Senate advances bill letting Fish and Game charge other agencies for staff time

Senators on March 26 approved amendments to House Bill 1199, a measure that would allow the Fish and Game Department to charge other state agencies for use of its staff and make the resulting funds available for department expenditures.

Senator Waters, speaking in favor of the committee recommendation, said the bill would create “a practical fix to the department’s administrative challenges,” allowing Fish and Game to charge consulting fees to other executive departments and use the receipts under RSA 206:38. The committee had recommended the bill ought to pass with amendment by a 5–0 vote.

During floor debate, Senator Gray offered floor amendment 1260S to make the account non‑lapsing and continually appropriated to the Fish and Game Department so the agency would not need to return for additional appropriations. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. The committee amendment was also adopted, and the Senate ordered House Bill 1199 to third reading; members waived further finance referral after the floor amendment was adopted.

The bill’s proponents said the changes would streamline interagency work by ensuring Fish and Game staff can be reimbursed when their expertise is used by other agencies. No roll‑call vote of individual senators was recorded on the floor; committee votes reported in the transcript were 5–0 in favor of the committee recommendation.

The next procedural step is third reading, where the full Senate will consider final passage.