HB 503 - AS INTRODUCED
2021 SESSION
21-0659
05/10
HOUSE BILL 503
AN ACT establishing a New Hampshire commission on homelessness.
SPONSORS: Rep. Long, Hills. 10; Rep. Wilhelm, Hills. 42
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill establishes the New Hampshire commission on homelessness.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
 HB 503 - AS INTRODUCED
21-0659
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT establishing a New Hampshire commission on homelessness.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 New Subdivision; New Hampshire Commission on Homelessness. Amend RSA 126-A by
2 inserting after section 88 the following new subdivision:
3 New Hampshire Commission on Homelessness
4 126-A:89 Commission Established. There is hereby established the New Hampshire commission
5 on homelessness.
6 I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
7 (a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house
8 of representatives, one of whom shall be nominated by the minority leader.
9 (b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
10 (c) Two mayors of cities affected by homelessness, appointed by the governor.
11 (d) One representative of Waypoint, appointed by that organization.
12 (e) One representative of NAMI NH, appointed by that organization.
13 (f) One municipal welfare director, appointed by the New Hampshire Welfare
14 Association.
15 (g) One representative of Families in Transition, appointed by that organization.
16 (h) One representative of the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs, appointed
17 by that agency.
18 (i) One representative of the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, appointed by that
19 organization.
20 (j) The executive director of the New Hampshire housing finance authority, or designee.
21 (k) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
22 (l) The director of the office of alcohol and drug policy, department of health and human
23 services, or designee.
24 (m) One representative of Harbor Homes, Inc., appointed by that organization.
25 (n) One representative of the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness, appointed
26 by the coalition.
27 (o) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.
28 (p) One representative of the Council of Churches, appointed by the council.
29 (q) One member of the public who has experienced homelessness, appointed by the
30 speaker of the house of representatives.
 HB 503 - AS INTRODUCED
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1 II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when
2 attending to the duties of the commission.
3 III. The commission shall study the issue of homelessness in New Hampshire, the scope and
4 adequacy of available resources, and ways in which the public and private sector could increase
5 assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The commission shall:
6 (a) Review the coordinated services currently administered in New Hampshire,
7 including outreach, treatment, and transitional to independence services.
8 (b) Review housing availability for unsheltered individuals.
9 (c) Identify the number of children experiencing homelessness, the adequacy of available
10 services, and shelter options.
11 (d) Identify the number of veterans experiencing homelessness, the adequacy of
12 available services, and shelter options.
13 (e) Review non-government service agencies and their involvement in their communities.
14 (f) Identify public and private programs that effectively address and prevent
15 homelessness, the ability of those programs to meet the need for assistance, and potential funding
16 sources for expansion, if appropriate.
17 (g) Review the state of New Hampshire’s regional capacity in shelters and programs in
18 addressing homelessness.
19 IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The
20 first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting
21 of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. A majority of the
22 commission members shall constitute a quorum.
23 V. The commission shall submit an interim report its findings and any recommendations for
24 proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the
25 house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2021. The
26 commission shall submit a final report on or before November 1, 2022.
27 2 Repeal. RSA 126-A:89, relative to the commission on homelessness is repealed.
28 3 Effective Date.
29 I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2022.
30 II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 126-A:89
latest version: 167:4-d, 318-B:2, 329:1-d, 326-B:2