This bill amends the existing recruitment and retention program within the New Hampshire community college system to include public safety telecommunicators and dispatchers, thereby expanding the eligibility criteria to encompass these professionals alongside law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Key changes include the insertion of "public safety telecommunicators and dispatchers" into the program's title and eligibility criteria, allowing them to receive reimbursement for educational courses, including non-credit courses. The bill also establishes a new police standards and training recruitment and retention fund, which will be administered by the Police Standards and Training Council (PSTC), and appropriates $125,000 in general funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to support costs related to uniforms, equipment, and specialized training.

The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and is expected to generate up to $100,000 in additional revenue for the Community College System due to the expansion of eligible courses. However, expenditures are projected to be $125,000 in FY 2026, with future costs remaining indeterminable as no additional funding sources have been identified. Notably, the bill does not include any deletions from current law but introduces new provisions aimed at enhancing the recruitment and retention of public safety personnel.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 188-F:70, 188-F:72, 6:12
As Amended by the Senate: 188-F:70, 188-F:72, 6:12