NH SB503

Allows spruce-pine-fir-south (SPFS) lumber harvested and milled in New Hampshire to be substituted wherever spruce-pine-fir (SPF) lumber is specified in the state building code, provided it is properly graded

Addresses the competitive disadvantage facing New Hampshire sawmills and loggers whose timber must be graded as SPFS while the same wood species shipped to Canada can be graded as the higher-rated SPF designation

Requires structural design and inspection to use published SPFS design values, and mandates that allowable loads for connectors, fasteners, and other products correspond to the actual lumber species installed

Municipalities must accept either a native lumber certificate under RSA 426:18 or an American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) grade stamp as proof of grade

Takes effect 180 days after passage and does not prevent architects or engineers from specifying higher-strength materials when required for structural safety