This bill establishes a First Responders Support Fund to facilitate the enrollment and support of volunteer and full-time first responders from small communities—specifically those towns with five or fewer full-time, paid first responders—into the state-provided employee assistance program (EAP). The fund will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and will cover costs associated with the enrollment and administration of these first responders in the EAP, which provides comprehensive support services, including assistance for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The bill outlines eligibility criteria, enrollment processes, and mandates the department to submit an annual report to the legislature detailing fund usage, the number of first responders served, and program outcomes.

Additionally, the bill includes a new subparagraph in RSA 6:12, I(b) to specify that moneys deposited in the First Responders Support Fund will be allocated for the purposes outlined in RSA 281-A:17-g. The implementation of this program is contingent upon the availability of funding, and the department is required to report on funding status in its annual report. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 6:12
As Amended by the House: 6:12
As Amended by the House (2nd): 6:12
As Amended by the Senate: 6:12
Version adopted by both bodies: 6:12
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 6:12
HB1705 text: 6:12
As Amended by the Senate (2nd): 6:12