Revision: April 17, 2025, 4 p.m.
Sen. Carson, Dist 14
Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19
Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21
April 17, 2025
2025-1647s
05/09
Amendment to HB 248
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to notice requirements regarding state employee investigations and relative to legislative ethics requirements.
Amend the bill by replacing all after section 1 with the following:
2 New Paragraph; Legislative Ethics Committee; Definition of Public at Large. Amend RSA 14-B:1 by inserting after paragraph III-b the following new paragraph:
III-c. “Public at large” means any reasonably large group of individuals or organizations that is similarly situated and likely to incur similar benefits or detriments as a result of legislation, including but not limited to, professions or occupations, owners of widely held forms of property, or participants in a commercial marketplace.
3 Legislative Ethics Committee; Definition of Special Interest. Amend RSA 14-B:1, V(a) to read as follows:
(a) A financial interest exists where a legislator or household member is an employee of, or receives compensation from, an individual or organization which could stand to gain or lose anything of material value as a result of the official activity.
4 New Paragraph; Gifts, Honorariums, and Expense Reimbursement Requirements for Legislators and Legislative Employees; Definition of Direct Benefit. Amend RSA 14-C:2 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
II-a. “Direct benefit” or “direct detriment” means a financial benefit that flows to the legislator or household member without any intervening action by an independent actor, consumer, or other instrumentality or action that is not under the control of the legislator or household member. A “direct benefit” or “direct detriment” does not include a benefit or detriment that affects a marketplace or program in which the legislator or household member participates as a member of the public at large.
5 New Paragraph; Recusal for Conflicts of Interest; Definition of Organization. Amend RSA 14-C:4-a by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
III. For the purposes of this section:
(a) The "organization" is the client and not the person, partnership, firm, or corporation acting as lobbyist.
(b) A person who registers as a lobbyist pursuant to RSA 15:1 does not exercise substantial influence over the affairs of the organization unless he or she also satisfies the test set forth in RSA 14-C:4-c through 14-C:4-e.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 90 days after its passage.
2025-1647s
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Outlines procedures for handling the suspension of state employees by providing written notice and periodic updates.
II. Defines certain terms including public at large, direct benefit, and special interest for purposes of legislative ethics and recusal requirements.