HB1357 (2006) Detail

(New Title) relative to the legislative facilities committee.


CHPATER 146

HB 1357 – FINAL VERSION

07Mar2006… 1052h

2006 SESSION

06-2420

10/09

HOUSE BILL 1357

AN ACT relative to the legislative facilities committee.

SPONSORS: Rep. Dickinson, Carr 1; Rep. Keans, Straf 1; Rep. Bergin, Hills 6; Rep. King, Coos 1; Rep. Welch, Rock 8; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20

COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill states the powers and duties of the legislative facilities committee, allows for designees of the majority and minority leaders appointed to the legislative facilities committee, and clarifies the availability of committee records. The bill also repeals certain historical session laws related to the legislative facilities committee.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07Mar2006… 1052h

06-2420

10/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six

AN ACT relative to the legislative facilities committee.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

146:1 Legislative Facilities Committee; Membership. Amend RSA 17-E:2, III and IV to read as follows:

III. The majority leaders of each house, or designees;

IV. The minority leaders of each house, or designees;

146:2 Chairperson; Gender Neutral. Amend RSA 17-E:3 to read as follows:

17-E:3 [Chairman] Chairperson. The [chairmanship of] chairperson for the committee shall rotate biennially between the president of the senate or [his] designee and the speaker of the house or [his] designee, provided that the speaker shall serve as the first chairman. In the event that the presiding officer or [his] designee serving as [chairman] chairperson resigns or for any reason is unable to serve, the other presiding officer or [his] designee shall become [chairman] chairperson, provided that such substitution shall not change the rotation hereinabove provided for.

146:3 Subcommittees; Gender Neutral. Amend RSA 17-E:5 to read as follows:

17-E:5 House and Senate Subcommittees. The house members, with the speaker as [chairman] chairperson, shall be a subcommittee for legislative management for the house; and the senate members, with the president as [chairman] chairperson, shall be a subcommittee for legislative management of the senate. All transfers within the house or senate appropriations and all salaries of legislative attaches and other employees unless otherwise specifically provided by statute shall require the approval of the respective subcommittee. The salaries as determined hereunder shall be a charge upon the appropriation made for the legislature.

146:4 New Section; Powers and Duties. Amend RSA 17-E by inserting after section 5 the following new section:

17-E:5-a Powers and Duties. The committee shall have the following powers and duties:

I. To review and approve all joint legislative budgets.

II. To appoint the directors or heads of all joint legislative agencies, departments, or offices, and to establish the salary for such positions, except as otherwise provided.

III. To approve the appointment and compensation recommendations for the employees of the office of legislative services made by the director of that office, and the appointment and compensation recommendations made by the director or head of any other joint legislative agency, department, or office for the employees of those offices, except as otherwise provided.

IV. To establish a compensation and classification schedule for all employees of joint legislative service agencies, departments, and offices, except the legislative budget assistant and employees of that office. The house subcommittee shall establish salary schedules and benefits for all house employees. The senate subcommittee shall establish salary schedules and benefits for all senate employees.

V. To enter into contracts and hire consultants.

VI. To establish rules of procedure for the conduct of the business of the committee in accordance with rules of the house and the senate.

VII. To conduct its proceedings in compliance with the provisions of RSA 91-A.

VIII. To establish policies regarding the use of the facilities under control of the legislature in the state house, the legislative office building, the Upham Walker house, parking garages and lots, and any future facility that may come under legislative management.

IX. To perform all actions authorized by statute.

X. To study ways and means to improve legislative operation, facilities, and working conditions.

146:5 Committee Records. Amend RSA 17-E:6 to read as follows:

17-E:6 Committee Records. A record of the minutes of committee and subcommittee meetings shall be available to the public and shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of RSA 91-A:2, II. The minutes shall include the names of members in attendance and of persons appearing before the committee, and a brief description of the subjects discussed, votes taken, and final dispositions of all actions. The minutes shall be available and open to public inspection within 144 hours of the meeting. The record of the minutes of the joint committee on legislative facilities and the house and senate subcommittees shall be available at the office of legislative accounting. [The record of the minutes of the house and senate subcommittees shall be available at the office of the clerk of the appropriate chamber.]

146:6 Repeal. The following are repealed:

I. 1973, 368, relative to establishing a legislative facilities committee.

II. 1974, 38:23 and 24, relative to the legislative parking facility.

III. 1975, 308, relative to legislative printing.

IV. 1975, 430:2, relative to renovating the Old Post Office in Concord.

V. 1975, 465:1, relative to duties of the legislative facilities committee.

VI. 1975, 479:4, relative to a legislative parking facility.

VII. 1975, 491:1 and 2, relative to state house renovations.

VIII. 1981, 568:79, relative to legislative branch employee fringe benefits.

IX. 1983, 469:110, relative to the office of legislative accounting.

146:7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: May 22, 2006

Effective: July 21, 2006