Bill would let treasurer invest nongame species special fund balances; Fish & Game seeks clarifying language

Grant Bossie, deputy chief of staff to the Senate, introduced Senate Bill 107 on behalf of Sen. Tim Lang. The bill would authorize the state treasurer to invest funds held in the Nongame Species Special Fund so that interest and investment returns accrue to the nongame account rather than flowing into the broader Fish and Game fund.

Dan Bergeron, chief of the wildlife division at New Hampshire Fish and Game, told the committee the change responds to donor interest in larger gifts that donors want to see earn interest for the program they support. “We think the benefit, particularly given the way the nongame program is funded, would be appropriate to keep this money in that account,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron described the program as relatively small in dollar terms — the change is not expected to create a large automatic revenue shift — and said the accounts are structured similarly to other dedicated accounts that already receive investment treatment. He said allowing investment of donations in the nongame account would improve the agency’s ability to leverage match for federal grants and encourage larger private gifts.

Committee members asked whether the bill’s phrase “including any federal monies which become available” could be read to move broader federal funding into the nongame account rather than limiting the language to federal receipts that are already destined for that specific account. Senator Rosenwald asked whether the language could be clarified to read “including any federal monies which are deposited into the Nongame Species Special Fund.” Bergeron agreed to review redrafting with the Attorney General’s office and the department.

The committee temporarily moved the item into executive session to discuss an amendment and then withdrew the amendment pending clarification; senators instructed staff and the department to return with narrowly tailored language that makes clear only funds deposited into the Nongame Species Special Fund are affected.

Ending: No final committee vote was taken. Members agreed to hold the bill for drafting clarification and to bring clean language back to committee; Fish and Game agreed to provide additional financial detail for later review in the finance process.