Bill Text - HB82 (2007)

Relative to communications outside meetings under the right-to-know law.


Revision: Jan. 11, 2010, midnight

HB 82 – AS INTRODUCED

2007 SESSION

07-0326

01/04

HOUSE BILL 82

AN ACT relative to communications outside meetings under the right-to-know law.

SPONSORS: Rep. J. Thomas, Belk 5; Rep. J. Garrity, Rock 6; Rep. Espiefs, Ches 3

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill clarifies communications outside a meeting for the purposes of RSA 91-A.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-0326

01/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT relative to communications outside meetings under the right-to-know law.

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

1 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, in whatever form, outside a meeting among the members of a quorum of the membership of a public body which bear upon matters over which such 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.

II. Communications outside a meeting, including, but not limited to, sequential communications among members of a public body, shall not be used to circumvent the spirit of this chapter.

III. The disclosure requirements of paragraphs I and II shall not apply to communications specifically exempted from the definition of a “meeting” under RSA 91-A:2, I.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007.