Bills 2020
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:
KILLED: HB1202: relative to matters discussed in nonpublic session regarding citizen’s reputation
SPONSORS: Rep. DiLorenzo, Rock. 17; Rep. Kenney, Straf. 6; Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Balch, Hills. 38; Rep. Conley, Straf. 13; Rep. Wuelper, Straf. 3; Rep. Sylvia, Belk. 6; Rep. Meuse, Rock. 29; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE, PASS-HOUSE: HB1325: require a list of sealed minutes from nonpublic sessions
SPONSORS:Sponsors: Rep. DiLorenzo, Rock. 17; Rep. Ulery, Hills. 37; Rep. Chase, Straf. 18; Rep. Langley, Hills. 8; Sen. Carson, Dist 14
There are also several other Right-to-Know bills this year that Right to Know NH is tracking. They are:
KILLED: HB1689: require verbatim audio/video minutes of nonpublic sessions
SPONSORS: Rep. Yokela, Rock. 33; Rep. Yakubovich, Merr. 24; Rep. DeSimone, Rock. 14; Rep. Wuelper, Straf. 3
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE, PASS/A-HOUSE: HB1559: require annual review of sealed minutes of nonpublic sessions
SPONSORS: Rep. Yokela, Rock. 33; Rep. Yakubovich, Merr. 24; Rep. Wuelper, Straf. 3
STUDY: HB1390: allow access to ballots and verification counts of machine-counted ballots
SPONSORS: Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. T. Smith, Hills. 17; Rep. Vann, Hills. 24; Rep. DiLorenzo, Rock. 17; Rep. Horrigan, Straf. 6; Rep. Jack, Hills. 36; Rep. Frost, Straf. 16; Rep. Towne, Straf. 4; Rep. DesMarais, Carr. 6; Rep. Knirk, Carr. 3; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE, PASS/A-HOUSE: HB1169: eliminate requirement for role call vote when member(s) of public body participates electronically in meeting
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Schmidt, Hills. 28; Rep. O’Brien, Hills. 36; Rep. Klee, Hills. 30
KILLED: HB1170: add a definition of “reasonably described” which includes setting a 30 day limit to citizen’s access to records
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Schmidt, Hills. 28
KILLED: HB1307: allows public bodies to charge personnel costs for search and retrieval of records
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Schmidt, Hills. 28
KILLED: HB1546: allow county delegations to not keep minutes under certain circumstances
SPONSORS:Rep. Steven Smith, Sull. 11; Rep. Aron, Sull. 7; Rep. Cloutier, Sull. 10; Rep. Rollins, Sull. 6; Rep. Stapleton, Sull. 5
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE, PASS/A-HOUSE: HB1524: prohibiting police from releasing information of certain non-violent offenders on social media before conviction
SPONSORS: Rep. Klein-Knight, Hills. 11; Rep. McNally, Straf. 10; Rep. Bouchard, Hills. 11; Rep. Sylvia, Belk. 6
KILLED: HB1531: relative to the release of voting information in a presidential election
SPONSORS: Rep. Prout, Hills. 37; Rep. Edwards, Rock. 4; Rep. Costable, Rock. 3; Rep. Verville, Rock. 2; Rep. A. Lekas, Hills. 37; Rep. T. Lekas, Hills. 37; Rep. Torosian, Rock. 14
KILLED: HB1529: prohibiting the release of the name and other information regarding a mass shooter
SPONSORS: Rep. Hopper, Hills. 2; Rep. Potucek, Rock. 6
KILLED: HB1673: include certain for profit and non profit entities to be considered public bodies when they receive state funding
SPONSORS: Rep. McGuire, Merr. 29; Rep. T. Lekas, Hills. 37; Rep. Wuelper, Straf. 3
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE: SB426: exclude incarcerated individuals from the right to in-person inspection of any governmental document stored outside a correctional facility
SPONSORS: Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Rep. Pantelakos, Rock. 25
LAID ON TABLE-SENATE: SB696: establishing the office of the right-to-know ombudsman
SPONSORS: Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Rep. Weyler, Rock. 13; Rep. DiLorenzo, Rock. 17; Rep. Ulery, Hills. 37
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