SB334: (New Title) establishing a committee to study property blight in New Hampshire cities and towns.

CHAPTER 167

SB 334-LOCAL - FINAL VERSION

03/17/2022 1008s

2022 SESSION

22-3082

10/05

SENATE BILL 334-LOCAL

AN ACT establishing a committee to study property blight in New Hampshire cities and towns.

SPONSORS: Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Whitley, Dist 15; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Cloutier, Sull. 10; Rep. Stavis, Graf. 13; Rep. Stapleton, Sull. 5

COMMITTEE: Election Law and Municipal Affairs

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a committee to study property blight in New Hampshire cities and towns.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/17/2022 1008s 22-3082

10/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT establishing a committee to study property blight in New Hampshire cities and towns.

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

167:1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study strategies and barriers to managing real property blight within New Hampshire cities and towns and establishing responsible parties for these properties.

167:2 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) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be from the majority party and one of whom shall be from the minority party.

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

167:3 Duties.

I. The committee shall study:

(a) The definition of vacant and abandoned real properties in New Hampshire;

(b) The prevalence and scope of real property blight and problems related to reaching the party responsible for the blight of a real property;

(c) The feasibility of establishing legislation requiring a party to register a blighted real property, to register that property with the relevant New Hampshire city or town in which it is located, and to take steps to mitigate the circumstances present; and

(d) Any other related information the committee believes to be relevant.

II. In completing the study, the committee shall solicit input from affected political subdivisions and municipalities, as well as any other entity the committee finds relevant.

167:4 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 first-named senate member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 30 days of the effective date of this section. Two members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

167:5 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, 2022.

167:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved: June 07, 2022

Effective Date: June 07, 2022