HB 1186 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
15Mar2022... 0727h
2022 SESSION
22-2269
08/04
HOUSE BILL 1186
AN ACT relative to companion animals during a declared state of emergency.
SPONSORS: Rep. Gallager, Merr. 15; Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Amanda Bouldin, Hills. 12
COMMITTEE: Environment and Agriculture
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS
This bill requires shelters to accept companion animals during a declared state of emergency.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
15Mar2022... 0727h 22-2269
08/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT relative to companion animals during a declared state of emergency.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subdivision; Emergency Shelter for Companion Animals. Amend RSA 126-A by inserting after section 97 the following new subdivision:
Emergency Shelter for Companion Animals
126-A:98 State Policy for Companion Animals. During a declared state of emergency as defined in RSA 4:45, III(c) containing an evacuation order, any hotel or community shelter that shelters evacuated persons shall allow disaster animal response trailers, or other reasonable accommodations, on site to accommodate any companion animal belonging to such evacuated persons. The maximum number of animals per family entering the hotel or community shelter shall comply with local ordinances. For the purpose of this section, "companion animal" means a cat, dog, or other legally-owned animal kept in an enclosure that might typically be found in a home. During such emergency, any volunteer who has been vetted by the department of health and human services and is a member of the disaster animal response team and is assisting evacuated persons and companion animals shall be considered an emergency worker under RSA 21-P:41, VI(c).
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.