New Hampshire HB 1705: establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders.

Bill Text

HB 1705-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

19Feb2026... 0531h

26Mar2026... 1202h

05/14/2026 1926s

2026 SESSION

 26-2393

 06/07

HOUSE BILL 1705-FN

AN ACT establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders.

SPONSORS: Rep. Selig, Straf. 10; Rep. Damon, Sull. 8; Rep. Drye, Sull. 7; Rep. Newell, Ches. 4; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5

COMMITTEE: Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 This bill establishes a fund to cover the costs of enrolling and supporting first responders from small communities into the state-provided employee assistance program (EAP) and outlines eligibility, enrollment, and reporting requirements for the department of health and human services. Implementation of the program is contingent upon receipt of funding.

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19Feb2026... 0531h

26Mar2026... 1202h

05/14/2026 1926s 26-2393

 06/07

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders.

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

 1 New Sections; State-Funded Employee Assistance Program for Small Communities; Establishment of Fund. Amend RSA 281-A by inserting after section 17-f the following new sections: 

 281-A:17-g First Responders Support Fund. There is established a first responders support fund, which shall be administered by the department of health and human services. This fund shall be used for costs incurred to enroll and administer volunteer first responders and full-time first responders from towns with 5 or fewer full-time, paid first responders into the state-provided employee assistance program (EAP). All fees, monetary grants, gifts, donations, or interest generated by these funds shall be deposited with the state treasurer in a special nonlapsing fund to be known as the first responders support fund and shall be continually appropriated to the department for the administration of this section. 

 281-A:17-h Eligibility and Enrollment. 

 I. Volunteer first responders and full-time first responders from towns with 5 or fewer full-time, paid first responders shall be eligible for the employee assistance program for small communities. 

 II. The department of health and human services shall ensure that these first responders are enrolled in the state-provided employee assistance program (EAP), which offers comprehensive support services, including those for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-traumatic stress (PTS). 

 III. The department of health and human services shall develop and implement guidelines for the administration of the fund, including the process for enrollment and provision of services. 

 IV. The department shall submit an annual report to the legislature detailing the usage of the fund, the number of first responders served, and the outcomes of the program.

 V. Implementation of the employee assistance program for small communities established in this section shall be contingent upon funding. The department shall indicate the availability of such funding in the report submitted pursuant to paragraph IV, provided that program implementation shall begin upon receipt of such funding, with the initial report submitted shortly thereafter. 

 2 New Subparagraph; New Funding. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (410) the following new subparagraph: 

 (411) Moneys deposited in the first responders support fund as established in RSA 281-A:17-g. 

 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027. 

 LBA

 26-2393

 4/2/26

HB 1705-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2026-1202h)

AN ACT establishing an employee assistance program for small town and volunteer first responders.

FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not authorize new positions.

 Estimated State Impact

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

FY 2029

 Revenue

$0

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 Revenue Fund(s)

Gifts, grants, donations, unidentified fee revenue

 Expenditures*

$0

$0

$114,000

$119,000

 Funding Source(s)

General funds and other sources deposited into the newly-established First Responders Support Fund

 Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

None

 *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

METHODOLOGY:

This bill makes community first responders eligible for participation in the state Employee Assistance Program (EAP) administered by the Department of Health and Human