This bill amends RSA 195:19-a to change the way members of cooperative school boards are elected in New Hampshire. The bill specifies that cooperative school boards must elect representatives from pre-existing districts by voters within those districts, rather than at large. This means that each representative must be domiciled in and represent a specific pre-existing district, and they will be elected only by voters from their own district, as opposed to the entire cooperative school district.

The bill outlines several methods for the composition and selection of cooperative school board members, including at-large elections, division into single or multi-member districts for proportional representation, or other methods compatible with the one-man one-vote principle as approved by the state board of education. The terms of the cooperative school board members are to be set in the bylaws or articles of agreement, with a maximum term of three years. The act will take effect 60 days after its passage. The legal language inserted into the current law requires that each pre-existing district have at least one resident representative who is elected within their own district, replacing the previous provision that allowed for at-large elections of all members of the cooperative school board.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 195:19-a
As Amended by the House: 195:19-a