State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

HB 1753 establishes the New Hampshire First for Veterans Program and Authority to support veterans, service members, and their families across the state. The program will provide funding to address key priorities like ending veteran homelessness, matching veterans with veteran-friendly jobs, improving access to mental and physical healthcare (including suicide prevention and substance use treatment), and supporting military skills transfer and education opportunities. The New Hampshire First for Veterans Authority, governed by a 22-member board appointed by state leaders, will coordinate these efforts through public-private partnerships. This program directly affects veterans and their families by creating structured support systems for housing, employment, healthcare, and career transition.

New Hampshire's HCR 16 is a concurrent resolution applying to Congress for a convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. It specifically seeks to propose a constitutional amendment setting term limits for U.S. House and Senate members. The resolution states that New Hampshire's application will be aggregated with similar applications from other states to reach the required 2/3 majority of states. This is a procedural step to advance the term limits proposal, not a law affecting current representatives or voters.

This New Hampshire resolution requests Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose term limits for members of both the House of Representatives and Senate. It specifically aims to establish a limit on the number of terms a person may serve in either chamber. The resolution is part of a state-level effort to gather support from two-thirds of states, as required by the Constitution, to trigger such a convention. It does not create term limits itself but seeks to initiate the process for proposing them through a constitutional amendment.

SB 448 modifies New Hampshire's definition of "veteran" to include individuals discharged under honorable conditions (including those with a general discharge under honorable conditions), ensuring they qualify for state benefits. It establishes a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for state-resident veterans meeting this definition, with a one-time fee adjusted based on the veteran's service-connected disability rating. This replaces annual license fees with a single payment, directly benefiting disabled veterans who previously faced eligibility barriers. The bill also updates multiple state statutes to align with the revised veteran definition, ensuring consistency across programs like employment preferences and tax exemptions.

SB 472 removes the maximum age limit (currently 65 years) for the deputy adjutant general position within New Hampshire's Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services. This change directly affects the deputy adjutant general, who oversees state military operations and must have prior National Guard or military service. The bill amends RSA 110-B:8-b by deleting the phrase "or until the officer has reached the age of 65 years" from the tenure provisions. The change allows the appointee to serve beyond age 65, subject to reappointment and other existing requirements like minimum rank and service history. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.