An order relative to Executive Branch hiring

WHEREAS, the Governor has the responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and that State payroll expenditures are productive and effective; and

WHEREAS, identifying opportunities in governmental operations to reduce spending and increase efficiency will enable better stewardship of taxpayer dollars and decrease the state budget deficit; and

WHEREAS, the State is facing a budget deficit, necesshating a recalibration of spending levels consistent with fiscal responsibility; and

WHEREAS, the Governor of New Hampshire is positioned to review all state payroll expenditures as well as to balance and protect the interests of the citizens of New Hampshire; and

WHEREAS, the Governor has a fiduciary responsibility to take such steps as are required to achieve a balanced budget by the end of the biennium.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, KELLY A. AYOTTE, GOVERNOR of the State of New Hampshire, by the authority vested in me by Part II, Article 41 of the New Hampshire Constitution, do hereby order, effective immediately, that:

1. All full-time and part-time classified and unclassified employee positions within the agencies of the Executive Branch ("Agencies") that are vacant on the effective date of this Order or that become vacant after the effective date of this Order shall remain vacant unless otherwise explicitly exempted by this Order or granted a waiver to this Order by the Governor.

2. All full-time and part-time classified and unclassified employee positions whose roles are related to direct care at a state facility, child protective services, the enterprise functions of the Liquor and Lottery Commissions, and law enforcement-including corrections officers and troopers-are exempted from the provfsions of this Order

3. All full-time and part-time classified and unclassified employee positions that are funded either with 100 percent Federal funds, 100 percent restricted revenues, or a combination of federal funds and restricted revenues may be posted for internal applicants only, conditioned on the agency certifying in writing to the Governor before the posting is made that the projected federal funds or restricted revenues used to pay the salaries, benefits, and ancillary costs of the position are sufficient to support the position for the duration of the contract period or, if the position is intended to be pennanent, though the end of State Fiscal Year 2026. Any certification submitted under this paragraph shall be on a form provided by the Governor's Office.

4. Agencies may submit a written request to the Governor for a waiver to this Order that would allow an agency to post full-time and part-time classified and unclassified employee positions not otherwise covered by exceptions in this Order. Agencies that have made internal postings covered in paragraph 3 of this Order, and have not found a qualified applicant, may request a waiver from the Governor to post the position for external applicants. Any waiver request submitted under this paragraph shall be on a form provided by the Governor's Office.

5. All waivers to this Order granted by the Governor shall be posted on the Governor's Office webpage.

6. This Order shall remain in effect until terminated.

Given under my hand and seal at the Executive Chambers in Concord, this 22nd day of January, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and twenty-five, and the independence of the United States of America, two hundred and forty-nine.

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