Commentary

A bill to establish a multi-agency task force headed by the Department of Safety to identify solutions to increase law enforcement and patrols on state waterways was recently voted “inexpedient to legislate,” according to NH LAKES, which promoted the measure.

The bill, HB 397, passed the House on a consent vote in March, which suggested it might gain traction in the Senate. But the Senate Judiciary Committee dinged it as “inexpedient to legislate” on a 3-2 party line vote, and the full Senate fell in line.

Those opposed to the measure said legislation isn’t needed to get agencies to work together to address problems. If so, what is?

Take Ossipee Lake Natural Area. For years, Forest Rangers from N.H. Forests & Lands have done what they can to keep boaters inside the recreation zone. But there aren’t a lot of Rangers, and they’re typically elsewhere doing their primary job, fighting forest fires.

Marine Patrol officers are not exactly plentiful on the lake, but there are more of them around each season, and they are often at the Natural Area during busy weekends. But their hands are tied when it comes to trespassing. It it’s not happening in the water, it’s not on their beat.

It makes common sense that Marine Patrol officers should be authorized to issue tickets to trespassers at the Natural Area. They’re already at the site, and it’s not hard to identify someone sitting under a “No Trespassing” sign as a trespasser.

But that kind of inter-agency solution isn’t being discussed because there’s no agency charged with creating a task force to explore such solutions because we don’t need legislation to require agencies to work together.

That’s the kind of circular logic that has blocked progress on lake issues for years. HB 397 is just the latest reminder of how difficult it is to break a bad habit.