CONCORD, N.H. —

The proposed comeback of the "Chain Gang" at New Hampshire's state prison may face obstacles due to a lack of state funding.

House Republican lawmakers have pushed to bring back hard prison labor as an opt-in for convicted offenders, saying the work inmates would do is routine.

"The provisions that are in this legislation are things that people do every single day to support their families," said Rep. Jennifer Rhodes, R-Winchester. "Every single day, we have farmers, we have people that do construction work, we have people that do framing, concrete, you name it."

Correction officials told state representatives Thursday that many inmates already work, performing a total of 35,000 hours of community service in 2024.

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