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 who have not been employed by the state for at least one year, and referral fees for current employees who assist in recruiting new hires. Additionally, any incentives received by state employees will not be classified as gifts under RSA 15-B, and the referral of applicants for fees will not be considered a misuse of position. The bill also stipulates that expenditures for these incentives will be considered a matter of public policy and will not be subject to collective bargaining agreements.

To fund this initiative, the bill appropriates $900,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to the Department of Safety for recruitment incentives, with the governor authorized to draw from the treasury for this amount. The bill includes a contingency that this appropriation will only take effect if highway funds are unavailable for transfer, as certified by the comptroller. The remaining provisions of the act will take effect on July 1, 2025.