Senate Finance approves several HB2 fixes for transportation, delays others; renewable energy amendment set for later packet

The New Hampshire Senate Finance Committee met in executive session and on multiple HB2 items, approving several Department of Transportation technical fixes and funding shifts while placing other requests on hold for further review.

Committee members approved an internal reallocation that shifts $1,750,000 per year within the Department of Transportation’s winter maintenance budget to a winter employee retention program; they also approved an amendment that directs a new $120 expedited driveway permit fee into the highway fund and adds funding for a DOT permit position tied to that fee. The committee approved language enabling DOT to seek reimbursement for costs to remove abandoned vehicles and campers from park-and-ride rest areas.

The committee voted to deny a request from the New Hampshire Adult Parole Board to fund a currently filled secretary position that had been left unfunded in the governor’s recommendation; that request was for $192,830 of general funds over the biennium. Several other agency requests and technical accounting changes were held for later review, including a banking department request to exempt the Consumer Credit Administration license fund from a 5% assessment fee and a DOT accounting/encumbrance procedure change.

Why it matters: the committee’s actions alter how existing dollars move within agency budgets and how some new fees and positions will be funded. The decisions also preserve legislative review for items the committee put on hold, including several energy-related sections that senators said require more work.

What the committee did and why

- DOT winter retention reallocation: Senators approved shifting $1,750,000 per year from operations/consumables within winter maintenance to a winter employee retention program. Members said winter cleanup costs can be large in a single storm and flagged…