HB405 (2013) Detail

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


HB 405 – AS INTRODUCED

2013 SESSION

13-0361

05/10

HOUSE BILL 405

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

SPONSORS: Rep. C. McGuire, Merr 29; Rep. Jones, Straf 24

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

13-0361

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen

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

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

1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study issues related to children and families.

2 Membership and Compensation.

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

(a) Five 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 judiciary committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate president.

II. Legislative members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

3 Duties.

I. The committee 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 committee 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 10 days prior.

II. The committee shall solicit information and testimony from the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and any other individual or organization with expertise or experience the committee deems relevant to its study.

4 Chairperson; Secretary; Quorum.

I. The members of the committee 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 committee including public comments, the preparation of minutes of committee meetings, and managing the public dissemination of that data, as necessary, via news releases to the daily newspapers, and via a Internet website dedicated to the committee.

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

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

5 Report. On or before November 4, 2014, the committee 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 committee. Each member of this committee 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.