[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6361268,"mediaKeyId","2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8","parentId",2170865,"title","Committee hears limited testimony on HB637, a narrow fix to annuity calculation for a closed class of retirees","audioSeconds",336,"startMs",11708000,"endMs",12044000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8&start=11708&end=12044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8/thumbnail_11708000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6361268/New-Hampshire/Committee-hears-limited-testimony-on-HB637-a-narrow-fix-to-annuity-calculation-for-a-closed-class-of-retirees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361268-2f18966df88994de84d1c1d7726d6257/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942563&Signature=lkgaJgwEFzR7nPEQGHZ1SjukX~P4wSn1~El4twwFCFytBnZKbfDqn0CTvqOSdYyVXOwieR1H1~VGk-LODGcZU3Msz3DBko0toNM6MLg4t1CWL1CzGjS-e4VwuwJFRaPNNQEtwSINekjTL~F0NbloQ8ELOLE8EAZIIhhAz0sNSBTTLqbWAeHmatYAXOZZU0tuec14O1XBIlBGV4csTn9pBL0N--D8cN4Fn09OZtep2px3Hr5EXJTTNFncGlj13o9sW7eh-1KtzZcWMn4nLsNHw~G3R6MDnTl6S3YrqltkOvRuJ4cVvHJzfkAZg0UiiZSsQ6DeR64w2espJwiokSjvcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","NH House of Representatives Committee","date","2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 637, introduced by Representative Dave Luno, would adjust statutory language so a small and closed group of retirees—those who had retired before a prior change to full Social Security age rules but had not yet reached that age—are included in a recalculation correction enacted several years earlier.

Luno said the bill is limited in scope and affects a finite cohort whose numbers will shrink over time; a constituent who originally brought the issue to his attention provided some of the fiscal information. Karen Irwin testified she and a finite group of retirees were affected by the prior change and requested committee action to correct what she described as an unintended gap.

NHRS staff said the system was neutral on the policy but provided background and confirmed the fiscal note would be nominal because the cohort is small; the committee received a copy of the fiscal note packet during the hearing and requested that staff share the full fiscal note with members and the subcommittee.

No committee vote on HB637 was taken. The committee directed staff to make the fiscal and actuarial materials available and sent the retirement bills to the pension subcommittee for more detailed review.

Ending: The committee closed the record on HB637’s public hearing and placed the measure into the pension-subcommittee docket for further actuarial and drafting review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Executive Departments and Administration (01/30/2025)","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 637 would close a narrow gap affecting a small group of retirees who were omitted by a prior statutory recalculation; the committee requested fiscal details and referred the bill to the pension subcommittee.","taxTitle","Executive Departments and Administration, House of Representatives, Committees\t, Legislative, New Hampshire","taxId",17748,"location","New Hampshire","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6361274,"Heated testimony on HB581, bill to create a defined-contribution plan for new state hires",747,7209000,7956000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8&start=7209&end=7956","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8/thumbnail_7209000.jpg","/articles/6361274/New-Hampshire/Heated-testimony-on-HB581-bill-to-create-a-defined-contribution-plan-for-new-state-hires","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361274-81c01cd50237cefa6834ccd803cf0fa7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942563&Signature=Qx8y5dXCZZnMbf~2PZCetAeaUdwCSGmJpOtZzIydP4-6lryYZ6fT7yeSF4pJynPwlcadu0FZOQbQtor3HMrOHJPijuHjqJAqWkYiDBTSJEHQBfOoYIkVaErLWBp46G9En-6k7w~e9ssRvd1HE1gMWSgG9MwqmDwcIv347oXxs9wN1bn1oHBuy9nhr9qhoLnJgPm8W5yykzGDRBjpm-B22DdVu5EbwuGjAgq1PKfUHaF3lhymhie3sHl6ukCJEAS1i2p4tw9wSCX2MI4VFX8XSlR5mX9Q3He~es8v1IZaZ13-xE04Xbf-QFNzYHDtf6lpsTfTVCfPIPFQ81h7YNQttA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 581 would establish a new retirement classification (a defined-contribution group for new state employees) and set a 7% employee contribution and a 5% employer contribution for those new hires. Sponsor Representative Dan Maguire framed the measure as a step toward avoiding future unfunded pension obligations by moving new hires into a savings-style plan.

NHRS Deputy Counsel Mark Kavanaugh and NHRS staff provided a technical briefing and cautioned the committee about several administrative and actuarial issues. NHRS said it was neutral on the policy choice but highlighted consequences of creating a closed cohort (a group that will not grow) and technical questions about how the unfunded accrued actuarial liability (UAAL) would be allocated. NHRS presented an initial worksheet of projected employer contributions (higher in early years for the employer under the DC proposal because the employer share rises from the existing normal cost to the 5% DC employer contribution) and noted that closed groups can drive different investment and amortization policies.

Witnesses opposed to HB581 included State Employees Association leadership, retired firefighters’ representatives and other union speakers who argued the DC approach shifts investment, longevity and inflation risk to employees, reduces the recruiting value of guaranteed retirement benefits, and could increase long-term taxpayer cost. Supporters including Americans for Prosperity and some private-sector witnesses argued DC plans reflect modern labor mobility and portability preferred by many younger workers.

NHRS and other witnesses identified operational areas that require clarification, including the mechanics for charging employer UAAL allocations, treatment of retiree health benefits, whether accidental disability/death benefits would be included, and whether the DC plan assets would be commingled with other pools. The committee did not vote on HB581 and sent the retirement-related bills (including HB581 and HB637) to the pension subcommittee for further study and actuarial analysis.

Ending: The committee closed the public hearing and referred HB581 to the pension subcommittee with requests for more precise actuarial and administrative drafting language and fiscal estimates.","House Bill 581 would create a new defined-contribution retirement group for future state hires; the committee heard broad, sharply divided testimony and requested further actuarial and drafting work.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6361276,"Committee hears hours of testimony on House Bill 536, a proposed permanent COLA for state retirees",413,4628000,5041000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8&start=4628&end=5041","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8/thumbnail_4628000.jpg","/articles/6361276/New-Hampshire/Committee-hears-hours-of-testimony-on-House-Bill-536-a-proposed-permanent-COLA-for-state-retirees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361276-f52ca9036993794e00fc02e18272ffef/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942563&Signature=VRchq25Cis05rTxfqZ6fuVPPEIygXJKlzv6v~YUnvsdXZrb4aV2nJs3Dx1klAgj5~wO7YcS8cvve6XqyeLfsPh9ozDpOgzoeUEHE2vslbJ4w1Y2OQD-BexxP21treEskK4pVBieX-hBQ9gg7rtB6cbqBbnBOOLD7ul1VSar7nH7L0xRQlJBHtEj7uV4zD4u3TsCdXNarNL7mOOf6U1NXy3gjlP8xYJE-WvlBZoqe0ZGFP07iUFi2eQAf6vTrvPWWR7biUOPgBqE-HSVdKam2UBncSLsaHoAjiglUMd60B80v6oHYFJuUdlmpWbAq4BhhA8IHgrZbARnPo2casTMyXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Executive Departments and Administration Committee held an extended public hearing on House Bill 536, a bill that would grant a permanent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 1.5% on the first $50,000 of a retiree’s annual allowance for eligible members of the New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS).

Sponsor Representative Jackie Groda told the committee the bill would give a 1.5% supplement on the first $50,000, equivalent to $750 on a $50,000 pension, and asked the committee to consider the policy question of whether retirees should receive a permanent COLA. She said the bill has appeared before the committee previously and that, historically, the legislature has sometimes substituted a stipend at the finance committee stage; in 2022–23 stipends were $500.

Mark Cavanaugh, deputy counsel and compliance officer for NHRS, provided fiscal and actuarial context. NHRS does not take a policy position but explained the projected ongoing employer contributions that would begin in FY2028: about $1.5 million for the state and $6.6 million for political subdivisions, reflecting increased normal cost and contributions. He explained that the bill’s terminal-funding language referencing the “state annuity accumulation fund” does not provide new funding and that the change would increase the system’s unfunded accrued actuarial liability (UAAL) by a present-value amount NHRS estimated at roughly $100.7 million.

Committee members pressed NHRS staff for details about how the cost affects municipal rates and the amortization of new UAAL layers. NHRS described how additional unfunded amounts are typically amortized as a separate layer over 20 years.

Public testimony included retired firefighters and representatives of public-employee associations who urged the committee to advance the bill. Speakers stressed retirees’ rising out-of-pocket costs for food, medical care and prescription drugs and argued the modest per‑person increase would be spent locally.

Opponents and cautious speakers raised concerns about long-term funding, the mechanics of terminal funding from the state annuity accumulation fund, and the fiscal impact on municipalities. NHRS and other witnesses answered numerous technical questions about normal cost, employer contribution rates, and how the UAAL would be amortized.

No formal committee vote on HB536 occurred at this session. The committee closed the public hearing and scheduled further work; NHRS provided a fiscal briefing and requested that actuarial details be made available to the committee for review by the pension subcommittee.

Ending: The committee closed the public hearing on HB536 and requested additional actuarial and fiscal analysis before taking a committee recommendation.","House Bill 536 would grant a 1.5% permanent cost-of-living adjustment on the first $50,000 of retirement allowance for eligible New Hampshire Retirement System members; the committee heard detailed testimony from the bill sponsor, retirement-system staff, unions, firefighters and retirees and requested actuarial and fiscal follow-up.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6361278,"EDNA moves several bills: ITL on HB622 and HB534; retains HB349 and HB244; HB233 passes as amended",256,53650,310060,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8&start=53&end=310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170865-848264f96ef72793ec88a1aed71800d8/thumbnail_53650.jpg","/articles/6361278/New-Hampshire/EDNA-moves-several-bills-ITL-on-HB622-and-HB534-retains-HB349-and-HB244-HB233-passes-as-amended","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361278-3ac21155696d4d49dd1842b40ca8a9a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770942563&Signature=IVm4-BquZRwfuW3La0gANltVUxy7aOtjEtYSIz0qJCA3FgqEs6qT3vK96pUnV4DhQRV1SDlMo-rb6Cflh3BNGx0fUSlBCNqBoPI55v3W9kRiwAlagmR1Tx-ukQ8vYW~Ly3cqFZi11rWiv-eFtFsiyBVgwpNomF3vFKWi10qRc1jWhzE~dLEloyHFGJ6zl7y1ZjxXwGdadUHHaRFnEhNIPTlb2c9dEDrhMdYGpg1r0gJGzJWEDFMuBr4ENhGVb8D8dRft72pmQup4Nd7zyr0GR3wMDDPMacuCKLTEKlJObkzHuY0LJhGzPzLKS5P6xY6c-obgbsoeOFpMgBUnlD0IpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Hampshire House Executive Departments and Administration (EDNA) Committee recorded several formal outcomes during today’s session.

The committee voted ITL (inexpedient to legislate) on House Bill 622. Representative Schmidt moved to ITL; Representative Leon seconded. The clerk called the roll and the chair announced, “The motion passes 14 to 0.”

The committee also moved to retain House Bill 349 (ophthalmologic laser bill) for further work. Representative Lam moved to retain; the motion was seconded and the clerk called the roll. The chair recorded the motion to retain as passed; members indicated they will await additional information from affected parties and continue work over the summer.

House Bill 534, introduced by Representative Steve Pearson at the request of the prime sponsor, was likewise recommended ITL after testimony indicated a technical problem in the bill and a misunderstanding about current practices. The committee moved into executive session, and the motion to ITL was taken and recorded; the chair announced the motion carried (roll call indicated unanimous support on the record).

On House Bill 233, the committee adopted Amendment 163H and subsequently voted the bill “Ought to pass, as amended.” The roll calls recorded adoption of the amendment (8–5) and passage of the amended bill (7–6). Representative Steve Pearson introduced the amendment and moved the final action; Representative Lamb seconded the amendment motion.

Votes noted during roll call were recorded into the official minutes with members’ verbal responses captured during the session. For bills placed on consent by the chair following unanimous or unopposed motions, committee members indicated no objection and the items were put on the consent list.

Ending: The committee scheduled follow-up work for retained bills and referred retirement-related bills to the pension subcommittee for additional hearings and actuarial review.

","At an Executive Departments and Administration Committee session, members voted to recommend ITL (inexpedient to legislate) on House Bills 622 and 534, voted to retain House Bills 349 and 244 for further work, and approved House Bill 233 as amended after roll call votes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears limited testimony on HB637, a narrow fix to annuity calculation for a closed class of retirees

Heated testimony on HB581, bill to create a defined-contribution plan for new state hires

Committee hears hours of testimony on House Bill 536, a proposed permanent COLA for state retirees

EDNA moves several bills: ITL on HB622 and HB534; retains HB349 and HB244; HB233 passes as amended