SBRep. 298-FN - AS INTRODUCED SESSION 25-1166 05/02 SENATE BILL 298-FN AN ACT relative to sober living house certification and operational standards.

SPONSORS:Grote, Rock.

Sen.24 April 29, 2026 2026-1751h 09/08 Amendment to SB 298-FN Amend the bill by replacing section 1 with the following:

Avard,3 Dist1 12New COMMITTEE:Paragraph;

ExecutiveAlcoholism Departments and AdministrationAlcohol ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────Abuse; ANALYSIS This bill requires sober living houses to be certified by the New Hampshire Coalition of Recovery Residents, to verify resident eligibility, and to retain a paid house manager.

TheDefinitions. bill provides enforcement authority to the municipality in which the house is located and to the department of health and human services.

-Amend -RSA -172-B:1 -by -inserting -after -paragraph -XIII -the -following -new -paragraph: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Explanation:

MatterXIII-a. added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter"Recovery removedresidence" means a home-like environment for individuals recovering from currentsubstance lawuse appearsdisorder [incentered bracketsaround andpeer-support struckthrough.]that Matterprovides whichan isalcohol-free eitherand (a)drug-free allliving newenvironment or (b)any repealedother andbusiness reenactedholding appearsthemselves inout regularas type.recovery housing, sober living, or a recovery residence.

SBThis 298-FNterm -shall ASnot INTRODUCEDinclude 25-1166a 05/02halfway STATEhouse, OFtreatment NEWunit, HAMPSHIREor Indetoxification thefacility. Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five AN ACT relative to sober living house certification and operational standards.

BeAmend itRSA Enacted172-B:2, byV(a)(3) theas Senateinserted andby Housesection 2 of Representativesthe inbill Generalby Courtreplacing convened:it with the following:

1(3) NewCriteria Chapter;by which the department may revoke certification of [exclude] a residence [from the list] if the frequency [or] and/or severity of complaints received supports a determination that the recovery [housing] residence at issue does not maintain standards or provide an environment that appropriately supports recovery.

PlanningAmend andRSA Zoning;172-B:2, VII(b)-(d) as inserted by section 2 of the bill by replacing it with the following:

Sober(b) LivingThe Housecertifying Certificationbody andshall Operationalinvestigate Standards.complaints received by the department regarding non-compliance with [NARR] nationally recognized standards.

AmendThe RSAcertifying bybody insertingshall afterprovide chapteran 674annual report to the followingdepartment, newand chapter:shall report quarterly on any newly certified [houses] residences or [houses] residences that are out of compliance.

CHAPTERThe 674-Acertifying SOBERbody LIVINGshall HOUSEinform CERTIFICATIONthe ANDdepartment OPERATIONALand STANDARDSthe 674-A:1municipality Definitions.in which a recovery house operates within [5] 3 business days if [a recovery house's] certification is suspended or revoked.

I.[(c) The department shall identify certified recovery houses in good-standing on the registry created pursuant to paragraph V.

"Sober(d) livingThe house"department meansshall aadopt residentialrules, propertypursuant thatto providesRSA a541-A, structured,relative alcohol-to the process for certification and drug-freethe livingrequirements environmentof forthis individualsparagraph.] recoveringAmend fromRSA substance172-B:2, useVIII disorders.and IX as inserted by section 2 of the bill by replacing it with the following:

II.Amendment to SB 298-FN - Page 2 - VIII.

"HouseAll manager"recovery meansresidences anoperating individualin employedthe state of New Hampshire shall file with the department, on a form prescribed by the soberdepartment, livingwithin house120 todays overseeof dailythe operationseffective anddate ensureof compliancethis withsection applicableto lawsinitiate andthe certification standards.process.

674-A:2For Certificationany Requirement.recovery housing residence that begins operations after the effective date of this section, the required form shall be filed with the department no later than 30 days before the first resident begins occupancy.

I.The following information shall be included on the form:

All(a) soberThe livingname housesand operatingcontact withininformation the state of New Hampshire shall obtain and maintain certification from the Newoperator; Hampshire Coalition of Recovery Residents (NH CORR).

Certification(b) shallThe complyfirst withdate theof standardsoccupancy; set forth by NH CORR to ensure adherence to best practices for recovery residences.

II.(c) Information related to any existing certification or equivalent accreditation the residence has obtained or is in the process of obtaining;

Non-certifiedand sober(d) livingAny housesother shallinformation notrequired beby eligiblethe todepartment applythrough forrule. or receive zoning exceptions, variances, or waivers under state or municipal law.

III.IX.

ExistingAll soberrecovery livingresidences houses operating withoutwithin certification on the effectivestate date of thisNew sectionHampshire shall obtain and maintain certification fromdirectly NHor CORRthrough withina 180contracted daysentity ofpursuant to the effectiverules date.adopted under this chapter and the following:

Failure(a) toCertification achieve certification within this period shall resultbe incompleted penaltieswithin as12 providedmonths in RSA 674-A:6 and may subject the property to additional enforcement actions, including cessation of operations.filing.

674-A:3A Residentrecovery Eligibilityresidence Verification.shall not operate without certification unless it is actively engaged in efforts to obtain certification.

I.For purposes of identifying this 12-month time frame, a recovery housing residence is considered to begin operating on the date that the first resident occupies the residence.

Prior(b) toIf admittingthe anydepartment resident,finds that a soberrecovery livingresidence houseis operatoroperating shallwithout verifycertification, that the individualdepartment hasshall successfullyissue completedby orcertified ismail actively participating in a recognizedcease rehabilitationoperations programnotice. for substance use disorders.

II.The department shall notify the municipality in which a recovery house operates and the attorney general for prosecution.

The(c) soberNo livingperson, housebusiness, operatoror isgovernment requiredentity shall advertise or represent any residence or other building to maintainbe recordsa ofrecovery suchresidence, verificationsober forliving allhome, currentor any other alcohol and pastdrug residentsfree housing for apersons minimumrecovering offrom 3substance yearsuse followingdisorder theirunless departure.the residence or building meets one of the following conditions:

III.(1) The residence or building is certified under this chapter;

or (2) The departmentresidence ofor healthbuilding andis humanregulated servicesand shalllicensed haveby the rightdepartment. to request proof of these records at any time.

FailureAmend tothe providebill documentationby withinreplacing aall reasonableafter timesection frame,3 aswith determined by the department,following: may result in penalties as provided in RSA 674-A:6.

674-A:44 PaidDepartment Houseof ManagerHealth Requirement.and Human Services;

SBFunding. 298-FN - AS INTRODUCED - Page 2 - I.

EachThe soberdepartment livingshall housenot shallbe employrequired ato paidimplement housethe managerprovisions whoof this act until such date that the program is notsufficiently afunded currentto ormeet formerthe residentrequirements of thesections sober1 livingthrough house.3 of this act.