Committee Summary for Senate Executive Departments and Administration (12/03/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB301 3102S 00:01:30.880 - 10:00:11 AM	Public Hearing	creating a joint legislative oversight committee.	McGough, Tim(R)
SB191 00:10:13.742 - 10:08:54 AM	Executive Session	relative to registration of vehicles in a fleet of 25 or more.	Pearl, Howard (R)[C+]2024
SB298 3103S 00:15:09.279 - 10:13:50 AM	Executive Session	relative to sober living house certification and operational standards.	Avard, Kevin(R)[C+]2024
SB301 00:21:17.039 - 10:19:58 AM	Executive Session	creating a joint legislative oversight committee.	McGough, Tim(R)

SB301 3102S: Senator James Gray, Senate District 6 Support00:01:30.880 - 10:00:11 AM; Senator Gray introduced the amendment to Senate Bill 301, explaining that it addresses challenges faced by departments, particularly the Department of Corrections, in meeting budget requirements. He described how the department requested organizational flattening to reduce costs, and this amendment creates a vehicle to implement those changes quickly by attaching it to an appropriate bill. The goal is to be responsive to departmental needs without providing extensive details during the hearing, promising future submissions like org charts showing added and removed positions.
SB301 3102S: Bill Hart, Commissioner, Department of Corrections Support00:04:39.688 - 10:03:20 AM; Commissioner Hart, recently appointed, thanked Senators Gray, Lang, and Waters for their collaboration in developing the amendment. He outlined that it is a cost-reduction measure, saving $40-45,000 in the first year and about $500,000 in the second through attrition. The amendment restructures the department by flattening the organization, creating separate career paths for security and professional operations sides, allowing flexibility to contract or expand without major changes. It establishes an assistant commissioner position split between security and professional operations, similar to police departments, promoting career advancement from entry-level to commissioner without significant future adjustments needed.
SB191: Bob Scully, New Hampshire Motor Transport Association Information Only00:10:13.742 - 10:08:54 AM; Bob Scully explained the intent behind SB 191, developed with Senator Pearl, to implement a centralized registration system for commercial motor vehicles similar to the International Registration Plan (IRP). This would collect town fees from out-of-state truckers passing through New Hampshire and distribute them to towns via the Department of Safety, generating additional revenue for communities and potentially surplus for the highway fund. He noted that while DMV has provided some data, more definitive information is needed to quantify benefits, citing South Carolina's positive experience but lacking detailed figures. Due to insufficient data, he recommended against advancing the bill at this time.
SB191: Senator Pearl Information Only00:13:18.720 - 10:11:59 AM; Senator Pearl reinforced Scully's points, stating that despite hard work with the department, they ran out of time to gather complete information. He deemed it prudent to hold the bill for interim study rather than proceed with incomplete details.
SB298 3103S: Jake Barry, Vice President of Policy, New Futures Support00:15:09.279 - 10:13:50 AM; Jake Barry from New Futures, a nonpartisan health policy organization focused on substance use and behavioral health, presented the amendment developed over summer and fall in consultation with other states and stakeholders like DHS and the New Hampshire Partnership for Recovery Residents. The amendment shifts recovery house certification from voluntary to mandatory, requiring all houses to meet health, safety, best practice standards, and community collaboration to operate. It establishes a filing process with DHS for initiating certification, putting houses on record, and mandates public posting of resident rights, certification proof, and grievance procedures. This addresses issues with non-compliant houses, strengthens the recovery network, and supports the addiction crisis response, with staggered implementation to allow time for certification.
SB301: Senator Lang Oppose00:21:17.039 - 10:19:58 AM; Senator Lang moved for interim study on SB 301, explaining that the existing joint performance audit and oversight committee has shifted focus to actual oversight and audits, holding agencies accountable with timelines. He argued the bill is duplicative and should allow the current committee to demonstrate its effectiveness before considering changes.

Pearl, Howard (Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	McGough, Tim(V Chairman)(R)	Gannon, Bill(R)[C+]2024
Altschiller, Debra(D)[CT]2024	Reardon, Tara(D)