Senate President & House Speaker Outline Process to Accept and Expend Federal Stimulus Funds
Contact Name: Sara Persechino, Michael O’Brien
Phone: (603) 271-3479, (603) 271-0515
Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us, mike.b.obrien@leg.state.nh.us
CONCORD—Today, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) and Speaker of the House Stephen Shurtleff (D-Penacook) sent a letter to Governor Chris Sununu regarding the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) and the bipartisan Joint Fiscal Committee’s continued role in accepting and expending federal stimulus funding.
The letter reads in part, “We are pleased that the advisory committee you have outlined would complement an already established legislative process. The swiftest means of effectively and constitutionally spending federal stimulus funds is through the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee...
We share your commitment to ensuring that these federal stimulus funds are put into the hands of our citizens and communities as quickly as possible in an effort to curb the impact of COVID-19 in New Hampshire. That’s why during this process we will continue to solicit the input of our constituents and those who have been greatly impacted by this pandemic. While New Hampshire awaits additional federal guidance and disbursement of these funds, Granite Staters will have an opportunity to share directly with elected officials and state agencies how these critical funds could be used to best fulfill their needs.”
The Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee is a bipartisan joint legislative committee which is designed especially to accept and expend federal funds and plays a crucial role during times of crisis like this. RSA 9:13-d expressly requires that the Fiscal Committee approve any expenditures during an emergency: “Should it be determined by the governor that a civil emergency exists, the governor may, with the advice and consent of the fiscal committee, authorize such expenditures, by any department or agency, as may be necessary to effectively deal with said civil emergency…”
The Fiscal Committee will meet remotely on Friday, April 10 and is committed to meeting as quickly and as often as necessary to accept and expend emergency appropriations so Granite Staters are provided with the critical relief and economic assurance they need and deserve.
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