As is the case with every session, the Legislature faces a heavy workload of bills they will need to consider.
The New Hampshire Legislature convenes on January 3, 2024 for the opening day of its 169th Session. As is the case with every session, the Legislature faces a heavy workload of bills they will need to consider. For the 2023 Session, they will need to work through nearly 900 bills. Each one of those bills will receive a committee hearing and a vote before the House of Representatives or the Senate.
The legislative process begins when a member files a Legislative Service Request, or “LSR” for short. LSRs are simply a bare-bones description of the sponsor’s intent for the bill. Although they do not provide the bill language or even the committee to which the bill will be referred, reviewing them will give the reader a good sense of which topics will be priorities for the Legislature in the coming session.
Listed below are the issue areas that will be of interest to environmental protection, renewable energy and conservation stakeholders in New Hampshire. To view the LSRs that may be of interest to these groups, click here.
CLIMATE CHANGE: The Legislature will consider four bills that address climate.
CURRENT USE: An LSR (LSR 2024-2759) has been introduced that that would set up a new assessment process for Current use properties that have been enrolled in forest carbon markets.
ENERGY AND ENERGY FACILITY SITING: As is the case every session, energy and the siting of energy facilities will be a top focus of legislative activity. At least 12 bills will be heard in 2024.
SOLID WASTE: As in 2023, the Legislature will continue to focus on the State’s solid waste management policies.
FOREST CARBON MARKETS: Interest in forest carbon markets is increasing. The Legislature will consider three bills in this issue including one (LSR 2024-3134) that would establish a temporary moratorium on the sale of carbon credits.
WATER RESOURCES: Seven bills will be heard in 2024 including one (LSR 2024-2105) that proposes to amend the New Hampshire Lakes Management and Protection Program to include cyanobacteria blooms.
OHRVs: Three bills will be discussed including LSR 2024-3000 that proposes to make an appropriation for OHRV trails.
- To search through the entire list of LSRs for the 169th Session click here: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/lsr_search/LSR_Results.aspx
- All LSRs are finalized with the bill language by early to mid-January. You will be able to read the actual bill language for those bills on the General Court’s website (http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/) when they are available.