HB 1381-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2461
08/02
HOUSE BILL 1381-FN
AN ACT relative to required training on election procedures.
SPONSORS: Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13; Rep. Burnham, Straf. 2; Rep. Wood, Merr. 13; Rep. Panek, Hills. 1
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires the secretary of state to provide training on election procedures.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2461
08/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to required training on election procedures.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Findings. The general court finds that the December 2022 report of the special committee on voter confidence made repeated recommendations to require proper training for the administration of elections at the local level. The general court finds further that the secretary of state currently offers training on election procedures and has repeatedly reported to the house election law committee that the election procedures training currently offered is poorly attended, with far less than 50 percent of communities participating by sending their moderator or his or her designee.
2 Required Training. Amend RSA 652:22 to read as follows:
652:22 Authority; Format; Distribution.
I. The secretary of state, with the advice and approval of the attorney general, shall prepare or cause to be prepared preceding each state general election an up-to-date manual on the New Hampshire election laws and procedures for conducting elections. The manual shall be written in nontechnical language. The manual shall be distributed free of charge to each moderator, board of selectmen, city council, and board of supervisors of the checklist and to each town, city, and ward clerk. The secretary of state may distribute the manual in either electronic or printed format. The secretary of state may distribute said manual to any other person who requests it.
II. The secretary of state shall prepare supplemental instructional materials and job aids for training in election procedures. The secretary of state shall, prior to a state general election, provide for at least one training session to review the election procedures manual and the supplemental instructional materials. The training session shall be recorded and made available to election officials and other persons requesting to attend the training session, including members of the public.
III. The secretary of state shall document the attendance of those attending the training by recording the names and towns of the attendees at the training session and by making provision to record the names and towns of the persons viewing the recorded training session to document their training.
IV. Town or ward moderators and clerks, or their appointed designees, shall attend the training session provided by the secretary of state. Failure to attend may be considered a "lack of training" as described under RSA 659:77.
V. Town or ward moderators and clerks, or their appointed designees, shall communicate training information to the other election officials and workers in the town or ward.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
24-2461
11/29/23
HB 1381-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to required training on election procedures.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation, as introduced, has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2027.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of State
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 13, 2024 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 20, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| March 5, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| March 5, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
March 14, 2024: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/14/2024 HJ 8 P. 7
March 6, 2024: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/05/2024 (Vote 20-0; CC)
Feb. 27, 2024: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/05/2024 09:00 am LOB 306-308
Feb. 14, 2024: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 02/20/2024 02:00 pm LOB 306-308
Feb. 8, 2024: Public Hearing: 02/13/2024 02:15 pm LOB 307
Dec. 6, 2023: Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Election Law HJ 1 P. 18