This bill revises the physical fitness requirements for law enforcement officers in New Hampshire and mandates the creation of an officer wellness program by law enforcement agencies. Key amendments include reducing the maximum duration for temporary or probationary employment from two years to one year, with a potential six-month extension granted by the Police Standards and Training Council for good cause. The bill also updates the standards for physical and mental fitness, replacing previous sections IV-XI with new sections IV through XVIII, and stipulates that all uncertified officers must pass medical, psychological, and physical fitness tests before beginning their duties. Starting January 1, 2027, all certified officers hired after this date will need to provide a medical certificate every three years to confirm their physical capability, with certification suspended if they fail to meet medical requirements.

Additionally, the bill eliminates the previous requirement for certified officers to undergo fitness testing every three years, instead mandating examinations by healthcare providers to assess their ability to perform essential physical functions, with results reported to the Police Standards and Training Council. It requires each law enforcement agency to adopt an officer wellness program within nine months of the bill's effective date, which must include a written policy on physical and mental wellness, defined fitness tests, and ongoing standards for officers. The chief executive officer of each agency is tasked with implementing the wellness program and filing necessary policies with the Council, which will also create a model wellness program policy to assist agencies. The bill includes various insertions and deletions to clarify responsibilities and streamline language, with an indeterminable fiscal impact that may vary by agency.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 106-L:6
HB1805 text: 106-L:6