TITLE I
THE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT

Chapter 19-P
STATE COMMISSION ON AGING

Section 19-P:1

    19-P:1 State Commission on Aging Established; Membership. –
I. There is established a state commission on aging to advise the governor and the general court on policy and planning related to aging.
II. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(b) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(c) The commissioner of the department of labor, or designee.
(d) The commissioner of the department of employment security, or designee.
(e) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.
(f) The commissioner of the department of transportation, or designee.
(g) The attorney general, or designee.
(h) The executive director of the New Hampshire housing finance authority, or designee.
(i) The long-term care ombudsman, or designee.
(j) Fifteen members of the public, including at least one member from each county, including representatives of the business community, health care, technology and innovation, municipal leaders, the aging network, advocacy organizations, caregivers, and direct service providers focused on the older adult population, appointed by the governor.
III. The commission may solicit information and participation from other state agency representatives or members of the public as determined necessary by the commission.
III-a. The commission shall elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and a recorder.
IV. The members appointed pursuant to subparagraph II(j) shall serve 3-year terms effective for appointments made after July 1, 2025; provided that initially such members shall serve staggered terms and no such member shall serve more than 2 consecutive terms, with the exception of the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and recorder, who may service an additional term for a total of 3 terms. A council member whose term of office is expiring may continue beyond the end of the term until reappointed or until a successor is nominated. Legislative members shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission. The first named member of the house of representatives shall convene the organizational meeting of the commission on or before 45 days of passage of this chapter for the purpose of electing officers serving on the commission. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. If any member is absent without previously being excused by the chairperson for 3 or more regular meetings, the member may be removed upon a majority vote of the commission.
V. The commission shall be authorized to select and hire select an executive director by a vote of a majority of the members. The executive director shall be in the classified service of the state and shall perform such duties as the commission may require. The commission shall hold no fewer than 9 regular meetings per year.
VI. The commission on aging shall be an independent agency, administratively attached to the department of administrative services pursuant to RSA 21-G:10.

Source. 2019, 152:2, eff. July 1, 2019. 2023, 79:169-172, eff. July 1, 2023. 2025, 141:37, eff. July 1, 2025.

Section 19-P:2

    19-P:2 Duties. –
The commission's duties shall include, but not be limited to:
I. Reviewing and recommending proposals for rules, legislation, waivers, operations, and other policies.
II. Reviewing and providing input relative to state planning efforts across agencies, including the state plan on aging, the mental health plan, and transportation and safety.
III. Formulating or helping to formulate, reviewing, and evaluating policy proposals, considering fiscal, program, provider, and recipient impact, and making recommendations accordingly.
IV. Encouraging the development of coordinated interdepartmental goals and objectives and the coordinating programs, services, and facilities among all state departments and nongovernmental organizations as they relate to older adults.
V. Identifying and recommending ways in which the state can support local and community efforts, through educational programs or otherwise, to promote healthy aging.
VI. Identifying and recommending ways in which the state can partner with nongovernmental organizations to promote healthy aging.
VII. Promoting the skills, talents, and energy older Granite Staters can offer to make New Hampshire a better place to live for everyone.
VIII. Assisting in the implementation of the state plan on aging.
IX. Making a continuing assessment of problems relating to older adults.
X. Advocating solutions to provide better integration of older persons into the social and economic life of the state.
XI. Soliciting the cooperation and help of the various groups concerned with the problems facing older adults.
XII. Obtaining from such groups their views, experience, assistance, and recommendations in the preparation and direction of future planning and administrative and legislative action as the commission may from time to time deem necessary and advisable.
XIII. Requesting from governmental agencies within the state, subject to available resources, in making available such information, suggestions, and statistics to enable the commission to perform its functions.
XIV. Other matters the commission deems necessary related to aging.
XV. Accepting and utilizing for its purposes, functions, and duties as set forth in this chapter public and private grants, gifts, donations, and contributions of money and other assets and properties, real and personal, of all types and kinds, without limitations.

Source. 2019, 152:2, eff. July 1, 2019. 2023, 79:173, eff. July 1, 2023.

Section 19-P:2-a

    19-P:2-a Advisory Council on the System of Care for Health Aging in New Hampshire. –
I. The commission shall establish an advisory council on the system of care for healthy aging in New Hampshire. The purpose of the advisory council shall be to:
(a) Improve the well-being of older adults and caregivers;
(b) Identify cost-savings and opportunities to increase collaboration, efficiency, and the effectiveness of the service array and service delivery system; and
(c) Assist and advise the commissioner of the department of health and human services on the system of care principles and values and implementation of RSA 151-E:22 through 151-E:27.
II. (a) The director of the division of long-term supports and services, or the director's designee, and one member of the state commission on aging shall serve as the permanent co-chairpersons of the advisory council.
(b) Additional members of the advisory council representing diverse perspectives shall be appointed by the commission on aging and shall include older adults and family caregivers with relevant experience, members of agencies serving older adults including public, private, consumer advocacy, and non-profit organizations, and individuals with relevant policy expertise.
III. The advisory council shall meet at least quarterly and may meet more often at the call of the commission.
IV. The duties of the council shall include reviewing and making recommendations regarding all aspects of the implementation of the system of care for healthy aging established under RSA 151-E:22 through 151-E:27. Such duties shall also include addressing the availability of long term supports and services for individuals across the continuum of care, including but not be limited to:
(a) Reviewing and making recommendations that improve and shorten the timeline for accessing Medicaid long-term care benefits.
(b) Reviewing and making recommendations to remove barriers to hospital discharge for non-acute patients who require post hospital long-term supports and services.
(c) Gathering additional data to review the implementation of the system of care for healthy aging, including but not limited to:
(1) Licensed long-term care beds in service versus licensed long-term care beds not in service, and recommendations for optimal utilization of limited long-term care bed licenses to increase access to long-term care.
(2) Reviewing the availability of long-term services and supports for individuals requiring post hospital or nursing facility care service.
(3) Access to Medicaid Choices for Independence waiver services post hospital discharge and recommendations for optimal program utilization.
(4) Availability of long-term supports and services for non-Medicaid individuals.
(d) Working collaboratively with public and private stakeholders to strengthen the direct care workforce to meet the growing demand for long-term supports and services in New Hampshire.
(e) Advising the governor, the senate president, the speaker of the house, the oversight committee on health and human services, as established in RSA 126-A:13, and the commissioner of health and human services on any issue related to long-term services and supports within the system of care for healthy aging.
V. A summary of the advisory council's activities, findings, and recommendations shall be included in the commission's annual report submitted under RSA 19-P:3.

Source. 2025, 141:38, eff. July 1, 2025.

Section 19-P:3

    19-P:3 Reports. – The commission shall submit an annual report to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, president of the senate, chairpersons of the house and senate committees having jurisdiction over finance and health and human services, and chairperson of the fiscal committee of the general court by November 1 of each year, commencing on November 1, 2019, regarding the activities of the commission.

Source. 2019, 152:2, eff. July 1, 2019.

Section 19-P:4

    19-P:4 Establishment and Support of Programs by a Municipality. – Any city, county, or town may establish programs for the aged, and such programs may be administered by appropriate existing offices or departments, or new offices or departments, of such governmental units. A city, county, or town may raise and appropriate funds for the administration of these programs. Any city, county, or town, with the advice of the state commission on aging, may raise the appropriate funds to assist or fund, in whole or in part, nonprofit corporations or agencies in administering programs for the aged.

Source. 2019, 152:2, eff. July 1, 2019.

Section 19-P:5

    19-P:5 Fund Established. – There is established in the office of the state treasurer a fund known as the New Hampshire commission on aging fund, which shall be kept separate and distinct from all other funds and shall be continually appropriated to the commission. Such fund shall be the depository of all gifts, grants, or donations made to the commission pursuant to RSA 19-P. The payment of the executive director of the commission, the expenses of the commission, and all other overhead costs of the commission, shall be paid from such fund. Any moneys in such fund shall not lapse into the general fund of the state.

Source. 2025, 141:39, eff. July 1, 2025.