HB 1300 – AS INTRODUCED
2010 SESSION
06/04
HOUSE BILL 1300
AN ACT relative to placement of warrant articles for town meetings on official ballots.
SPONSORS: Rep. R. Elliott, Rock 4
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
This bill permits warrant articles for town meetings to be placed on official ballots if fewer than 2 percent of registered voters attend the deliberative session.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
10-2144
06/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten
AN ACT relative to placement of warrant articles for town meetings on official ballots.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Town Meetings; Optional Provisions. Amend RSA 39:2-a, I to read as follows:
I. Any town may at an annual meeting vote to conduct the choice of town officers elected by an official ballot and other action required to be inserted on said official ballot on the second Tuesday of March or on the second Tuesday of May if the town has adopted the provisions of RSA 31:94-a and authorize the selectmen to choose another day for the second session of the town meeting for the transaction of all other town business. Upon written application of [25 or more] 2 percent of the legal voters, addressed to the selectmen, the following question shall be submitted to the [voter] voters at such annual meeting: “Do you approve of having 2 sessions for the annual town meeting in this town, the first session for choice of town officers elected by an official ballot and other action required to be inserted on said official ballot and the second session, on a date set by the selectmen, for transaction of other business?” This question shall appear upon the official ballot in towns having such a ballot, otherwise upon a special ballot prepared by the town clerk. Proper provision shall be made on the ballot to permit the voter clearly to indicate his choice on the question. If a majority of the legal voters present and voting on the question vote in the affirmative, the provisions of this section shall be declared adopted. In any town adopting the provisions hereof the warrant for an annual meeting held hereunder shall prescribe the place, day and hours of each session of said meeting and said warrant shall be posted as required for any town meeting. In a town which has adopted the provisions of this section no business other than the election of town officers elected by an official ballot and other action required to be inserted on said official ballot shall be taken up at the first session of said meetings. A town which has adopted the provisions hereof may rescind such action in the same manner as provided for its adoption. The question in this case shall be: “Shall the provisions for having 2 sessions of the annual town meeting be declared no longer in effect in this town?”
2 Placement of Articles on Official Ballot. Amend RSA 39:3-d, I to read as follows:
I. No article included in a warrant for a town meeting may be considered by placing a question on the official ballot used for election of town officers unless:
(a) Use of the official ballot for that article or type of article is specifically authorized or required by law; or
(b) Fewer than 2 percent of registered voters attend the deliberative session.
3 Use of Ballot for Town Meeting Articles. Amend RSA 40:4-e to read as follows:
40:4-e Use of Ballot for Town Meeting Articles. No question submitted to voters at a town meeting or election pursuant to RSA 39:3-d shall be submitted by use of a question printed on the official ballot unless:
(a) That form of submission is specifically authorized or required by law; or
(b) Fewer than 2 percent of registered voters attend the deliberative session.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.