New Hampshire HB 1360: establishing a legislative commission on municipal association oversight.

Bill Text

HB 1360 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-3071

 09/08

HOUSE BILL 1360

AN ACT establishing a legislative commission on municipal association oversight.

SPONSORS: Rep. Osborne, Rock. 2

COMMITTEE: Legislative Administration

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ANALYSIS

 This bill establishes a legislative commission on municipal association oversight.

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-3071

 09/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT establishing a legislative commission on municipal association oversight.

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

 1 Statement of Findings and Purpose. The general court hereby finds that:

 I. The New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) is a private nonprofit corporation whose membership is composed primarily of New Hampshire municipalities and which is funded substantially through municipal dues derived from taxpayer funds.

 II. NHMA engages in legislative advocacy, lobbying, legal support, training, and other activities that materially influence public policy in this state.

 III. Despite its public funding base and influence, NHMA is not currently subject to any oversight, transparency, or reporting obligations to the state or to the general court.

 IV. Taxpayers have a legitimate interest in ensuring that municipal dues are spent transparently and that lobbying activities are fully disclosed and not subsidized with public funds without accountability.

 V. Therefore, the purpose of this act is to establish a legislative commission on municipal association oversight to ensure transparency, accountability, and legislative oversight of the activities of NHMA.

 2 New Chapter; Legislative Commission on Municipal Association Oversight. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 17-S the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 17-T

LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION OVERSIGHT

 17-T:1 Commission Established.

 I. There is established a legislative commission to be known as the legislative commission on municipal association oversight. The purpose of the commission is to provide legislative oversight of the finances, activities, and use of public funds by the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA).

 II. The commission shall consist of 7 voting members as follows:

 (a) Three members of the New Hampshire house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including:

 (1) One member of the New Hampshire house finance committee;

 (2) One member of the New Hampshire house municipal and county government committee; and

 (3) One other member of the house of representatives.

 (b) Two members of the New Hampshire senate, appointed by the senate president.

 (c) One public member, appointed by the governor.

 (d) One municipal member who is a current or former elected or appointed official of a New Hampshire city that is a member of NHMA, who is not currently serving in any board, committee, or advisory capacity with NHMA, appointed by the senate president.

 III. The members shall select a chairperson and vice chairperson from among the legislative members. The chairperson shall alternate annually between a house member and a senate member. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

 IV. The New Hampshire office of legislative budget assistant shall provide staff and technical assistance to the commission and may attend meetings in a nonvoting advisory capacity.

 17-T:2 Powers and Duties.

 I. The commission shall:

 (a) Receive and review annual audited financial statements and Form 990 filings of NHMA;

 (b) Require NHMA to file annually an itemized expenditure report detailing:

 (1) Salaries and benefits by functional category;

 (2) Expenditures for lobbying and legislative advocacy;

 (3) Expenditures for legal services and outside counsel;

 (4) Expenditures for training, conferences, and publications; and

 (5) Administrative and overhead expenses;

 (c) Hold at least one public hearing annually at which NHMA shall present its finances, activities, and legislative priorities; and

 (d) Submit an annual report with its findings and any recommendations for legislation to the New Hampshire general court.

 17-T:3 Compliance Requirement and Enforcement.

 I. NHMA shall submit all required reports under this chapter to the commission no later than 90 days after the close of its fiscal year.

 II. If NHMA fails to submit the required reports by the deadline in paragraph I:

 (a) NHMA shall be automatically prohibited from engaging in any lobbying or l