2001 SESSION

01-0445

10/01

HOUSE BILL 574

COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a committee to study the recodification of all laws relating to the joint committee on legislative facilities and to assure that the joint committee on legislative facilities act in compliance with RSA 91-A, the right-to-know law.

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01-0445

10/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand One

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

61:1 Purpose. The general court finds that:

I. Since 1973, the general court has enacted no fewer than 23 session laws relating to the joint committee on legislative facilities. Of these 23 laws, only 9 were ever inserted into the statutes and only 2 of these laws were inserted into RSA 17-E, the chapter that statutorily establishes the joint committee on legislative facilities.

II. All laws pertaining to the joint committee on legislative facilities ought to be included in one place in the Revised Statutes Annotated.

III. It is important that the members of the general court be able to easily refer to the responsibilities and duties of the joint committee on legislative facilities, and that such responsibilities and duties be clearly stated, so that any future changes to the law can be easily accomplished.

IV. It is paramount that the joint committee on legislative facilities act in compliance with the right-to-know law.

61:2 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study the recodification of laws relating to the joint committee on legislative facilities, established in RSA 17-E, and the application of the right-to-know law.

61:3 Membership and Compensation.

I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:

(a) Four members of the house of representatives, no more than one of whom shall be a current member of the joint committee on legislative facilities, appointed by the speaker of the house.

(b) Four members of the senate, no more than one of whom shall be a current member of the joint committee on legislative facilities, appointed by the president of the senate.

II. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

61:4 Duties. The committee shall:

I. Recommend changes to assure that all laws relating to the joint committee on legislative facilities, including the subcommittee for legislative management of the house and the subcommittee for legislative management of the senate, shall conform to the requirements of RSA 91-A.

II. Review all statutory provisions, session laws, and references to the joint committee on legislative facilities and its subcommittees and identify the duties and responsibilities of the joint committee on legislative facilities established in RSA 17-E, and its subcommittees.

III. Propose a compilation of all laws relating to the joint committee on legislative facilities and its subcommittees in one place in the Revised Statutes Annotated.

IV. Seek input from a wide cross-section of employees and members of the general court and any other persons or organizations the committee deems relevant to its study.

61:5 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Five members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

61:6 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate president, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2001.

61:7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.

(Approved: June 12, 2001)

(Effective Date: June 12, 2001)