CHAPTER 187
HB 437 – FINAL VERSION
30Mar2005… 0372h
2005 SESSION
05/10
HOUSE BILL 437
AN ACT relative to the disposition of municipal records.
SPONSORS: Rep. N. Allan, Hills 26; Rep. Pilotte, Hills 16; Rep. O'Neil, Rock 15
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
This bill codifies the retention schedule for municipal records, establishes criteria for the retention of electronic records, and makes related technical changes to the law governing the disposition of municipal records.
The bill is a request of the secretary of state.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
30Mar2005… 0372h
05-0428
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five
AN ACT relative to the disposition of municipal records.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
187:1 New Paragraph; Disposition of Municipal Records; Definition of “Active” Added. Amend RSA 33-A:1 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
V. “Active” means until termination or expiration of obligations or services, cessation of need for further attention, and completion or release of any pending legal processes.
187:2 Municipal Committees; Reference to Rulemaking Deleted. Amend RSA 33-A:3 to read as follows:
33-A:3 Municipal Committees. The municipal officers or their designee together with the clerk, treasurer, assessors and tax collector of each city or town shall constitute a committee to govern the disposition of municipal records pursuant to [the rules promulgated by the municipal records board and the standards established by] this chapter. The committee shall designate the office responsible for the retention of each type of record created for the municipality.
187:3 New Section; Disposition and Retention Schedule. Amend RSA 33-A by inserting after section 3 the following new section:
33-A:3-a Disposition and Retention Schedule. The municipal records identified below shall be retained, at a minimum, as follows:
I. Abatements: 5 years.
II. Accounts receivable: until audited plus one year.
III. Aerial photographs: permanently.
IV. Airport inspections-annual: 3 years.
V. Airport inspections-daily, including fuel storage and vehicles: 6 months.
VI. Annual audit report: 10 years.
VII. Annual reports, town warrants, meeting and deliberative session minutes in towns that have adopted official ballot voting: permanently.
VIII. Archives: permanently.
IX. Articles of agreement or incorporation: permanently.
X. Bank deposit slips and statements: 6 years.
XI. Blueprints-architectural: life of building.
XII. Bonds and continuation certificates: expiration of bond plus 2 years.
XIII. Budget committee-drafts: until superseded.
XIV. Budgets: permanently.
XV. Building permits-applications and approvals: permanently.
XVI. Building permits-lapsed: permanently.
XVII. Building permits-withdrawn, or denied: one year.
XVIII. Capital projects and fixed assets that require accountability after completion: life of project or purchase.
XIX. Cash receipt and disbursement book: 6 years after last entry, or until audited.
XX. Checks: 6 years.
XXI. Code enforcement specifications: permanently.
XXII. Complaint log: expiration of appeal period.
XXIII. Contracts-completed awards, including request for purchase, bids, and awards: life of project or purchase.
XXIV. Contracts-unsuccessful bids: completion of project plus one year.
XXV. Correspondence by and to municipality-administrative records: minimum of one year.
XXVI. Correspondence by and to municipality-policy and program records: follow retention requirement for the record to which it refers.
XXVII. Correspondence by and to municipality-transitory: retain as needed for reference.
XXVIII. Current use applications and maps: until removed from current use plus 3 years.
XXIX. Current use card: until removed from current use plus 3 years.
XXX. Deed grantee/grantor listing from registry, or copies of deeds: discard after being updated and replaced with a new document.
XXXI. Deferred compensation plans: 7 years.
XXXII. Dig safe forms: 4 years.
XXXIII. Dredge and fill permits: 4 years.
XXXIV. Driveway permits and plans: permanently.
XXXV. Easements awarded to municipality: permanently.
XXXVI. Elections-federal elections ballots: 22 months after election.
XXXVII. Elections-not federal, all other ballots: 60 days after election.
XXXVIII. Elections-challenge affidavits: one year after election.
XXXIX. Elections-ward maps: until revised plus 1 year.
XL. Emergency medical services run reports: 10 years.
XLI. Equipment maintenance: life of equipment.
XLII. Excavation tax warrant and book or list: permanently.
XLIII. Federal form 1099s and W-2s: 7 years.
XLIV. Federal form 941: 7 years.
XLV. Federal form W-1: 4 years.
XLVI. Fire calls/incident reports: 10 years.
XLVII. Grants, supporting documentation: follow grantor's requirements.
XLVIII. Grievances: expiration of appeal period.
XLIX. Health-complaints: expiration of appeal period.
L. Health-inspections: 3 years.
LI. Health-service agreements with state agencies: term plus 7 years.
LII. Health and human services case records: active plus 7 years.
LIII. Inspections-bridges and dams: permanently.
LIV. Insurance policies: permanently.
LV. Intent to cut trees or bushes: 3 years.
LVI. Intergovernmental agreements: end of agreement plus 3 years.
LVII. Investigations-fire: permanently.
LVIII. Invoice, assessors: permanently.
LIX. Invoices and bills: until audited plus one year.
LX. Job applications-successful: retirement or termination plus 50 years.
LXI. Job applications-unsuccessful: current year plus 3 years.
LXII. Labor-public employees labor relations board actions and decisions: permanently.
LXIII. Labor union negotiations: permanently or until contract is replaced with a new contract.
LXIV. Ledger and journal entry records: until audited plus one year.
LXV. Legal actions against the municipality: permanently.
LXVI. Library:
(a) Registration cards: current year plus one year.
(b) User records: not retained; confidential pursuant to RSA 201-D:11.
LXVII. Licenses-all other except dog, marriage, health, and vital records: duration plus 1 year.
LXVIII. Licenses-dog: current year plus one year.
LXIX. Licenses-dog, rabies certificates: disposal once recorded.
LXX. Licenses-health: current year plus 6 years.
LXXI. Liens-federal liens upon personal property, other than IRS liens: permanently.
LXXII. Liens-hospital liens: 6 years.
LXXIII. Liens-IRS liens: one year after discharge.
LXXIV. Liens-tax liens, state liens for support of children: until court order is lifted plus one year.
LXXV. Liens-tax liens, state meals and rooms tax: until release plus one year.
LXXVI. Liens-tax sale and record of lien: permanently.
LXXVII. Liens-tax sales/liens redeemed report: permanently.
LXXVIII. Liens-Uniform Commercial Code leases: lease term plus 4 years; purge all July 1, 2007.
LXXIX: Liens-Uniform Commercial Code security agreements: 6 years; purge all July 1, 2007.
LXXX: Meeting minutes, tape recordings: keep until written record is approved at meeting. As soon as minutes are approved, either reuse the tape or dispose of the tape.
LXXXI. Minutes of boards and committees: permanently.
LXXXII. Minutes of town meeting/council: permanently.
LXXXIII. Minutes, selectmen’s: permanently.
LXXXIV. Motor vehicle-application for title: until audited plus one year.
LXXXV. Motor vehicle-titles and voided titles: sent to state division of motor vehicles.
LXXXVI. Motor vehicle permits-void and unused: until audited plus one year.
LXXXVII. Motor vehicle permits and registrations-used: current year plus 3 years.
LXXXVIII. Municipal agent daily log: until audited plus one year.
LXXXIX. Notes, bonds, and municipal bond coupons-cancelled: until paid and audited plus one year.
XC. Notes, bonds, and municipal bond coupon register: permanently.
XCI. Oaths of office: term of office plus 3 years.
XCII. Ordinances: permanently.
XCIII. Payrolls: until audited plus one year.
XCIV. Perambulations of town lines-copy kept by town and copy sent to secretary of state: permanently.
XCV. Permits or licenses, pole: permanently.
XCVI. Personnel files: retirement or termination plus 50 years.
XCVII. Police, accident files-fatalities: 10 years.
XCVIII. Police, accident files-hit and run: statute of limitations plus 5 years.
XCIX. Police, accident files-injury: 6 years.
C. Police, accident files-involving arrests: 6 years.
CI. Police, accident files-involving municipality: 6 years.
CII. Police, accident files-property damage: 6 years.
CIII. Police, arrest reports: permanently.
CIV. Police, calls for service/general service reports: 5 years.
CV. Police, criminal-closed cases: statute of limitations plus 5 years.
CVI. Police, criminal-open cases: statute of limitations plus 5 years.
CVII. Police, motor vehicle violation paperwork: 3 years.
CVIII. Police, non-criminal-internal affairs investigations: as required by attorney general and union contract and town personnel rules.
CIX. Police, non-criminal-all other files: closure plus 3 years.
CX. Police, pistol permit applications: expiration of permit plus one year.
CXI. Property inventory: 5 years.
CXII. Property record card: permanently.
CXIII. Property record map, assessors: until superceded.
CXIV. Property tax exemption applications: transfer of property plus one year.
CXV. Records management forms for transfer of records to storage: permanently.
CXVI. Road and bridge construction and reconstruction, including highway complaint slips: 6 years.
CXVII. Road layouts and discontinuances: permanently.
CXVIII. Scenic roads: permanently.
CXIX. School records: retained as provided under RSA 189:29-a.
CXX. Septic plan approvals and plans: until replaced or removed.
CXXI. Sewer system filtration study: permanently.
CXXII. Sign inventory: 7 years.
CXXIII. Site plan review: life of improvement plus 3 years.
CXXIV. Site plan review-lapsed: until notified that planning board action and appeal time has expired plus one year.
CXXV. Site plan review-withdrawn or not approved: appeal period plus one year.
CXXVI. Special assessment (betterment of property): 20 years.
CXXVII. Street acceptances: permanently.
CXXVIII. Street signs, street lights and traffic lights-maintenance records: 10 years.
CXXIX. Subdivision applications-lapsed: until notified that planning board action and appeal period has expired plus one year.
CXXX. Subdivision applications-successful and final plan: permanently.
CXXXI. Subdivision applications-withdrawn, or not approved: expiration of appeal period plus one year.
CXXXII. Subdivision applications-working drafts prior to approval: expiration of appeal period.
CXXXIII. Summary inventory of valuation of property: one year.
CXXXIV. Tax maps: permanently.
CXXXV. Tax receipts paid, including taxes on land use change, property, resident, sewer, special assessment, and yield tax on timber: 6 years.
CXXXVI. Tax-deeded property file (including registered or certified receipts for notifying owners and mortgagees of intent to deed property): permanently.
CXXXVII. Time cards: 4 years.
CXXXVIII. Trust fund minutes, quarterly reports, and bank statements: permanently.
CXXXIX. Vehicle maintenance records: life of vehicle plus 2 years.
CXL. Voter checklist-marked copy kept by town pursuant to RSA 659:102: 5 years.
CXLI. Voter registration:
(a) Purged record cards: 5 years.
(b) Same day, returned to undeclared status: 5 years.
CXLII. Vouchers and treasurers receipts: until audited plus one year.
CXLIII. Warrants-land use change, and book or list: permanently.
CXLIV. Warrants-property tax, and lists: permanently.
CXLV. Warrants-resident tax, and book or list: permanently.
CXLVI. Warrants-town meeting: permanently.
CXLVII. Warrants-treasurer: until audited plus one year.
CXLVIII. Warrants-utility and betterment tax: permanently.
CXLIX. Warrants-yield tax, and book or list: permanently.
CL. Welfare department vouchers: 4 years.
CLI. Work program files: current year plus 6 years.
CLII. Writs: expiration of appeal period plus one year.
CLIII. Zoning board of adjustment applications, decisions, and permits-unsuccessful: expiration of appeal period.
187:4 Powers and Duties of Municipal Records Board; Reference to Rulemaking Deleted. Amend RSA 33-A:4-b to read as follows:
33-A:4-b Powers and Duties of Board. The board shall [by rule establish] advise the secretary of state on standards[,] and procedures[, and regulations] for the effective and efficient management of municipal records. Such standards[,] and procedures[, and regulations] shall govern the retention, preservation and disposition of municipal records. [The statutory standards for retention, preservation and disposition of municipal records in effect at the time of passage of this section shall remain effective until superseded by rules promulgated by the board.] The board shall oversee the local government records management improvement program as provided in RSA 5:47-5:51.
187:5 New Section; Disposition of Municipal Records; Electronic Records. Amend RSA 33-A by inserting after section 5 the following new section:
33-A:5-a Electronic Records. Records created in electronic format and designated on the disposition schedule under RSA 33-A:3-a to be retained for more than 10 years shall be transferred to paper, microfilm, or both. Electronically-created records designated on the disposition schedule to be retained for less than 10 years may be retained solely electronically if so approved by the record committee of the municipality responsible for the records. The municipality is responsible for assuring the accessibility of the records for the mandated period.
187:6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
(Approved: June 30, 2005)
(Effective Date: August 29, 2005)