 0653s

23May2019... 1743h 19-1056

08/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

AN ACT establishing a committee to study unprotected drinking water sources.

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

238:1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study unprotected drinking water sources.

238:2 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:

(a) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(b) Four members of the house of representatives, 2 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and 2 appointed by the house minority leader.

II. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

III. The committee shall solicit advice and testimony from the following organizations, entities, and individuals and any other individual or organization with information relevant to the committee's study:

(a) The state treasurer.

(b) Representatives of the department of environmental services.

(c) Representatives of a state or regional land trust.

(d) Representatives of the New Hampshire Water Works Association.

(e) Representatives of the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions.

(f) Members of the public who have business experience related to the creation and/or delivery of clean and safe drinking water.

(g) Members of the public who represent citizens receiving their drinking water from private wells.

(h) A municipal official from a municipality without a public drinking water system.

(i) Any other stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, and other parties with an interest in the purpose of the water supply land protection grant program.

238:3 Duties. The committee shall:

I. Study the ways in which drinking water resources are contaminated from any source.

II. Work with the department of environmental services to determine and catalog all known unprotected high priority drinking water resources as outlined in the Drinking Water Land Protection Plan for New Hampshire Progress Report dated November 7, 2017.

III. Identify potential funding mechanisms, including sources of dedicated funding, for the future protection of high priority drinking water resources.

238:4 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the senate member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

238:5 Report. The committee shall report 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, 2020.

238:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved: July 12, 2019

Effective Date: July 12, 2019