Relative to the maximum amount of disaster relief funding provided to municipalities after a natural disaster.
Impact
By raising the funding cap, HB 165 potentially enhances the ability of municipalities to recover from disasters more effectively. The bill mandates that municipal requests for funding must be submitted within 45 days of a disaster's declaration by the governor. However, it does not allocate new funding sources nor does it specify how these increased funds would be accessed beyond existing balances in the relevant disaster and emergency response funds, thereby leaving the actual impact somewhat indeterminate.
Summary
House Bill 165 aims to amend existing laws regarding disaster relief funding provided to municipalities in the state of New Hampshire. The bill proposes to increase the maximum annual amount of funds that a municipality can receive from the disaster relief fund from $25,000 to $100,000. This change is intended to facilitate better support for local governments in the aftermath of natural disasters, allowing them to access more funding for infrastructural repairs and recovery efforts than currently allowed under existing regulations.
Contention
While some legislators and local officials may support the increased funding limit as a necessary step toward preparedness and rapid response, critics may express concerns about the lack of new funding mechanisms. The bill does not address the zero balance in the New Hampshire Emergency Response and Recovery Fund and the limited resources currently available in the Disaster Relief Fund. Thus, even with an increased cap on funding, the actual availability of funds could still be constrained, raising questions about the feasibility of the proposed changes.
Relative to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Summer EBT program and making appropriations therefor and relative to providing disaster relief funding to municipalities after a natural disaster.