Committee Summary for Senate Energy and Natural Resources (03/25/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
HB87 00:02:58.840 - 8:01:34 AM	Public Hearing	prohibiting the posting of land not owned by the poster.	Love, David(R)[A]2024
HB211 00:23:06.440 - 8:21:42 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the use of air rifles for hunting game.	Spillane, James(R)[A]2024
HB508 00:42:15.839 - 8:40:51 AM	Executive Session	relative to decreasing assessment rates for entities providing VoIP and IP-enabled services, as well as certain local exchange carriers and their affiliates.	Harrington, Michael(R)[A]2024
HB655 01:02:17.400 - 9:00:53 AM	Public Hearing	(New Title) relative to fish and game violations and permits.	Spillane, James(R)[A]2024
HB655 01:18:07.199 - 9:16:43 AM	Executive Session	(New Title) relative to fish and game violations and permits.	Spillane, James(R)[A]2024

HB87: Representative David Love, Rockingham 13 Support00:02:58.840 - 8:01:34 AM; Representative David Love introduced HB 87 FN, motivated by an incident involving his brother. He explained that the bill addresses the issue of individuals posting signs on land they do not own, which can mislead hunters and potentially impact hunting license sales. He highlighted the importance of penalties for such actions, suggesting that it should be a class B misdemeanor, similar to the penalties for removing signs under RSA 635:4. He noted that many signs lack owner contact information, which he believes is essential for hunters to seek permission to hunt.
HB87: Unnamed Senator from Nashua Information Only00:06:38.720 - 8:05:14 AM; A senator from Nashua, new to the committee and previously an English teacher, proposed a minor grammatical edit to HB 87 FN for clarity. The suggested change involved removing a preposition and adjusting the wording to clearly state that one cannot post signs on land without legal rights or reasonable basis to do so. Representative Love was open to this amendment, acknowledging the importance of precise language in legislation.
HB87: Unnamed Speaker Information Only00:09:09.040 - 8:07:45 AM; The speaker discussed the addition of a criminal penalty to the bill, specifically questioning if there is already a criminal penalty for removing signs under section 635. They noted that the penalty for removing signs is a felony, whereas the proposed penalty for unauthorized posting is less severe, suggesting it is intended to deter rather than severely punish. They also mentioned that unauthorized posting could usurp a landowner's authority on their own property.
HB87: Daniel Information Only00:10:27.800 - 8:09:03 AM; Daniel shared a personal experience from November 2023 where he was hunting on land adjacent to the Derry Town Forest, which had not been posted. While hunting, someone posted signs after he had entered the woods and then called the Derry police, alleging he was trespassing. Daniel was able to prove the signs were new due to lack of rust on the screws used, and he had permission from the landowner to hunt there. He highlighted issues with neighbors posting land they do not own to prevent hunting near their homes.
HB87: Colonel Jason Support00:13:32.320 - 8:12:08 AM; Colonel Jason initially had concerns about the bill but supported it after witnessing its potential effectiveness. He discussed the difficulty of proving unauthorized posting and the potential for the bill to act as a deterrent. He explained current laws under Title 20 and 236:27 regarding unauthorized posting and advertising, noting their limitations. He also mentioned that his department tries to resolve issues leading to posting rather than encouraging it, and outlined the legal requirements for posting property to deter trespassing.
HB211: Representative Spain Support00:23:06.440 - 8:21:42 AM; Representative Spain introduced HB 211, which focuses on the use of air rifles for hunting game. He discussed a study conducted the previous year on the capabilities of air rifles, emphasizing that the foot-pounds generated at the muzzle are more important than caliber for ethical hunting. The study suggested that regulations should be based on the energy output of the rifle, with the ability for the Department of Fish and Game to set rules and potentially create a tag for air rifles, similar to muzzle loaders. He also addressed concerns about temperature changes and the need for hunters to maintain their equipment properly.
HB211: Colonel Support00:32:05.760 - 8:30:41 AM; The Colonel initially had concerns about the use of air rifles for hunting but supported the bill after participating in a range test. He confirmed the adequacy of air rifles for hunting deer, bear, and moose, recommending starting calibers and foot-pound requirements. He also addressed concerns about temperature and multiple shots, noting minimal variation. The Colonel highlighted the high cost of air rifles and the need for a separate tag to replace lost Pitman-Robertson funds, though he did not see a need for it currently.
HB211: Colonel Information Only00:32:05.760 - 8:30:41 AM; The testimony of Colonel was not captured in the provided snippet as he was finishing speaking before the start of the provided text.
HB508: Representative Harrington, Strafford 18 Support00:42:15.839 - 8:40:51 AM; Representative Harrington introduced HB 508, explaining it as a correction to reduce the assessment fee for regulated utilities from 33% to 10% of gross utility revenue. He noted that the bill had strong support in the House, passing with a vote of 18 to 0. The reduction aims to align the fees with the reduced regulatory oversight on landline telephones, which have been largely deregulated. He mentioned that the fee reduction would benefit customers by potentially lowering their costs, although he deferred to the telephone companies on how they would use the savings.
HB508: Meg Stone, Department of Energy Information Only00:44:23.640 - 8:42:59 AM; Meg Stone from the Department of Energy provided neutral testimony on HB 508. She explained the current assessment system and how the proposed bill would reduce the assessment from 33% to 10% of gross utility revenue for certain providers. She detailed the department's regulatory duties and noted that the reduction would shift the assessment burden to other regulated utilities. She also addressed a discrepancy in the fiscal note, clarifying that the overall assessment funds would not decrease but would be redistributed.
HB508: Chris Rand, Vice President of Granite State Communications, representing New Hampshire Telephone Association (NHTA) Support00:48:29.400 - 8:47:05 AM; Chris Rand supported HB 508, representing NHTA. He explained that since the deregulation in 2011, the interaction with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has significantly reduced. He argued that the current assessment level is unnecessary and that reducing it to 10% would better reflect the PUC's reduced oversight. He emphasized that the savings would be used to expand fiber networks in rural areas.
HB508: Teresa Rosenberger, representing landline telephone companies including Consolidated and NHTA Support00:51:05.839 - 8:49:41 AM; Teresa Rosenberger supported HB 508, echoing the sentiments of Chris Rand. She confirmed that all companies she represents plan to use the savings from the reduced assessment to build out broadband and convert customers to fiber networks. She highlighted the issue of 'double taxation' due to additional assessments related to specific dockets and argued that the proposed 10% assessment would be sufficient given the minimal interaction with the PUC.
HB655: Representative Spain Support01:02:17.400 - 9:00:53 AM; Representative Spain introduced HB655, describing it as a housekeeping bill requested by the Department. The bill aims to increase restitution fees for illegal hunting to reflect current economic conditions, changing the payment from 'may' to 'shall' to ensure restitution is paid. It also proposes to increase license suspension times and penalties for repeat offenders to deter poaching. Additionally, an amendment was added to address an issue with crossbow permits for permanently disabled individuals, allowing them to revert to regular bow hunting if their condition improves, by removing the term 'perpetuity' from the permit.
HB655: Senator Mun Information Only01:06:11.359 - 9:04:47 AM; Senator Mun sought clarification on the changes to the crossbow permit for disabled hunters, confirming that the amendment allows them to revert to regular bow hunting if their condition improves, without needing to prove their disability annually.
HB655: Senator Pro Information Only01:07:13.920 - 9:05:49 AM; Senator Pro asked about the implications of changing 'may' to 'shall' in the restitution payment, expressing concern over judicial discretion in accidental cases. Representative Spain clarified that the department typically handles such cases internally, and only severe cases go to court.
HB655: Senator Rosenal Information Only01:08:03.559 - 9:06:39 AM; Senator Rosenal inquired about the duration of the crossbow permit for disabled hunters and the necessity of annual license purchases, which was clarified by Representative Spain.
HB655: Colonel Kevin Jordan, Fish and Game Support01:09:13.560 - 9:07:49 AM; Colonel Jordan supported the bill, emphasizing the need for increased penalties for repeat offenders and the change in restitution from 'may' to 'shall' to ensure funds return to the department. He also discussed the amendment to the crossbow permit, explaining the rationale behind removing 'perpetuity' to allow hunters to revert to regular bows if their condition improves.
HB655: Senator Waterers Information Only01:14:02.840 - 9:12:38 AM; Senator Waterers asked about the collection of restitution and fines, and whether the department would face difficulties in collecting them. Colonel Jordan explained that the courts handle collection and have the authority to enforce payment.
HB655: Senator McCy Information Only01:14:55.520 - 9:13:31 AM; Senator McCy inquired about the percentage of fines retained by the court and whether receiving more of the restitution would benefit the department. Colonel Jordan confirmed a small percentage is retained by the court and more restitution would be beneficial.
HB655: Senator Rosal Information Only01:16:10.400 - 9:14:46 AM; Senator Rosal shared a personal anecdote about a squirrel entering her home and asked if she would be subject to fines for possessing it. Colonel Jordan clarified that she would not be in violation of any law in that scenario.
HB655: Senator Waters Vote01:18:07.199 - 9:16:43 AM; Senator Waters, as a co-sponsor of the bill, moved to take action on HB655. The motion was put to a vote by consent, and there were no oppositions noted. The vote was carried out with all in favor and no opposition, indicating a unanimous decision to move forward with the bill.

Avard, Kevin(Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	Pearl, Howard (V Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	Watters, David(D)[CT]2024
Rosenwald, Cindy(D)[CT]2024	McConkey, Mark(R)