Bill Text: NH SB158 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to town and city membership in a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and prohibiting recipients of municipal or county funds from using such funds for lobbying.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-11-14 - Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; Consent Calendar [SB158 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB158-Introduced.html
SB 158 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-1048
10/04
SENATE BILL 158
SPONSORS: Sen. Giuda, Dist 2
COMMITTEE: Election Law and Municipal Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill clarifies authorization to pay for town or city membership in a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of cities and towns. The bill also prohibits the recipient of a grant or appropriation of county or municipal funds from using such funds to engage in lobbying activities.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-1048
10/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Lobbyists; Use of County or Municipal Funds for Lobbying Activity Prohibited. Amend RSA 15:5 to read as follows:
15:5 Prohibited Activities.
I. Except as provided in paragraph II, no recipient of a grant or appropriation of state, county, or municipal funds may use the [state] funds to lobby or attempt to influence legislation, participate in political activity, or contribute funds to any entity engaged in these activities.
II. Any recipient of a grant or appropriation of state, county, or municipal funds that wishes to engage in any of the activities prohibited in paragraph I, or contribute funds to any entity engaged in these activities, shall segregate the state, county, or municipal funds in such a manner that such funds are physically and financially separate from any [non-state] other funds that may be used for any of these purposes. Mere bookkeeping separation of the state, county, or municipal funds from other moneys shall not be sufficient.
2 Authorization to Pay Dues. Amend RSA 31:8-a to read as follows:
31:8-a Authorization to Pay Dues. The board of selectmen may vote to pay, from amounts appropriated by the town for town officers' expenses, such amounts as shall be payable for annual membership in [the New Hampshire Municipal Association] a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization of towns and cities and expenses incurred in attending regular meetings of the said [association] organization, provided that the appropriation of such dues has not previously been rejected by a vote at the annual town meeting and provided further that the [association] organization shall not record [association] organization positions before the general court or committees thereof on matters which do not directly affect New Hampshire towns and cities, nor engage in partisan political activity by endorsing, or otherwise supporting, any political party or candidate.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
