limiting occupational regulations to those demonstrably necessary to achieve public health, safety, or welfare objectives.

HB 1340 requires New Hampshire state agencies to review all occupational regulations (such as rules, fees, or tests for entering a profession) to ensure they are strictly necessary for public health, safety, or welfare. It mandates agencies to justify each regulation's purpose within one year and repeal or modify those that don't meet this standard, with a follow-up report due 15 months after enactment. The bill explicitly excludes occupational licenses (like professional certifications) from its scope but defines "occupational regulations" broadly to include any barrier to entering a profession. It also allows individuals to petition agencies to revise or remove non-compliant regulations within 90 days. This directly affects state agencies managing professional rules and the businesses/professionals subject to those rules.