Senate Transportation Committee
Declan Donahue 271-3324
HB 663, allowing the division of historic resources to expend moose plate funds to administer and fund grants.
Hearing Date: March 25, 2025
Time Opened: 2:27 p.m. Time Closed: 2:34 p.m.
Members of the Committee Present: Senators Ricciardi, McConkey, Ward, Fenton and Prentiss
Members of the Committee Absent : None
Bill Analysis: This bill allows the division of historic resources to expend moose plate funds to administer and fund grants for the preservation of significant publicly-owned historic properties.
Sponsors:
Rep. Ebel | Rep. Rombeau | Rep. Luneau |
Rep. Malloy | Rep. Sykes | Rep. Newsom |
Rep. Crawford | Sen. Reardon | Sen. McConkey |
Sen. Rosenwald |
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Who supports the bill: Sen. Mark McConkey, Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, Ben Wilson
Who opposes the bill: Julie Smith
Summary of testimony presented in support:
Ben Wilson, NH Division of Historical Resources
- This bill is the result of asking the Attorney General's office if the Division of Historical Resources could use a portion of the funds from the annual moose plate program to cover its administrative costs.
- While that is legal, the language in this bill clarifies the fund's usage as applied to the Division of Historical Resources.
- Due to budget cuts, a portion of the moose plate funds may be needed to cover the salary and benefits of the program manager.
- The approximately $1,000,000 raised from the moose plate program is divided five ways, with the Division of Historical Resources receiving between $250,000 and $300,000.
- Senator McConkey asked what this bill would allow the Division of Historical Resources to do. Mr. Wilson stated that while the Attorney General's opinion is that the Division of Historical Resources can already use the revenue from the moose plate program to support staff salary and benefits, this bill would increase transparency on this.
DD
Date Hearing Report completed: March 28, 2025