Revision: Jan. 24, 2022, 2:40 p.m.
Rep. Rung, Hills. 21
January 13, 2022
2022-0120h
12/11
Amendment to HB 1397
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to the length of terms for county officers.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
1 County Attorneys; Length of Term. Amend RSA 7:33 to read as follows:
7:33 Election; Temporary Vacancies. There shall be a county attorney for each county, who shall be a member of the New Hampshire bar[, elected biennially by the voters of the county]; provided that, beginning at the 2022 state general election, the county attorney for each county shall be chosen in the county by the voters for a 4-year term. If the county attorney is absent at any term of court or unable to discharge the duties of the office, the superior court, acting as a body, shall appoint a county attorney, who shall be a member of the New Hampshire bar, for the time being and allow said appointee such compensation for his or her services as set by the county delegation.
2 New Section; Elected for 4-Year Term. Amend RSA 653 by inserting after section 1 the following new section:
653:1-a. Elected for 4-Year Term. Beginning at the 2022 state general election, the following county officers shall be elected for 4-year terms by the voters in each county: one sheriff, one county attorney, one county treasurer, one register of deeds, and one register of probate.
3 County Officers. Amend RSA 661:9, II(a) to read as follows:
II.(a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of a county commissioner, the members of the county convention, or, if the vacancy occurs in Hillsborough county, the members of the county convention representing the cities and towns in the commissioner's district, shall fill the vacancy by a majority of the ballots cast until the next biennial election [of county officers]. If the term filled is less than the unexpired term, then notwithstanding any provisions of RSA 653:1, VI the commissioner district filled pursuant to this paragraph shall be added to the next biennial election ballot to be chosen by the voters of the county for a 2-year term.
4 Repeal. RSA 653:1, V, relative to terms for county officers, is repealed.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
2022-0120h
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill establishes a 4-year term for the county treasurer, county sheriff, county register of deeds, and county attorney in each county.