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Committee advances housekeeping veteran measures to align statutes, expand council and preserve donations
Summary
A House committee approved technical changes and governance updates for veterans services, including renaming statutes to the Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, adding a fifth member to the State Veterans Council, and allowing donated funds to be non‑lapsing so donor intent is preserved.
A House committee on state‑federal relations and veterans affairs advanced three measures on Jan. 16 aimed at administrative fixes and better stewardship of veterans’ donations.
Representative Jim Creighton said HB 1025 corrects outdated statutory language that still referenced the "New Hampshire National Guard," updating the RSA to the "Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services." "All we're doing is changing the name to the proper name of Department of Military Affairs and Veteran Services," Creighton told the committee during the morning hearing.
The committee also voted to move HB 1101, which adds a fifth member to the State Veterans Council so it can avoid 2–2 ties when it exercises judgment or (potentially) fiscal authority tied to a veterans program. Adjutant General David Michalaitis described the council's prior evolution and said the extra seat would simplify decision‑making when the council takes on finance oversight.
Lawmakers approved HB 1152 to make donations and bequests received by the department non‑lapsing, a change meant to preserve donor intent across fiscal years. Maj. Gen. Michalaitis illustrated the problem with a past example: a donated scoreboard for a Pembroke outdoor field could be accepted as in‑kind support but the department had limited authority to receive monetary donations that would otherwise lapse at year‑end.
All three measures passed committee on voice and roll‑call motions and were placed on the committee’s consent calendar for floor consideration. Supporters characterized the bills as housekeeping to bring state statutes and practice in line with departmental structure and to ensure that gifts intended for veterans remain available for those purposes.
What’s next: The measures will be reported out of committee for action by the full House. The department said it would report back if additional drafting detail is needed on donor sub‑allocations within a fund.
Votes at a glance: - HB 1025 (statute name correction): committee recommended OTP (report to follow). - HB 1101 (State Veterans Council expanded to 5 members): OTP recommended, 14–0 roll call. - HB 1152 (donations/bequests non‑lapsing): OTP recommended, 14–0 roll call.
Who spoke: Representative Jim Creighton; Maj. Gen. David Michalaitis, Adjutant General; Deputy Adjutant General Nicole Bixler.
Why it matters: The bills do not create new programs or budget authority but aim to prevent unintended loss of donated funds and to streamline governance for veterans’ policy and funds administration.
