New Hampshire HB 1107: enabling municipal budget committees to have alternate members.

Bill Text

HB 1107 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2534

 09/05

HOUSE BILL 1107

AN ACT enabling municipal budget committees to have alternate members. 

SPONSORS: Rep. Vallone, Rock. 5; Rep. Cloutier, Sull. 6; Rep. Horrigan, Straf. 10; Rep. Muns, Rock. 29; Rep. Simpson, Rock. 33; Rep. Turer, Rock. 6; Rep. Vose, Rock. 5; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24

COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ANALYSIS

 This bill allows for municipal budget committees to have between one and 3 alternate members, who are appointed by the budget committee to one year terms.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2534

 09/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT enabling municipal budget committees to have alternate members. 

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

 1 Municipal Budget Law; Budget Committee. Amend RSA 32:14, IV to read as follows:

 IV. If the vote is favorable, the town or district shall at that same meeting vote, by ballot or other means, determine the number of members-at-large, or the number of alternate members-at-large, if applicable, as provided in RSA 32:15, I and II, and whether they shall be elected or appointed by the moderator, or appointed by the budget committee pursuant to RSA 32:15, II.

 2 Budget Committee; Membership. Amend RSA 32:15 to read as follows:

 32:15 Budget Committee Membership.

 I. The budget committee shall consist of:

 (a) Three to 12 members-at-large, who may be either elected or appointed by the moderator, as the town or district adopting the provisions of this subdivision shall by vote determine, who shall serve staggered terms of 3 years; and

 (b) One member of the governing body of the municipality and, if the municipality is a town, one member of the school board of each school district wholly within the town and one member of each village district wholly within the town, all of whom shall be appointed by their respective boards to serve for a term of one year and until their successors are qualified. Each such member may be represented by an alternate member designated by the respective board, who shall, when sitting, have the same authority as the regular member.

 II. The budget committee may also consist of one to 3 alternate members-at-large if the town or district adopting the provisions of this subdivision shall, by vote, so determine. Alternate members-at-large shall be appointed by the budget committee, shall serve terms of one year, and shall have the same authority as a regular member when sitting.?

 III. If the meeting decides that members-at-large are to be appointed, the staggering of terms shall begin that same year, with 1/3 of such members chosen to hold office for one year, 1/3 for 2 years, and 1/3 for 3 years, and each year thereafter 1/3 shall be chosen for terms of 3 years and until their successors are appointed and qualified. If the number of members-at-large is not divisible by 3, the division shall be as even as possible over the 3 years. All such appointments shall be made within 30 days after the annual meeting.

 [III.] IV. If the meeting decides members-at-large are to be elected, the meeting shall either elect the initial members for one-year terms by means other than by official ballot, or shall authorize the moderator to appoint members to serve until the next annual meeting, as provided in RSA 669:17. Elections for staggered terms, as described in paragraph II, shall not begin until that next annual meeting, and shall be by official ballot if the municipality has adopted the official ballot system, as set forth in RSA 669.

 [IV.] V. A town or district which has adopted this subdivision may vote at any subsequent annual meeting to change the number or manner of selection of its members-at-large or change the number of its alternate members-at-large. No such change shall take effect until the annual meeting following the meeting at which the change was adopted.

 [V.] VI. No selectman, town manager, member of the school board, village district commissioner, full-time employee, or part-time department head of the town, school district or village district or other associated agency shall serve as a member-at-large or alternate member-at-large. Every member-at-large and alternate member-at-large shall be domiciled in the town or district adopting this subdivision and shall cease to hold office immediately upon ceasing to be so domiciled.

 [VI.] VII. One of the members-at-large shall be elected by the budget committee as chair. The committee may elect