The bill HB 1415-FN establishes a special veterans license plate program in New Hampshire, creating the New Hampshire First for Veterans Number Plate Fund, which will be financed through the sale of these plates at a fee of $60, in addition to regular registration fees. The funds generated will support various initiatives aimed at promoting the welfare of veterans, service members, and their families, including employment support, mental health programs, and efforts to combat veteran homelessness. The bill also allows for vanity plates under the same program and ensures that funds from both the conservation number plate fund and the veterans fund are nonlapsing and continually appropriated, meaning unspent funds will remain available for future use.

Additionally, the bill establishes the New Hampshire First for Veterans Authority, a nonprofit entity governed by a board of directors that will oversee the administration of a trust fund dedicated to veterans' services. This authority will prioritize efforts to end veteran homelessness, improve healthcare access, and support employment and educational opportunities for veterans. The bill includes provisions for annual reporting to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of funds, and it allows state agencies to partner with eligible applicants for financial assistance. The new legal language inserted into current law designates the veterans fund as nonlapsing and continually appropriated, while the bill amends RSA 6:12 to specify the moneys deposited into the trust fund and administrative fund.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 261:97-c
As Amended by the House: 261:97-c, 6:12
As Amended by the Senate: 261:97-c, 6:12
Version adopted by both bodies: 261:97-c, 6:12
HB1415 text: 261:97-c