HB 302-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-0478

04/08

HOUSE BILL 302-FN-A

AN ACT relative to including education in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the New Hampshire constitution for New Hampshire law enforcement.

SPONSORS: Rep. Love, Rock. 13; Rep. Hynes, Hills. 2; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

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ANALYSIS

This bill requires the police standards and training council to provide each candidate for a law enforcement position with a minimum of 8 hours of education on the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and 8 hours of training on the New Hampshire constitution as a condition of graduation.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0478

04/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT relative to including education in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the New Hampshire constitution for New Hampshire law enforcement.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  Police Standards and Training Council; Education and Training Required.  Amend RSA 106-L:6, III to read as follows:

III.  The council, by rules adopted under RSA 541-A, shall establish the standards for physical and mental fitness under paragraphs IV-XI and shall fix other qualifications for the appointment of police officers, state corrections officers, and probation-parole officers, including minimum age, physical and mental standards, citizenship, good moral character, experience, education, and other such matters as relate to the competence and reliability of persons to assume and discharge the responsibilities of their offices.  The council shall require each candidate to complete not less than 8 hours of education on the United States Constitution, constitutional law, and the Bill of Rights, and 8 hours of training on the New Hampshire constitution.  The council shall prescribe the means for presenting evidence of the fulfillment of these requirements.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

23-0478

12/29/22

HB 302-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to including education in the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the New Hampshire constitution for New Hampshire law enforcement.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the police standards and training council to provide each candidate for a law enforcement position with a minimum of eight (8) hours of education on the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and eight (8) hours of training on the New Hampshire constitution as a condition of graduation. Currently, eight (8) hours of constitution training are being delivered in the full-time and corrections academies, however only four (4) is being delivered in the part-time academy. Under this bill there may be added costs to local sending law enforcement agencies as well as to the Police Standards and Training Council, as it is unclear at this time if the addition of these requirements may increase the overall length of the academy. It is assumed this would impact academies beginning in FY 2024.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Police Standards and Training Council