Shoreland protection reforms become law

Reforms to the state's Shoreland Protection Act have become law.

But not by way of SB 154, legislation originally created to encompass the reforms.

Instead, the legislative vehicle for the reforms turned out to be one of the state budget bill, HB 2.

Here's what happened:

House Republicans late in the session inserted language in SB 154 to repeal the state's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

It passed both chambers but made it vulnerable to a veto from Gov. John Lynch, who indeed vetoed SB 154 on July 6, 2011 specifically because of the RGGI language.

Recognizing the reforms were at risk, state Sen. Jeb Bradley and other Senate Republicans inserted the reform language into HB 2.

The state budget became law by virtue of the fact that the legislation was neither signed nor vetoed by Lynch. That means that the Shoreland Protection Act reforms by default also become law.

Lynch made note of this in his veto message on SB 154.

"As originally drafted, this legislation also contained important changes to New Hampshire's Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Law. These changes, which enjoyed widespread support among stakeholders and bi-partisan support in the legislature, were ultimately included in HB 2 and have already become law."