165:2-a Expense of General Assistance. –
I. The financial responsibility for general assistance for assisted persons shall be the responsibility of the town or city in which the person making application has residence for local welfare purposes, as defined in RSA 165:1 and RSA 21:6-a, except as otherwise provided in RSA 165:1-c.
II. Whenever any town or city assists a person pursuant to this chapter who is believed to be a resident of another New Hampshire municipality or outside of New Hampshire, the assisting municipality shall:
(a) Contact the welfare official for the alleged municipality of residency to seek reimbursement for the costs of relieving and maintaining the applicant;
(b) Request the municipality of residency undertake ongoing relief and maintenance of the applicant pursuant to the municipality of residency's welfare guidelines; or
(c) Request a hearing to determine the residency of the assisted person.
III. Hearings conducted pursuant to subparagraph II(c) shall be conducted by an agreed-upon current or former welfare official of a third municipality, with the consent of such welfare official, or an attorney familiar with this chapter. The hearing shall be conducted according to the fair hearing provisions described by the welfare guidelines of the alleged municipality of residency, except that the hearing may be conducted by telephone or video conference by agreement of the participants.
IV. If the hearing results in a determination that another municipality is responsible for providing the assistance, that municipality shall reimburse the assisting municipality for the costs of assistance previously rendered at the rate consistent with that municipality's welfare guidelines, and shall either:
(a) Continue to reimburse the assisting municipality so long as the person remains in need of assistance; or
(b) Undertake relief and maintenance of the assisted person according to that municipality's welfare guidelines.
Source. 1985, 380:6. 1988, 180:1. 1993, 229:2, eff. July 1, 1993. 2021, 122:44, eff. July 9, 2021. 2026, 81:3, eff. July 21, 2026.