The bill HB 1628 is designed to modernize and clarify the regulatory framework governing the production, sale, and marketing of apples, cider, and lumber in New Hampshire. It aligns state apple regulations with federal standards, introduces new rules for cider manufacture and sale, and sets up a system for grading and certifying native lumber, including the recognition of certified native lumber in building codes. The bill also amends the definition of "cider" in the state's Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA) and updates cross-references from RSA 434:40-a to RSA 426:13. Additionally, the bill repeals outdated statutes that have been superseded by federal law, including those concerning organic product certification and various commodity standards, specifically removing RSA sections 426:6, 426:6-a through 426:6-d, 426:8-a, and 434:1-39, as well as 434:40-a through 434:4-h. Penalties for non-compliance with the new lumber grading and certification requirements include administrative fines up to $1,000 per violation.

The bill does not provide explicit text for the insertions or deletions of legal language but indicates that changes will affect regulations on milk standards, licensing, pricing, lumber standards, and the management of the regulatory services promotional products fund and the organic processors-handlers certification fund. The bill was passed on July 19, 2024, and is set to take effect 60 days later, on September 17, 2024. The summary suggests that the bill will have significant implications for the regulation and funding of these sectors within New Hampshire's legal system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 175:1
As Amended by the House: 175:1
Version adopted by both bodies: 175:1
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 175:1