Bill > HB66

This bill expands New Hampshire's Right to Know law by making several key changes to public records access. It replaces references to "citizens" with "any person," which means that anyone, not just New Hampshire residents, can request governmental records. The bill now requires public bodies to disclose preliminary drafts of documents that have been distributed to a quorum or majority of the public body, broadening the scope of available records. The legislation also introduces more flexible methods for requesting documents, allowing people to request records electronically or by mail without physically appearing at government offices. Public bodies must provide electronic records in their existing format, though they are not required to convert records to new formats or provide electronic access if doing so would be technologically challenging or compromise their record-keeping system. Additionally, the bill modifies the appeals process for Right to Know ombudsman decisions, ensuring that the ombudsman's ruling is attached to and considered in any superior court appeal, and eliminating filing fees for such appeals. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage and is expected to potentially increase administrative workload for government agencies, though the fiscal impact is considered indeterminable.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=0050&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB66