This bill establishes a new recruitment and retention program for New Hampshire state troopers by amending RSA 21-P to include a new section, 21-P:4-a. The program allows the Department of Safety to develop incentives for recruitment and retention, including bonuses for newly hired applicants and referral fees for current employees who assist in recruiting. It specifies that any incentives received will not be considered gifts under RSA 15-B, and that referrals for these incentives will not be deemed a misuse of position. Additionally, expenditures for these incentives will be classified as public policy matters and will not be subject to collective bargaining, although existing collective bargaining agreements remain valid. The bill also requires that any requested expenditures for recruitment or retention incentives receive approval from the Joint Fiscal Committee.

To fund this initiative, the bill appropriates $900,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to the Department of Safety for recruitment incentives. This funding can come from the general fund, highway fund, or other available funds, contingent upon the availability of highway funds as certified by the state comptroller. The bill outlines a breakdown of how the $900,000 will be utilized, with a significant portion allocated for sign-on bonuses aimed at attracting new recruits. The effective date for the appropriation is contingent on the availability of highway funds, while the remainder of the act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.