HB128: relative to repealing state seed labeling license requirements.

HB 128-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-0107

08/05

HOUSE BILL 128-FN

AN ACT relative to repealing state seed labeling license requirements.

SPONSORS: Rep. Ankarberg, Straf. 7; Rep. Cushman, Hills. 28; Rep. Coulon, Graf. 5

COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture

ANALYSIS

This bill repeals the state seed license requirement.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0107

08/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT relative to repealing state seed labeling license requirements.

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

1 Repeal. The following are repealed:

I. RSA 433:7, III(l), relative to the adoption of rules relative to seed labeling licenses.

II. RSA 433:9-a, relative to seed licensing requirements.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

23-0107

11/2/22

HB 128-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to repealing state seed labeling license requirements.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue

$0

($10,575)

($10,575)

($10,575)

Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source:

[ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other

METHODOLOGY:

This bill repeals the state seed license requirement. The Department of Agriculture indicates the current program consists of registration, label and seed inspection at retail facilities and seed sampling to confirm germination and noxious weed content guarantees. The Department provided the following fiscal estimates for the program:

Revenue

141 licenses @ $75/ license

$10,575

Expenditures

Registration including data entry, certification and accounting

5 days x 7-1/2 hours x $39/hour

$1,500

Label Inspection

Agricultural Inspector 19 hours per week x $75 /hour. Inspections conducted every other week consisting of recording of data in the database, follow-up letters for unregistered or out of spec labels, higher level enforcement and accounting throughout the process.

$36,000

Seed Sampling Events

Includes sample collection, sample prep, laboratory costs, and data review. One day of seed sampling, all costs including laboratory and higher-level enforcement, should be estimated no less than $3,000/event, four samples each event. This includes follow-up with laboratory, data review, and stakeholder interactions beyond that considered for label inspections above. Assuming two sampling events per month.

$72,000

Total Expenditures: $109,500

If the seed licensing requirement is repealed these expenditures would no longer be incurred for seed labeling, however the staff involved would perform other essential duties within the Division of Regulatory Services. Therefore, the expenditures would continue to be incurred but for other purposes.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Agriculture