Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows local governments to establish moratoriums on refugee resettlement in New Hampshire communities.

Highlights:

• Requires the New Hampshire refugee program to accept an application for a moratorium on new refugee resettlement activities in a host community that the local government has determined lacks “absorptive capacity” (Sec. 1).

• Defines “absorptive capacity” as a judgment made by local governments based on their evaluation of the following conditions for a host community within their jurisdiction (Sec. 1):
• The capacity of the community’s social service and health care agencies to meet the needs of the community’s current residents;
• The availability of affordable housing and waiting lists for such housing within the community; 
• The capacity of the community’s school district to meet the needs of the community’s current refugee population; and
• The ability of the community’s economy to accept new workers without displacing current workers or resulting in worsened working conditions.

• Specifies that for a community to be designated as lacking absorptive capacity the local government shall hold a public hearing, after consultation with the state refugee coordinator, and issue findings demonstrating that further resettlement of refugees in the community would have an adverse impact on current residents (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the New Hampshire refugee program to  issue a moratorium on new refugee resettlement activities after it receives an application, until the state refugee coordinator and the local government of the community determine that the community has sufficient absorptive capacity to begin resettling refuges (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes moratoriums not to exceed a period of one year (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text