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Committee votes ITL on bill directing state planning for a second area code after NANPA oversight cited
Summary
House Bill 708 would have directed the Department of Energy to begin planning for an overlay area code to supplement New Hampshire’s 603 area code. DOE told the committee that the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) controls exhaust projections and code assignments, and that conservation steps the state directed in 2024 pushed the projected exhaustion date out to 2029.
Representative Timothy Horrigan introduced House Bill 708, which would direct the Department of Energy to begin planning for the introduction of an overlay area code to supplement New Hampshire’s 603 area code. Horrigan noted the state’s sole area code dates to 1947 and that multiple conservation steps have delayed projected exhaust dates in recent years.
Megan Stone, legislative liaison for the Department of Energy, told the committee the department is neutral but flaggd jurisdictional limits: the state cannot reserve area codes — the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) has authority to initiate planning and assign codes. Stone summarized recent conservation actions: after the department asked carriers to return under‑used number blocks and pursue rate center consolidation, NANPA’s projected exhaust date moved from 2024 to the third quarter of 2029. Stone said further conservation could push that date out further but that NANPA, not the state, controls the official planning timeline.
Vote and committee action: during an executive session later in the meeting the committee voted to recommend “Inexpedient to Legislate” (ITL) on HB 708. Representative Harrington moved the ITL motion and Representative McGee seconded; a roll call produced a 14–1 result in favor of ITL. Committee members said they were persuaded by DOE testimony that the department lacks authority to reserve or unilaterally plan area codes and that existing conservation activity has extended the exhaust timeline.
Ending: the committee chair placed the bill on the consent calendar following the ITL vote and assigned a committee reporter to prepare the committee report.
