Bill Text - HB1178 (2010)

Establishing a commission to study issues related to children and families.


Revision: Dec. 10, 2009, midnight

HB 1178 – AS INTRODUCED

2010 SESSION

10-2194

05/04

HOUSE BILL 1178

AN ACT establishing a commission to study issues related to children and families.

SPONSORS: Rep. McGuire, Merr 8

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a commission to study issues related to children and families.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

10-2194

05/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten

AN ACT establishing a commission to study issues related to children and families.

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

1 Commission Established. There is established a commission to study issues related to children and families.

2 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a) Three members of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the children and family law committee and one of whom shall be a member of the committee on health, human services, and elderly affairs, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) The chair of the commission on the status of women, or designee.

(c) One representative of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, appointed by the executive director.

(d) Twelve public members, chosen by lot from submitted applications, who are not employed by or otherwise affiliated with any state agency, the judicial branch, or the entities otherwise represented on the commission, appointed by the governor.

II. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, except that legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

3 Duties. The commission shall hold public meetings to receive testimony from citizens who have concerns with the state performance on issues relating to children and families, including, but not limited to, foster care, child support assignments and collections, child custody in cases of divorce or unmarried parents, and child welfare. The commission shall hold no less than one meeting within each county of the state, for the purpose of taking public testimony on the issues of concern, striving to attract and accommodate as many members of the public as reasonable. Public meetings shall be given public notice no less than 3 days prior.

4 Chairperson; Secretary; Quorum.

I. The members of the commission shall elect, by majority vote, a chairperson and a secretary from among the members. The secretary shall be responsible for collecting, reproducing, distributing, and preserving all data collected by the commission including public comments, the preparation of minutes of commission meetings, and managing the public dissemination of that data, as necessary, via news releases to the daily newspapers, and via a web site dedicated to the commission.

II. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Nine members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

III. No state agency may charge a fee for providing meeting space for the activities of this commission.

5 Report. On or before December 1, 2011, the commission shall prepare a final report outlining the concerns of the public and making recommendations thereto, including, but not limited to, any recommendations for future legislation. The final report shall be distributed to the chief justice of the supreme court, the administrative judge of the superior court, and the administrative judge of the family court, the commissioner of the department of health and human services, the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the executive council, the state library, and each member of the commission. Each member of this commission will be entitled to submit a “minority report” or personal comments for inclusion in the final report.

6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.