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HB 1088-FN-A - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
04/09/2026 1268s
4Jun2026... 2153EBA
2026 SESSION
26-2535
08/05
HOUSE BILL
1088-FN-A
AN ACT
transferring funding for the water well board from the general fund to a special nonlapsing fund.
SPONSORS: Rep. Donnelly, Rock. 25
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill transfers funding for the water well board from the general fund to a special nonlapsing fund.
This bill is a request of the department of environmental services.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
04/09/2026 1268s
4Jun2026... 2153EBA 26-2535
08/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
transferring funding for the water well board from the general fund to a special nonlapsing fund.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; Water Well Board Fund. Amend RSA 6:12,I (b) by inserting after subparagraph (410) the following new subparagraph:
(411) Moneys deposited in the water well board fund as established in RSA 482-B:4-a.
2 New Section; Water Well Board Fund. Amend RSA 482-B by inserting after section 4 the following new section:
482-B:4-a Water Well Board Fund. The New Hampshire water well board fund is established as a special fund in the state treasury. The fund shall be revolving, continually appropriated and nonlapsing. All fees, fines and civil penalties collected as provided in this chapter shall be paid into the state treasury immediately upon collection and credited to the water well board fund. The state treasurer shall invest the moneys deposited in accordance with RSA 6:8. Any earnings on fund moneys shall be added to the fund. The water well board fund shall be used to fund water well board duties as outlined in this chapter.
3 Fees; New Hampshire Water Well Board. Amend RSA 482-B:14 to read as follows:
482-B:14 Fees.
Fees received under this chapter shall be paid over to the state treasurer and deposited in the [
general fund
]
water well board fund established in RSA 482-B:4-a
.
4 Enforcement and Penalties; New Hampshire Water Well Board. Amend RSA 482-B:16, VI to read as follows:
VI. All moneys collected under this section shall be forwarded to the state treasurer and deposited into the [
general fund as unrestricted revenue
]
water well board fund established in RSA 482-B:4-a
.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
LBA
26-2535
4/14/26
HB 1088-FN-A-
FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2026-1268s)
AN ACT
transferring funding for the water well board from the general fund to a special nonlapsing fund.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Estimated State Impact
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029
Revenue
$0
($121,300)
GF
($242,600)
GF
($242,600)
GF
$121,300
WWBF
$242,600
WWBF
$242,600
WWBF
Revenue Fund(s)
General Fund and Water Well Board Fund (WWBF)
Expenditures*
$0
$0
($103,141)
GF
($103,141)
GF
$103,141
WWBF
$103,141
WWBF
Funding Source(s)
General Fund and Water Well Board Fund (WWBF)
Appropriations*
$0
$0
$0
$0
Funding Source(s)
None
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
METHODOLOGY:
This bill establishes the Water Well Board Fund as a special, nonlapsing, continually appropriated fund in the state treasury. All fees, fines, and civil penalties collected under RSA 482-B would be deposited into this fund rather than the General Fund. The fund would be used to support the operations and duties of the Water Well Board and is effective January 1, 2027.
The Department of Environmental Services states the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules recently approved a rule allowing the Water Well Board to charge a $100 fee for each well completion report filed. Based on an average of 2,426 well completion reports submitted annually, the fee is expected to generate approximately $242,600 in annual revenue beginning July 1, 2026 (FY 2027). Currently, annual fee collections total approximately $43,480 and are deposited into the General Fund. In addition, one full-time position (#18464) that administers the Water Well Board is funded by the General Fund at an annual cost of $103,141 in FY 2027.
Under this bill, all Water Well Board-related revenues including the existing $43,480 and the new fee revenue will be deposited into the newly created Water Well Board Fund rather than the General Fund effective January 1, 2027. The total estimated revenue to the new fund in FY 2027 is approximately $242,600, reflecting the Board’s revised fee structure and the consolidation of prior General Fund revenue.
The position, which is currently funded through the General Fund, will instead be supported by the Water Well Board Fund. Due to the effective date occurring midway through FY 2027, it is assumed there will be no change to General Fund expenditures in FY 2027. Revenue collected in FY 2027 is assumed to be deposited into the General Fund during the first half of the year and into the Water Well Board Fund during the second half of the year. Beginning in FY 2028 and continuing thereafter, the position is assumed to be fully funded by the Water Well Board Fund, resulting in a reduction in General Fund expenditures, and all associated revenue is assumed to be deposited into the Water Well Board Fund, resulting in a reduction in General Fund revenue.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Environmental Services