Martine Fiske

I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 1360, which proposes the establishment of a Legislative Commission on Municipal Association Oversight. While this bill is framed as a transparency measure, its practical effect is to create a state-level "chokehold" on the collective voice of New Hampshire’s towns, cities, and school districts. Taxpayers rely on the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) to serve as a watchdog in Concord, ensuring that state-level mandates do not unfairly drive up our local property taxes and make inefficiencies in governance. HB 1360 threatens this essential function in several critical ways: 1. Political Interference in Local Advocacy The proposed commission is heavily weighted toward state officials (5 of 7 members). This creates a direct conflict of interest: the very body being lobbied (the State) would have the power to suspend the lobbyist (the NHMA). Under Section 17-T:3, this commission could silence NHMA’s advocacy based on subjective findings. This would leave our local communities voiceless during critical legislative debates. 2. Disproportionate Penalties and Administrative "Hair-Triggers" HB 1360 introduces "automatic" prohibitions on advocacy for simple administrative delays. If a report is filed one day late, the association is automatically banned from engaging in legislative advocacy. Such a draconian penalty is unheard of for other nonprofit entities and serves only to strip municipalities of their representation due to paperwork technicalities. 3. Duplication of Existing Transparency The NHMA is already a transparent organization. It is governed by a board of local elected officials, files public IRS Form 990s, and its lobbyists are already registered and reported under RSA 15. Staffing this commission diverts state resources away from auditing state agencies and places the cost of additional reporting on local dues-payers. 4. Violation of Attorney-Client Privilege By requiring detailed reporting of "expenditures for legal services and outside counsel," this bill risks exposing the sensitive legal strategies of municipalities. Our towns must be able to seek confidential legal guidance on complex state regulations without a state commission looking over their shoulders. 5. The "Snowball Effect" of Discriminatory Oversight By targeting a single organization for state-run oversight, HB 1360 creates a dangerous and discriminatory precedent. If the State justifies this commission because NHMA receives "public monies" via dues, then every nonprofit, chamber of commerce, or social service agency that receives a municipal grant or state contract could be next. This "snowball effect" would lead to a massive expansion of state bureaucracy, requiring the legislature to oversee dozens of private organizations. We should not create a system where the government monitors the internal finances of private entities simply because they are effective at advocating for their members. Our municipalities are not agencies of the state; they are communities of citizens. We have a right to associate and advocate for our local interests without state-mandated "oversight" designed to curb our influence. I urge you to support local control and protect the independence of municipal advocacy by voting Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL) on HB 1360.