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Senate Finance Committee backs raising National Guard damage reimbursement cap to $1,000
Summary
The Senate Finance Committee recommended passage of House Bill 122 to raise the per-incident reimbursement for property damage caused by National Guard troops or vehicles from $500 to $1,000 and approved the measure on consent.
The Senate Finance Committee voted to recommend passage of House Bill 122, which would allow the National Guard Bureau to reimburse New Hampshire residents up to $1,000 per incident for property damage caused by Guard troops or vehicles, up from the current $500 limit.
Supporters told the committee the current $500 cap dates to 1981 and has not kept pace with costs. "Essentially, what the bill says is that, if a National Guard troop or vehicle causes damage in some way, that the Guard Bureau would be authorized to reimburse the individual," Representative Jim Creighton said while introducing the bill on behalf of the National Guard Bureau.
The bill would make the state reimbursement limit $1,000 per incident and also update agency naming in statute from the "department of the adjutant general" to the "department of military affairs and veteran services," a change supporters said reflects current agency organization. Kevin Grady, representing the State Veterans Advisory Committee, said he and the committee "strongly support this bill" and described the increase as a modest administrative improvement that would let the Guard resolve low-value claims quickly.
Senators asked about the fiscal impact and how claims would be funded. Committee members were told the expected fiscal impact is de minimis and, if funds are required, they would come from general funds appropriated to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. When asked how many claims exceed the current $500 cap, a witness estimated the number is small and "under a hundred," but no exact count was provided to the committee record.
Following a short executive session on the bill, the committee approved a motion from Senator Birdsell, seconded by Senator Rosenwald, recommending the bill "ought to pass" and placed the measure on consent. The committee recorded the outcome as approved on consent; no roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.
The committee closed public testimony after noting one online support signup and no further on-site public testimony for this bill. The bill will proceed with the committee's recommendation to the full body, subject to further floor action.
