[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6665580,"mediaKeyId","2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09","parentId",2347864,"title","Liquor Commission cites cloud-based system costs, transfers to health fund and evolving sales patterns in budget briefing","audioSeconds",2597,"startMs",2573000,"endMs",5170000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09&start=2573&end=5170","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09/thumbnail_2573000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6665580/New-Hampshire/Liquor-Commission-cites-cloud-based-system-costs-transfers-to-health-fund-and-evolving-sales-patterns-in-budget-briefing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665580-7459aeb3a55d43ac5ce086f693e2af9c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403106&Signature=DdDTyhCs8vUFt5-XN7KdRSVCnUTPn-MAhHEqtrRkuJfXfsDlDCXpl5MPv~T~G6KtxFUhPLPy0jnaQpsXYpJ9-kWx9bW9wmhPbphSiKi00sAFM0Kxs6kGYCos7x-~5J~dMzv9vAe6YKV9dY10vtU1X~16PUBMjGtO~JFAlgWzF06CKR1d38mp9QF936-QAeiU0jqc7SogTLjWOeKlta0dQzuj9JMaTRptrs4S7ByARjzvkTUpGZ9srYkWWHAmq1aGycsiz7UCnyRrASFtHD2qoxoagz6j-zh0keC2NKmnyGksekQV3njqaptAhX~7aqG-6EtjqJkUXFDG0B2D4J~54g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-02-19T21:39:12.493Z","article","The New Hampshire Liquor Commission outlined budget changes tied to a recent enterprise software migration, transfers to health accounts, staffing changes and evolving retail trends during a briefing to the House Finance Committee.

Joseph Malika, chairman of the Liquor Commission, and CFO Tina Demers reviewed the agency’s presentation and answered questions about differences between the commission’s proposed reductions and the governor’s numbers. Demers said some positions counted in the governor’s budget are statewide DOIT positions or shared DOIT positions, not direct Liquor Commission headcount, creating apparent discrepancies between the agency’s requested cuts and the governor’s proposed budget.

System conversion and contracts: The commission reported a major migration to Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365) last April. The agency said the new cloud‑based system requires ongoing maintenance and vendor contracts that DOIT cannot provide; the budget therefore includes higher contract service lines for system maintenance and outside support. The commission said it launched D365 to replace a 40‑year old system and that near‑term expenses reflect the first‑year maintenance and implementation costs.

Transfers to HHS and Granite Advantage: Commission leaders explained large increases in the transfers (Class 49) line are due to two statutory transfer obligations: (1) a transfer of 5% of prior‑year gross profit to an alcohol abuse prevention fund (RSA 176:16) and (2) the Granite Advantage transfer for Medicaid expansion (referred to as 126‑AA in the presentation). The commission said the 126‑AA transfer is driven by HHS needs for the non‑federal match and can vary; those transfers have been previously processed after revenues but were included as a budget line for transparency.

Personnel and enforcement: The commission said enforcement salaries and benefits rose in part due to pay raises, benefit changes, and new part‑time loss‑prevention staff in stores. The commission described a decline in overall alcohol volume sales related to national trends, premiumization (higher‑price bottles sold in smaller quantities), and competition from cannabis legalization in neighboring states. The commission also noted a direct‑ship “John Hunt” tax on out‑of‑state shipments into New Hampshire was about $1.2–1.4 million in recent years.

Tobacco contract and federal funds: The commission said federal funds increased for tobacco compliance work through a contract with the FDA and that the agency has a position tied to that contract. The commission said it had been pragmatic about consultants used to support the D365 transition and has curtailed those consultant costs following go‑live.

Licensing and regulatory questions: Committee members pressed the commission about license fee levels, enforcement workload and whether THC (cannabis) beverages are being taxed or regulated. The commission said THC beverages are not regulated by the commission and recommended any oversight or tax policy changes would require state legislative or regulatory action; the commission said some THC products are being shipped into the state and that there could be potential revenue if the state chose to regulate and tax such products.

Stores and operations: The commission said it has consolidated lower‑performing stores in past years and continues to evaluate marginal stores (identified examples included Walpole and Woodsville) for possible consolidation. The agency said sales are shifting toward fewer case sales and more premium single‑bottle purchases, affecting store operations and merchandising.

Follow up: Committee members requested additional materials including a breakdown of license fee comparisons with neighboring states, a short list of low‑performing stores, and more detail on direct‑ship and THC shipment figures. The Liquor Commission agreed to supply that information.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Finance Division I (02/19/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The New Hampshire Liquor Commission told the House Finance Committee its 2026–27 budget includes higher contract and personnel costs driven by a transition to a cloud‑based D365 system, new transfer lines to Health and Human Services, staffing adjustments and changing retail trends including cannabis competition and direct‑ship taxes.","taxTitle","Finance, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17749,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6665583,"NH Retirement System asks House Finance for IT upgrades, new positions and funding tied to Group 2 benefit changes",402,748000,1150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09&start=748&end=1150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09/thumbnail_748000.jpg","/articles/6665583/New-Hampshire/NH-Retirement-System-asks-House-Finance-for-IT-upgrades-new-positions-and-funding-tied-to-Group-2-benefit-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665583-d7b19fc1ed02eb4250e22670dfb04408/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403106&Signature=G1Z7aYMpmt4zu4CcNw4BkQv62POkveVtdnA5FZ-lIEz8rACgxE1xSvgwlY5kKgRezMB3uM9H~9jfjR3Qlwc4OqyvzZlUxq6YQkpDTexzsZmA0pejhVbJHo5DFqMXBQMXABX5Mz-ggoTePAQ0e3OMp-fkZrEQUss2GSiIAhMGfmBZ~MsoyG3bpBFjQrNTBvLWWExzs42y0FQXXdfx11ImLatTB16YQ4dNWYf9UDlpntkmHssMxmxSFXw0gj1WuX9Bl4W3SBHrWW3-9jQkAaTUoWft4HrlwVdOvUJxTGTgnR29iqP0TGq-RzNrBruB4jUA7VrNQOgabEueAbJOzsj5Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) presented its proposed two‑year budget to the House Finance Committee, citing operational needs after a major pension administration software upgrade and seeking staff and technology investments to support members and employers.

Jan Goodwin, NHRS executive director, told the committee the statutory administrative operating budget (which does not include investment-related costs) was $1.3136 million for FY25 in the materials she handed out; the system proposed budgets of $19.3 million for FY26 and $19.5 million for FY27 based on full staffing of board‑authorized positions. Goodwin said the increases are primarily driven by IT upgrades, modernization projects and salaries and benefits to support new positions aligned with a three‑year strategic plan.

Marie Mullen, NHRS director of finance, said NHRS completed a long‑running “pension gold” software upgrade and must complete overdue projects that were delayed during the multi‑year upgrade. She told lawmakers the board certified employer contribution rates for a two‑year cycle and reported an 8.8% return on investments in the last year.

Group 2 benefit funding: Committee members pressed NHRS on the group 2 retirement “enhancements” that appear in HB2 and the governor’s proposed budget. NHRS staff said the governor’s recommendation included $5.0 million in FY26 and $27.9 million in FY27 in general funds tied to proposed benefit changes for Group 2 (police and fire). Agency staff also noted that Senate and House budget columns reflect adjusted authorized levels and carry forwards and that staffing and raises account for much of the difference between 2024 actual spending and the FY25 adjusted authorized amounts.

Staffing and IT: NHRS said it currently has 78 positions and proposed adding nine positions in FY26 and three more in FY27, primarily in IT (security, cloud migration, project management and business analysis). The agency said some hires are temporary or consultant support for implementation phases but that several permanent positions are needed to maintain the modernized systems.

Funding sources and questions: NHRS staff told lawmakers the retirement trust reimburses administrative costs (the system is statutorily separate from the executive branch) and said most of the NHRS operating budget is paid from contributions and investment returns. Committee members asked for clarification about the source and mechanics of the governor’s proposed general fund additions and the relationship to a pending bill (Senate Bill 83) tying video lottery terminal revenue to retirement funding; NHRS said HB2 language would direct $27.5 million per year for 10 years to general funds for retirement, and staff assumed the $27.9 million figure in the governor’s books relates to that bill’s numbers.

Next steps: Committee members asked for further detail on staffing, which positions are permanent versus temporary, and clarification about the source of the governor’s numeric assumptions for group 2 funding. NHRS said it would provide follow‑up material and explained that pension-related general funds included in the governor’s budget are limited to Group 2 benefit changes described in HB2.","New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS) officials told the House Finance Committee the agency seeks budget increases for IT modernization, a multi‑year strategic plan and staffing to support new software and benefit changes; the governor recommended limited general fund support tied to Group 2 benefit proposals.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6665588,"House finance panel accepts $280,000 annual state match to keep CDBG funds flowing to New Hampshire towns",546,2244000,2790000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09&start=2244&end=2790","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347864-a23a53e61b899f7faf0843b94791dc09/thumbnail_2244000.jpg","/articles/6665588/New-Hampshire/House-finance-panel-accepts-280000-annual-state-match-to-keep-CDBG-funds-flowing-to-New-Hampshire-towns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665588-3eb55ae9de0e58fa55828a3873f66740/orig.mp4?Expires=1775403106&Signature=Oxf0sjvedhcDa9MxWw8bh6dui0EPdW-QfD5BAHqxc5DekODi~ORvmrJfF6ixGN71g~~uT9Tojr14tnfryprv8uYFOpAPl8fZV3nLfRlx70oLbM3yWEz4buC--1deDDaBqt-fKL012TIwdnmCkGr4kFDYevkudZSYpdhjdwrciIexyNe3QvqRxJUsmgVxwCc1QkPCBM2v5tXAThidhN0DGRZ4Orppq0dtisfF4ScPp5AAPfPD0MKR3SMvwdXLzUGa8ieTPY-DsmeUCW7jXoxKcVBNdky5IfHzRaqmDyRebnjY7k1le168e511mn1vSsw6JsbDMwL-HgJuAIy5oKwP~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Finance Committee voted unanimously to accept the Community Development Finance Authority’s (CDFA) request for a state match of $280,000 in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to administer the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on behalf of New Hampshire.

The funding will be used by CDFA to provide technical assistance, contracting, monitoring and other administrative services required to deliver roughly $9.4 million a year in federal CDBG funds to municipalities, nonprofits and businesses, CDFA officials told the committee. Katie Easterly Marty, executive director of CDFA, told the panel the state match allows the authority to leverage those federal dollars into roughly $19 million of community investments each year.

“CDFA has administered the annual allocation of CDBG funds on behalf of the State of New Hampshire since 2003,” Easterly Marty said. She told lawmakers the program’s goals are to develop viable communities, provide decent housing and suitable living environments, and expand economic opportunity.

Why it matters: Committee members pressed CDFA on oversight and results; the authority said it performs desk and on-site monitoring and is audited annually by federal officials. In the past two years, CDFA said its CDBG program had assisted more than 30,000 people through public services and facility improvements, created or retained dozens of jobs and rehabilitated or preserved hundreds of housing units.

Committee action: Representative Ebel moved to accept CDFA’s budget request as presented; Representative Rung seconded. The committee took the matter by a show of hands and recorded a unanimous approval.

What the funding pays for: CDFA said the $280,000 annual state match represents roughly 2.9% of the federal allocation it administers and covers a portion of staff and systems used across multiple state and federal programs the nonprofit administers. CDFA said it has 18 employees (16 full‑time, two part‑time) and leverages staff across several programs to keep per‑dollar administrative costs low.

Background: CDBG is a federal program created under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The program gives HUD funds to states and localities and requires a nonfederal match or administrative structure to manage federal reporting, procurement and monitoring rules. CDFA told the committee it has coordinated more than $200 million into New Hampshire communities since 2003.

Committee members asked for follow-up material, including a short list of communities that received funding, and CDFA said it would provide more detailed examples and the agency’s monitoring procedures.","The House Finance Committee unanimously approved the Community Development Finance Authority’s request for a $280,000-per-year state match to administer the federal Community Development Block Grant, a dollar amount the agency says is essential to preserve roughly $9.4 million a year of federal investment in local projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Liquor Commission cites cloud-based system costs, transfers to health fund and evolving sales patterns in budget briefing

NH Retirement System asks House Finance for IT upgrades, new positions and funding tied to Group 2 benefit changes

House finance panel accepts $280,000 annual state match to keep CDBG funds flowing to New Hampshire towns