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Legislative Deadlines Approach
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The Schedule
The recent lengthy activity in the House (full day sessions) was necessary to meet this week's deadline for action on any bill that is required to go to a second committee (usually a review by the Finance Committee).
The next deadline for both the House and Senate is "crossover" on March 24th. This is the deadline for ANY bill in the House (or Senate) to "crossover" to the other body: House bills must move over to the Senate, and Senate bills must move over to the House. Following Crossover, bills 'surviving' the initial process repeat the process again in the 'other' body. The deadline for both the House and Senate to act on any Senate or House bill is Thursday, May 12th. The following Thursday, May 19th, is the deadline to form a Committee of Conference that may be required to attempt to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill. Committee of Conference reports must be resolved by Thursday, May 26, and the last day for the House and Senate to act on any Committee of Conference report is Thursday, June 2nd.
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Status Update on Selected Legislation
OTP Ought to Pass - OTP/A Ought to Pass as Amended - ITL Inexpedient to Legislate - Int Study Interim Study
Relative to Cooperative School Districts
HB1201
, amends the procedure for withdrawal from a cooperative school district. ITL
HB1303
, establishing a commission to study issues relating to withdrawal from a cooperative school district. OTP/A
HB1364
, making the school board member of a cooperative school district budget committee a nonvoting member. ITL
Relative to Governmental Immunity
HB1687
permits actions against any municipality or school district to recover for bodily injury, personal injury, or property damage incurred as the result of use of playground structures. ITL
HB1688
provides that employees of a governmental unit may be held liable for damages in negligence claims, removing the current limitations on municipal liability. ITL
Relative to Official Ballot Districts (SB2)
HB1221
modifies the definition of one-time expenditures for purposes of determining default budgets. ITL
HB1375
is enabling legislation that provides a procedure for establishing a charter commission for the sole purpose of modifying procedures for the consideration, amendment, and adoption of an operating or default budget. OTP
HB1389
prohibits an amendment to a petitioned warrant article that changes the subject matter or intent of the original warrant article. ITL
HB1500
requires submission of the default budget form with its budget report to the Department of Revenue Administration, which shall be reviewed by the Department for compliance prior to setting tax rates. ITL
Relative to Retirement and Pension Issues
HB369
establishes a defined contribution retirement plan for public employees. Int Study
HB556
establishes a cash balance plan. Int Study
HB1352
requires the NHRS board of trustees to give employers notice and an opportunity to explain before the penalty for retirement system employer noncompliance with the data reporting requirements may be assessed. OTP/A
HB1449
establishes a procedure for funding and distributing additional temporary supplemental allowances for retired members of the retirement system or their beneficiaries. Int Study
HB1489
establishes a committee to study the rates of employer contributions in the retirement system. ITL
HB1673
establishes a cash balance pension plan for state retirement system members who begin service on or after January 1, 2017. The bill is enabling for local districts, applicable if the employer chooses to participate. Laid on Table
Relative to Right to Know Issues
HB285
was amended to broaden the "non meeting" allowance for consultation with legal counsel to include "consideration of legal advice provided by legal counsel, either in writing or orally, to one or more members of the public body, even where legal counsel is not present." This Senate amended version must now return to the House for concurrence.
HB1216
requires public bodies and agencies to provide information in a form not regularly kept or reported. ITL
HB1395
permits electronic records to be transferred to portable document files. OTP/A
HB1413
establishes a commission to study processes to resolve right-to-know complaints. ITL
HB1417
requires certain information be recorded in the minutes of a public body for the purposes of discussing strategy or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining or consultation with legal counsel. ITL
HB1418
clarifies certain information which is to be included in the minutes of nonpublic sessions.
The minutes must include the names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies, and a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions reached. OTP
HB1419
requires minutes of nonpublic sessions to include the vote of each member in all actions taken. OTP
HB1510
requires public bodies to properly notify persons who are the subject of certain nonpublic sessions. ITL
HB1546
permits the audio recording of a public servant performing a public function. Laid on Table
HB1593
limits the cost of obtaining a copy of a public record to the actual cost.
ITL
HB1611
stipulates that a public body or agency shall not charge a fee for allowing a person to inspect a record that is immediately available.
ITL
Professional Code of Ethics for Teachers
HB1457
establishes a code of professional ethical standards and practices for teachers. Int Study
Mandatory Drug Education
SB369
is the legislative proposal from the Joint Task Force on the Heroin & Opiod Crisis. The Senate adopted language stating, "Each public school in the state, as part of their health education curriculum, shall provide at each grade level age appropriate drug and alcohol education to pupils from kindergarten through grade 12." The House adopted an amended version, changing the word "shall" to "should". A Committee of Conference has been formed, but has not yet met.
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Senate Update
The Senate met in session this week and took the following votes:
OTP Ought to Pass - OTP/A Ought to Pass as Amended - ITL Inexpedient to Legislate - Int Study Interim Study
HB301
, establishing a committee to study New Hampshire's statewide longitudinal data system and any other Dept. of Educ. maintained database and local district databases. OTP
HB471
, addressing the specific duties of school boards. ITL
HB527
requires each school district in the state to which a school resource officer is assigned to develop and implement a policy which shall include, at a minimum, a requirement for a signed memorandum of understanding between the school district and the law enforcement agency from which the school resource officer is deployed.. OTP/A
HB536
, provides that funding for chartered public school students receiving special education services be paid directly to the school district in which the student resides. OTP
HB1272
, clarifying that charter school students who reside in the school district in which the chartered public school is located shall be provided transportation to charter school by the district on the same terms and conditions as currently offered, i.e. utilizing the same regular bus schedules and routes that are already provided. OTP/A
HB1604
, specifying instructional methods for teachers and administrators designed to enable students to acquire and apply requisite knowledge and skills. ITL
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Upcoming Legislative Education Schedule
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Tuesday, March 15, 2016
House EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
9:30 a.m. HB 1130, requiring school districts to permit placement of a memorial honoring those who have died during military service.
10:00 a.m. Executive session on HB 1130, requiring school districts to permit placement of a memorial
11:15 a.m. SB 152, relative to criminal history records checks for school employees and designated school volunteers.
1:00 p.m. SB 328, relative to school districts and SAUs exercising joint powers with other public agencies.
1:45 p.m. SB 371, relative to school lunch meal payment policies.
2:15 p.m. SB 25-FN, relative to the administration of epinephrine.
Executive session on pending legislation may be held throughout the day, time permitting.
House FINANCE
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DIVISION II, Room 209, LOB
Work sessions
10:00 a.m. HB 1630, relative to calculating the base cost of an adequate education.
10:30 a.m. HB 1551, establishing the John and Molly Stark scholarship program and making an appropriation therefor.
11:00 a.m. HB 1644, relative to screening and treatment for dyslexia and related disorders and establishing a reading specialist in the Department of Education.
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Upcoming Legislative Education Schedule
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Thursday, March 17, 2016
House EDUCATION, Room 207, LOB
9:30 a.m. SB 322, relative to the provision and administration of bronchodilators, spacers, and nebulizers in schools.
10:15 a.m. SB 373, relative to a study of using building aid for information technology infrastructure in public schools.
11:20 a.m. SB 312, relative to epinephrine administration in independent schools.
1:00 p.m. SB 316, relative to placement decisions by a child's individualized education program team.
2:00 p.m. SB 460, authorizing the state board to adopt rules relative to child sexual abuse and healthy relationships.
Executive session on pending legislation may be held throughout the day, time permitting.
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