SB 0336

SB 336 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

AN ACT establishing a committee to study campaign finance reform and apportioning state representative districts.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fernald, Dist 11; Sen. Cohen, Dist 24; Sen. Below, Dist 5; Rep. Leach, Hills 9; Rep. Flanagan, Rock 14

This bill also establishes new state representative districts in accordance with the latest federal decennial census.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT establishing a committee to study campaign finance reform and apportioning state representative districts.

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

1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study campaign finance reform.

(a) Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

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

3 Duties. The committee shall study the provisions of RSA 664, political expenditures and contributions. The committee's study shall include, but not be limited to, methods of strengthening state campaign finance laws, especially in regard to issues raised in recent state and federal court decisions and federal law. The committee shall meet independently and in conjunction with the committee to study the recodification of the election laws established by 2002, 19. The committee shall consult with the leaders of the Republican and Democratic state parties, the secretary of state, and the attorney general during the course of its study.

4 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. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

5 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, 2002.

6 State Representative Districts. RSA 662:5 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

662:5 State Representative Districts. The state is divided into districts for the choosing of state representatives, each of which may elect the number of representatives set forth opposite the district, as follows:

7 Application. The changes in state representative districts established by this act shall not affect constituencies or terms of office of representatives presently in office. The state representative districts established by this act shall be in effect for the purpose of electing representatives at the 2002 state general election. If there shall be a vacancy in a state representatives district for any reason prior to the 2002 state general election, the vacancy shall be filled by and from the same state representative district that existed for the 2000 state general election. No provision of this act shall affect in any manner any of the proceedings of the membership of the house of representatives of the general court that assembled for a biennial session in January 2001.