HB 1566-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2022 SESSION

22-2066

05/08

HOUSE BILL 1566-FN

AN ACT relative to the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board.

SPONSORS: Rep. Murphy, Graf. 12; Rep. Marsh, Carr. 8; Rep. Merchant, Sull. 4; Rep. Weston, Graf. 8; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Carson, Dist 14

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ANALYSIS

This bill changes the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board executive director position from a classified to an unclassified position and establishes a dedicated fund to support the board.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

22-2066

05/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT relative to the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board.

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

1  New Hampshire Prescription Drug Affordability Board; Executive Director.  Amend RSA 126-BB:2, VI to read as follows:

VI.  The board shall be administratively attached to the department of health and human services.  The board may employ an executive director who shall be [a classified] an unclassified employee who shall serve at the pleasure of the board.  

2  New Paragraph; New Hampshire Prescription Drug Affordability Board; Dedicated Fund.  Amend RSA 126-BB:8 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:

III.  There is hereby established a non-lapsing fund to be known as the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board administration fund.  The fund shall be continually appropriated to the board and shall be used, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, to receive funds and to reimburse costs incurred by the board.  The fund may be used to pay administrative, technical, legal support or other costs incurred by the board under this chapter.  The state treasurer may invest moneys in the fund as provided by law, and all interest received on such investment shall be credited to the fund.  

3  New Subparagraph; Dedicated Fund.  Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (382) the following new subparagraph:

(383)  Moneys deposited in the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board administration fund, established in RSA 126-BB:8, III.

4  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.

LBA

22-2066

12/10/21

HB 1566-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to the New Hampshire prescription drug affordability board.

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

METHODOLOGY:

This bill: (1) changes from classified to unclassified the position of executive director of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board; and (2) establishes a non-lapsing special fund known as the NH prescription drug affordability board administration fund.  With respect to (1), although the position was established in RSA 126-BB:2, VI with an effective date of July 1, 2020, it was not included in the FY22/23 budget, nor does it have an assigned labor grade.  Per the Department of Health and Human Services, the classified position would likely require a labor grade of 35, while the proposed unclassified unclassified position would likely be established as a labor grade HH.  The table below shows the difference between the classified and unclassified salary and benefit cost of the position with the assumptions above:  

This bill does not contain an appropriation for the unclassified position.

With respect to (2), the bill does not provide an appropriation to the newly-created fund, nor does it identify the funding sources that may be deposited.  For this reason, the fund's creation is assumed to have no fiscal impact.  

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services