The Right-to-Know Law changes as new bills pass into law. Almost every year there are proposed bills to amend the Right-to-Know Law. For the 2020 legislative session, Right to Know NH has proposed 2 bills to strengthen the ability of citizens of New Hampshire to access their government. The following 2 RTKNH bills have been introduced in the House: (we’ve linked the bill text to the bill number)
Please follow the links to the BILL STATUS page to find the link to the bill text, and to see when hearings and full votes will take place and to whom to send your testimony.
HB 1202: relative to matters discussed in nonpublic session regarding citizen’s reputation.
(SUPPORT/OTP HB 1202)
HB 1325: require a list of sealed minutes from nonpublic sessions.
(SUPPORT/OTP HB 1325)
There are also several other Right-to-Know bills this year that Right to Know NH is tracking. They are:
HB 1689: require verbatim audio/video minutes of nonpublic sessions.
(SUPPORT/OTP HB 1689)
HB 1559: require annual review of sealed minutes of nonpublic sessions.
(SUPPORT/OTP HB 1559)
HB 1390: allow access to ballots and verification counts of machine-counted ballots. [This bill will make ballots accessible to citizens to allow an independent verification of all votes tallied.]
(SUPPORT/OTP HB 1390)
HB 1169: eliminate requirement for role call vote when member(s) of public body participates electronically in meeting.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1169)
HB 1170: add a definition of “reasonably described” which includes setting a 30 day limit to citizen’s access to records.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1170)
HB 1307: allows public bodies to charge personnel costs for search and retrieval of records.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1307)
HB 1546: allow county delegations to not keep minutes under certain circumstances.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1546)
HB 1524: prohibiting police from releasing information of certain non-violent offenders on social media before conviction.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1524)
HB 1531: relative to the release of voting information in a presidential election.
(NEUTRAL on HB 1531)
HB 1529: prohibiting the release of the name and other information regarding a mass shooter.
(OPPOSE/ITL HB 1529)
HB 1673: include certain for profit and non profit entities to be considered public bodies when they receive state funding
(SUPPORT/OTP AMENDED HB 1673)
SB 426: exclude incarcerated individuals from the right to in-person inspection of any governmental document stored outside a correctional facility.
(NEUTRAL on SB 426)
SB 696: establishing the office of the right-to-know ombudsman and making an appropriation therefor. This bill creates a low cost, speedy, credible, and impartial grievance resolution process for all parties.
(SUPPORT/OTP SB 696)