Updates to Proposed NH Legislation Affecting Towns’ Role in Conservation

We have public hearing updates for the proposed New Hampshire legislation. See below to learn more about the bills that have been filed (summary and links below), and contact committee members to share your thoughts on the proposed changes.
If you would like to stay informed, please contact Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org
Check www.NHACC.org for legislative updates.

Proposed Legislation from New Hampshire House of Representatives (click on the bill number for a link to the text with the changes):

HB1515
This bill removes the town’s ability to send any land use change tax dollars to the conservation fund, and makes sweeping changes to Current Use Law.

Public hearing: 1/17/12 10:00 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301

The hearing went well, there seems to be a lot of opposition to this bill. The Municipal and County Government Committee deliberated in Executive Session on this and other bills on 1/25/12.
The bill came out of committee with a recommendation of “Inexpedient to Legislate” the vote was 17 – 0. This means the bill will still need to go to the full House for a vote, but if the House supports this recommendation it will be considered killed.
2/8/12 – The full House voted for “Inexpedient to Legislate” on HB1515. It is now officially DEAD!

HB1545
This bill specifies that conservation commissions will no longer have the ability to convey interests in real property that they receive or acquire. This bill also limits conservation commission contracts to manage interests in real property to a term of 5 years.

Public Hearing: 2/2/12 9:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301. This bill will be heard by the Municipal and County Government Committee.

2/14/12 – Committee recommendation for ‘Inexpedient to Legislate’.

HB1586
This bill adds complexity and the potential for significant delays to the process that towns must follow once they have chosen to acquire land or an interest in land for conservation.

Public Hearing: 2/2/12 10:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301. This bill will be heard by the Municipal and County Government Committee.

2/14/12 – Committee recommendation for ‘Inexpedient to Legislate’.

HB1342
This bill appears to restrict a town’s ability to be a member, or allow its Conservation Commission to be a member, of organizations such as the NH Association of Conservation Commissions.

Public Hearing: 01/24/2012 at 11:30 AM Legislative Office Building Room 301

It met a very negative response.

2/14/12 – Committee recommendation for ‘Inexpedient to Legislate’.

The above bills will all be considered by the House Municipal and County Government Committee.
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 301
Concord, NH 03301

HB1540
This bill creates law that says “no town shall sell or grant to any nonprofit organization a conservation easement on land owned by the town” thereby removing an option that currently exists for towns and conservation commissions with respect to municipal property.

Public Hearing: 01/24/12 2:15 PM Legislative Office Building Room 305

This bill was heard by the Resources, Recreation and Development Committee. It met a very negative response.

2/14/12 – The full House voted for “Inexpedient to Legislate” on HB1540. It is now officially DEAD!
To contact the committee by mail:
House Municipal and County Government Committee
Legislative Office Building Room 305
Concord, NH 03301

You may follow this link to check on the status of any one of these bills.

For more information please contact the NHACC at info@nhacc.org or Anna Slack at anna.slack@uvlt.org