CHAPTER 327.

AN ACT EXTENDING THE APPLICATION OF THE RIGHT TO KNOW LAW TO
THE LEGISLATURE AND ALL ITS COMMITTEES.

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

327:1 Definitions. Amend RSA 91-A:1 (supp) as inserted by 1967,
251:1 by striking out said section and inserting in place thereof the follow-
ing new section:

91-A:1 Definition of Public Proceedings. The term "public proceed-
ings" as used in this chapter means the transaction of any functions affect-
ing any or all citizens of the state by any of the following:

I. The general court including executive sessions of committees;

II. The governor's council;

III. Any board or commission of any state agency or authority;

IV. Any board, commission, agency, or authority, of any county, town,
municipal corporation, school district, or other political subdivision.

327:2 Notice of Legislative Committee Meetings. Amend RSA
91-A:2 (supp) as inserted by 1967, 251:1 and amended by 1969, 482:1
by striking out said section and inserting in place thereof the following:

91-A:2 Meetings Open to the Public. All public proceedings shall be
open to the public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meet-
ings of those bodies or agencies. Minutes of all such meetings, including
names of members, persons appearing before the bodies or agencies, and a
brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions shall
be promptly recorded and open to public inspection within seventy-two
hours of the public meeting, except as provided by section 5 of this chapter,
and shall be treated as permanent records of any body or agency, without
exception. Except in an emergency or when there is a meeting of a legisla-
tive committee, a notice of the time and place of each such meeting shall be
posted in two appropriate public places or shall be printed in a newspaper
of general circulation in the city or town at least twenty-four hours, exclud-
ing Sundays and legal holidays, prior to such meetings. An emergency shall
mean a situation where immediate undelayed action is deemed to be imper-
ative and the minutes of the meeting shall clearly spell out the need for the
emergency meeting. When a meeting of a legislative committee is held,
publication made pursuant to the rules of the house of representatives shall
be sufficient notice. If the charter of any city or guide lines set down by the
appointing authority requires a broader public access to official meetings
and records than herein described, such charter provisions or guide lines
shall take precedence over the requirements of this chapter.

327:3 Meetings Not Public. Amend RSA 91-A:3, II (supp) as
inserted by 1967, 251:1 by inserting after paragraph (d) the following new
paragraph:

(e) Matters being discussed by a legislative committee sitting in
executive session, which should not be made public, as determined by a
three-fifths vote of the members present and voting at such meeting.

327:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect sixty days after its
passage.

[Approved June 25, 1971.]
[Effective date August 24, 1971.]