HB626 (2006) Detail

Relative to the right-to-know law.


HB 626-FN-LOCAL – AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

01Feb2006… 0153h

2005 SESSION

05-0485

01/10

HOUSE BILL 626-FN-LOCAL

AN ACT relative to the right-to-know law.

SPONSORS: Rep. Thomas, Belk 5; Rep. Cady, Rock 1; Rep. Patten, Carr 4; Sen. Barnes, Dist 17

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill clarifies the manner in which the right-to-know law applies to both governmental records kept in electronic form and electronic communication used to transact governmental business.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01Feb2006… 0153h

05-0485

01/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five

AN ACT relative to the right-to-know law.

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

1 Statement of Purpose. The purpose of this act is to clarify how the right-to-know law applies to both governmental records kept in electronic form and electronic communications used to transact governmental business. The general court finds that this act fulfills this purpose in a manner that maintains openness in government, while being in accord with the varied types, sizes, and resources of New Hampshire’s public bodies.

2 Chapter Heading Amended. Amend the chapter heading of RSA 91-A to read as follows:

ACCESS TO [PUBLIC] GOVERNMENTAL RECORDS AND MEETINGS

3 Definitions Added. RSA 91-A:1-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

91-A:1-a Definitions. In this chapter:

I. “Advisory committee” means any committee, council, commission, or other like body whose primary purpose is to consider an issue or issues designated by the appointing authority so as to provide such authority with advice or recommendations concerning the formulation of any public policy or legislation that may be promoted, modified, or opposed by such authority.

II. “Governmental records” means any information created, accepted, or obtained by, or on behalf of, any public body in furtherance of its official function. The term “governmental records” shall also include the term “public records.”

III. “Governmental proceedings” means the transaction of any functions affecting any or all citizens of the state by a public body.

IV. “Information” means knowledge, opinions, facts or data of any kind and in whatever physical form kept or maintained, including, but not limited to, written, aural, visual, electronic or other physical form.

V. “Public body” means any of the following:

(a) The general court including executive sessions of committees; and including any advisory committee established by the general court;

(b) The executive council and the governor with the executive council; including any advisory committee established by the governor by executive order or by the executive council;

(c) Any state agency or authority, including any board or commission thereof, the board of trustees of the university system of New Hampshire and any committee, advisory or otherwise, established by such entities;

(d) Any board, commission, agency or authority, of any county, town, municipal corporation, school district, school administrative unit, charter school, or other political subdivision, or any committee, subcommittee or subordinate body thereof, or advisory committee thereto.

4 Meetings; Nonpublic Sessions; Minutes and Records; Exemptions. Amend RSA 91-A:2-5 to read as follows:

91-A:2 Meetings Open to Public.

I. For the purpose of this [section] chapter, a “meeting” [shall mean] means the convening of a quorum of the membership of a public body, as [provided] defined in RSA 91-A:1-a, [to discuss or act] whether in person, by means of telephone or electronic communication, or in any other manner such that all participating members are able to communicate with each other contemporaneously, for the purpose of discussing or acting upon a matter or matters over which the public body has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power. A chance, social, or other encounter not convened for the purpose of discussing or acting upon such matters shall not constitute a meeting if no decisions are made regarding such matters. However, if any such matters are discussed among a quorum of the body, the discussion shall be disclosed at the next meeting of the body. “Meeting” shall also not include:

[(a) Any chance meeting or a social meeting neither planned nor intended for the purpose of discussing matters relating to official business and at which no decisions are made; however, no such chance or social meeting shall be used to circumvent the spirit of this chapter;

(b)] (a) Strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining;

[(c)] (b) Consultation with legal counsel; [or

(d)] (c) A caucus consisting of elected members of a public body of the same political party who were elected on a partisan basis at a state general election or elected on a partisan basis by a town or city which has adopted a partisan ballot system pursuant to RSA 669:12 or RSA 44:2[.]; or

(d) Circulation of draft documents which, when finalized, are intended only to formalize decisions formerly made in a meeting.

II. [All public proceedings shall be open to the public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meetings of those bodies or agencies.] Subject to the provisions of RSA 91-A:3, all meetings shall be open to the public. Except for town meetings, school district meetings and elections, no vote while in open session may be taken by secret ballot. Any person shall be permitted to use recording devices, including, but not limited to, tape recorders, cameras and videotape equipment, at such meetings. Minutes of all such meetings, including names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies [or agencies], and a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions, shall be promptly recorded and open to public inspection within 144 hours of the [public] meeting, except as provided in RSA 91-A:6, and shall be treated as permanent records of any public body [or agency], or any subordinate body thereof, without exception. Except in an emergency or when there is a meeting of a legislative committee, a notice of the time and place of each such meeting, including a nonpublic session, shall be posted in 2 appropriate places, one of which may be the public body’s Internet website, if such exists, or shall be printed in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town at least 24 hours, excluding Sundays and legal holidays, prior to such meetings. An emergency shall mean a situation where immediate undelayed action is deemed to be imperative by the chairman or presiding officer of the public body [or agency] who shall post a notice of the time and place of such meeting, as soon as practicable, and shall employ whatever further means are reasonably available to inform the public that a meeting is to be held. The minutes of the meeting shall clearly spell out the need for the emergency meeting. When a meeting of a legislative committee is held, publication made pursuant to the rules of the house of representatives or the senate, whichever rules are appropriate, shall be sufficient notice. If the charter of any city or guidelines or rules of order of any public body [or agency described in RSA 91-A:1-a] require a broader public access to official meetings and records than herein described, such charter provisions or guidelines or rules of order shall take precedence over the requirements of this chapter.

91-A:3 Nonpublic Sessions.

I.(a) Public bodies [or agencies] shall not meet in nonpublic session, except for one of the purposes set out in paragraph II. No session at which evidence, information or testimony in any form is received shall be closed to the public, except as provided in paragraph II. No public body [or agency] may enter nonpublic session, except pursuant to a motion properly made and seconded.

(b) Any motion to enter nonpublic session shall state on its face the specific exemption under paragraph II which is relied upon as foundation for the nonpublic session. The vote on any such motion shall be by roll call, and shall require the affirmative vote of the majority of members present.

(c) All discussions held and decisions made during nonpublic session shall be confined to the matters set out in the motion.

II. Only the following matters shall be considered or acted upon in nonpublic session:

(a) The dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him, unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted.

(b) The hiring of any person as a public employee.

(c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body [or agency] itself, unless such person requests an open meeting. This exemption shall extend to any application for assistance or tax abatement or waiver of a fee, fine, or other levy, if based on inability to pay or poverty of the applicant.

(d) Consideration of the acquisition, sale or lease of real or personal property which, if discussed in public, would likely benefit a party or parties whose interests are adverse to those of the general community.

(e) Consideration or negotiation of pending claims or litigation which has been threatened in writing or filed against the public body [or agency] or any subdivision thereof, or against any member thereof because of his membership in such public body [or agency], until the claim or litigation has been fully adjudicated or otherwise settled. Any application filed for tax abatement, pursuant to law, with any body or board shall not constitute a threatened or filed litigation against any public body[, board, or agency] for the purposes of this subparagraph.

(f) Consideration of applications by the adult parole board under RSA 651-A.

(g) Consideration of security-related issues bearing on the immediate safety of security personnel or inmates at the county correctional facilities by county correctional superintendents or their designees.

(h) Consideration of applications by the business finance authority under RSA 162-A:7-10 and 162-A:13, where consideration of an application in public session would cause harm to the applicant or would inhibit full discussion of the application.

(i) Consideration of matters relating to the preparation for and the carrying out of emergency functions, including training to carry out such functions, developed by local or state safety officials that are directly intended to thwart a deliberate act that is intended to result in widespread or severe damage to property or widespread injury or loss of life.

III. Minutes of [proceedings] meetings in nonpublic session shall be kept and the record of all actions shall be promptly made available for public inspection, except as provided in this section. Minutes and decisions reached in nonpublic session shall be publicly disclosed within 72 hours of the meeting, unless, by recorded vote of 2/3 of the members present, it is determined that divulgence of the information likely would affect adversely the reputation of any person other than a member of the public body [or agency] itself, or render the proposed action ineffective, or pertain to terrorism, more specifically, to matters relating to the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, developed by local or state safety officials that are directly intended to thwart a deliberate act that is intended to result in widespread or severe damage to property or widespread injury or loss of life. This shall include training to carry out such functions. In the event of such circumstances, information may be withheld until, in the opinion of a majority of members, the aforesaid circumstances no longer apply.

91-A:4 Minutes and Records Available for Public Inspection.

I. Every citizen during the regular or business hours of all [such] public bodies [or agencies], and on the regular business premises of such public bodies [or agencies], has the right to inspect all [public] governmental records in the possession, custody or control of such public bodies, including minutes of meetings of the public bodies [or agencies], and to copy and make memoranda[,] or abstracts[, and photographic or photostatic copies] of the records or minutes so inspected, except as otherwise prohibited by statute or RSA 91-A:5. In this section, “to copy” means the reproduction of original records by whatever method including, but not limited to, photography, photostatic copying, printing, or electronic or tape recording.

I-a. Records of any payment made to an employee of any public body [or agency listed in RSA 91-A:1-a, I(a)-(d)], or to the employee’s agent or designee, upon the resignation, discharge, or retirement of the employee, paid in addition to regular salary and accrued vacation, sick, or other leave, shall immediately be made available without alteration for public inspection. All records of payments shall be available for public inspection notwithstanding that the matter may have been considered or acted upon in nonpublic session pursuant to RSA 91-A:3.

II. After the completion of a meeting of such public bodies [or agencies], every citizen, during the regular or business hours of all such public bodies [or agencies], and on the regular business premises of such public bodies [or agencies], has the right to inspect all notes, materials, tapes or other sources used for compiling the minutes of such meetings, and to make memoranda, abstracts, [photographic or photostatic copies, or tape record] or to copy such notes, materials, tapes or sources inspected, except as otherwise prohibited by statute or RSA 91-A:5.

III. Each public body [or agency] shall keep and maintain all [public] governmental records in its custody at its regular office or place of business in an accessible place and, if there is no such office or place of business, the [public] governmental records pertaining to such public body [or agency] shall be kept in an office of the political subdivision in which such public body [or agency] is located or, in the case of a state agency, in an office designated by the secretary of state.

III-a. Governmental records created or maintained in electronic form shall remain accessible for the same retention or archival periods as their paper counterparts. Methods that may be used to accomplish this requirement include, but are not limited to, copying to microfilm or paper or to durable electronic media using standard or common file formats such as American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). Selection of electronic media and file formats for copying or maintaining governmental records shall be compatible with the periods of time such records are required to remain available.

III-b. A governmental record in electronic form shall no longer be subject to disclosure pursuant to this section after it has been initially and legally deleted.

IV. Each public body [or agency] shall, upon request for any [public] governmental record reasonably described, make available for inspection and copying any such [public] governmental record within its files when such records are immediately available for such release. If a public body [or agency] is unable to make a [public] governmental record available for immediate inspection and copying, it shall, within 5 business days of request, make such record available, deny the request in writing with reasons, or furnish written acknowledgment of the receipt of the request and a statement of the time reasonably necessary to determine whether the request shall be granted or denied. If a computer, photocopying machine or other device maintained for use by a public body [or agency] is used by the public body [or agency] to copy the [public] governmental record [or document] requested, the person requesting the copy may be charged the actual cost of providing the copy, which cost may be collected by the public body [or agency]. Nothing in this section shall exempt any person from paying fees otherwise established by law for obtaining copies of [public] governmental records [or documents], but if such fee is established for the copy, no additional costs or fees shall be charged.

V. In the same manner as set forth in RSA 91-A:4, IV, any public body [or agency] which maintains [its] governmental records in [a computer storage system] electronic form may, in lieu of providing original [documents] records, [provide a printout of any record reasonably described and which the agency has the capacity to produce] copy governmental records requested to electronic media using standard or common file formats such as ASCII in a manner that does not reveal information which is confidential under this chapter or any other law. If copying to electronic media is not reasonably practicable, or if the person or entity requesting access requests a different method, the public body may provide a printout of governmental records requested, or may use any other means reasonably calculated to comply with the request in light of the purpose of this chapter as expressed in RSA 91-A:1. Access to work papers, personnel data and other confidential information under RSA 91-A:5, IV shall not be provided.

VI. Every agreement to settle a lawsuit against a governmental unit, threatened lawsuit, or other claim, entered into by any political subdivision or its insurer, shall be kept on file at the municipal clerk’s office and made available for public inspection for a period of no less than 10 years from the date of settlement.

VII. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a public body to compile, cross-reference or assemble information into a form in which it is not already kept or reported by that body.

91-A:5 Exemptions. The following governmental records are exempted from the provisions of this chapter:

I. Records of grand and petit juries.

II. Records of parole and pardon boards.

III. Personal school records of pupils.

IV. Records pertaining to internal personnel practices; confidential, commercial, or financial information; test questions, scoring keys, and other examination data used to administer a licensing examination, examination for employment, or academic examinations; and personnel, medical, welfare, library user, videotape sale or rental, and other files whose disclosure would constitute invasion of privacy. Without otherwise compromising the confidentiality of the files, nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit a public body [or agency] from releasing information relative to health or safety from investigative files on a limited basis to persons whose health or safety may be affected.

V. Teacher certification records[, both hard copies and computer files,] in the department of education, provided that the department shall make available teacher certification status information.

VI. Records pertaining to matters relating to the preparation for and the carrying out of all emergency functions, including training to carry out such functions, developed by local or state safety officials that are directly intended to thwart a deliberate act that is intended to result in widespread or severe damage to property or widespread injury or loss of life.

VII. Unique pupil identification information collected in accordance with RSA 193-E:5.

VIII. Any notes or other materials made for personal use that do not have an official purpose, including, but not limited to, notes and materials made prior to, during, or after a [public] governmental proceeding.

IX. Preliminary drafts, notes, and memoranda and other documents not in their final form and not disclosed, circulated, or available to a quorum or a majority of [those entities defined in RSA 91-A:1-a] the members of a public body.

5 Remedies. Amend RSA 91-A:8 to read as follows:

91-A:8 Remedies.

I. If any public body [or agency] or employee or member thereof, in violation of the provisions of this chapter, refuses to provide a [public] governmental record or refuses access to a [public] governmental proceeding to a person who reasonably requests the same, such public body[, agency,] or person shall be liable for reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in a lawsuit under this chapter provided that the court finds that such lawsuit was necessary in order to make the information available or the proceeding open to the public. Fees shall not be awarded unless the court finds that the public body[, agency] or person knew or should have known that the conduct engaged in was a violation of this chapter or where the parties, by agreement, provide that no such fees shall be paid. In any case where fees are awarded under this chapter, upon a finding that an officer, employee, or other official of a public body [or agency] has acted in bad faith in refusing to allow access to a [public] governmental proceeding or to provide a [public] governmental record, the court may award such fees personally against such officer, employee, or other official.

I-a. The court may award attorneys’ fees to a [board, agency] public body or employee or member thereof, for having to defend against a person’s lawsuit under the provisions of this chapter, when the court makes an affirmative finding that the lawsuit is in bad faith, frivolous, unjust, vexatious, wanton, or oppressive.

II. The court may invalidate an action of a public body [or agency] taken at a meeting held in violation of the provisions of this chapter, if the circumstances justify such invalidation.

III. In addition to any other relief awarded pursuant to this chapter, the court may issue an order to enjoin future violations of this chapter.

6 Reference Change. Amend RSA 42:1-a, II (a) and (b) to read as follows:

(a) A public body properly voted to withhold that information from the public by a vote of 2/3, as required by RSA 91-A:3, III, and if divulgence of such information would constitute an invasion of privacy, or would adversely affect the reputation of some person other than a member of the public body [or agency,] or would render proposed municipal action ineffective; or

(b) The officer knew or reasonably should have known that the information was exempt from disclosure pursuant to RSA 91-A:5, and that its divulgence would constitute an invasion of privacy, or would adversely affect the reputation of some person other than a member of the public body [or agency,] or would render proposed municipal action ineffective.

7 New Section; Communications Outside Meetings. Amend RSA 91-A by inserting after section 2 the following new section:

91-A:2-a Communications Outside Meetings.

I. Any communications outside a meeting, in whatever form, among a quorum of the membership of a public body which bear upon matters over which the body has supervision, control, jurisdiction, or advisory power shall be disclosed at the next meeting of the body before any decision may be made, including a decision not to act. If such communications are in writing, copies or printouts shall be made a part of the public record. Communications among less than a quorum of members need not be disclosed. Communications described in RSA 91-A:2, I(a)-(d) are not subject to the disclosure requirements of this paragraph.

II. Communications outside a meeting shall not be used to circumvent the spirit of this chapter.

8 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

LBAO

05-0485

Revised 2/22/05

HB 626 FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to the right-to-know law.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Department of Administrative Services states this bill will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state expenditures in FY 2006 and each year thereafter. This bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or county and local expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

    The Department of Administrative Services states this bill will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state expenditures. The Department states while RSA 91-A currently guarantees public access to meetings, it does not in terms guarantee public participation in the meetings, although it seems generally to be the practice to allow public participation. The Department states electronic attendance itself does not technically narrow the level of public participation in meetings, and whether it will do so in practice has yet to be seen. Public electronic attendance at meetings might be depressed, at least at the beginning when the public is getting used to the idea. If attendance were to be by “chat room” reached from an attendee’s own computers or conference call to their own telephones, there would be a cost to the State related to setting up the chat room or to the cost of the conference call. If telephone attendance could be achieved only at a single location, as is now the case with conventional meetings, public participation presumably would stay at the same level. Such attendance could decrease state expenditures since there would be no cost of setting up a chat room, such a conference call would be cheaper than one to an attendee’s own telephone, and board members participating electronically would not be paid the mileage or attendance fees their current statutes often call for. The Department states there could be costs to the state in agency staff time answering public questions about how to participate in meetings electronically. There may also be costs resulting from the provision of this bill that would make it possible for an agency to keep and compile records electronically in the first instance, without having to keep or compile any record on paper. This would be different from the typical organization used for conventional paper records, and could create a print-out for the public which is not readily comprehensible because the public does not have a paper record of the same data available for comparison. If this occurred, there could be a cost to the state in agency staff time spent in explaining the meaning of the print-out.

    The University System of New Hampshire states this bill will not require any material change in University System policies or practices. This bill will have no fiscal impact on the System.

    The Legislative Accounting Office states this bill clarifies how the right-to-know law applies to governmental records kept in electronic form and electronic communication used to transact governmental business. The Office states any additional cost would be minimal and could be absorbed within the existing budget for the Legislative Branch.

    The Department of Justice states this bill will have a minimal impact on the operations of the Department, and any impact can be absorbed within their existing budget.

    The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill clarifies a number of provisions of the right-to-know law, in particular as they relate to government records kept in electronic form and the use of electronic communications to transact government business. This bill provides that governmental records created or maintained in electronic form must be preserved for the same periods as their paper counterparts. This requirement is a clarification of existing law, and will have no fiscal impact on local revenue or expenditures.

    The Association of Counties states this bill creates no additional requirements on county governments beyond what is required or in practice today. This bill will have no fiscal impact on county revenue or expenditures.