This bill amends New Hampshire's "Right to Know" law (RSA 91-A) to broaden the scope of individuals who can request public records. It replaces the term "every citizen" with "any person," allowing anyone who is domiciled in New Hampshire, owns property, pays taxes, maintains a business, or is a member of the media to request governmental records. The bill also mandates the disclosure of preliminary drafts circulated to a quorum of a public body, ensuring that these documents are included among those subject to public inspection. Furthermore, it allows requests for records to be made electronically or by mail, eliminating the need for physical presence at public bodies' premises.

Additionally, the bill modifies the appeal process for decisions made by the Right to Know Ombudsman, allowing any party to appeal to the superior court within 30 days of the ruling. The ombudsman's ruling must be attached to the appeal document and considered by the court. The bill does not impose a filing fee for citizen-initiated appeals, but it does require public bodies to cover sheriff's service costs if they decline to accept service. Overall, the bill aims to enhance transparency and accessibility of governmental records while potentially increasing administrative costs for the Right-to-Know Ombudsman’s office due to a possible rise in case volume.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 91-A:1-a, 91-A:4, 91-A:7-c
As Amended by the House: 91-A:1-a, 91-A:4, 91-A:7-c
As Amended by the House (2nd): 91-A:1-a, 91-A:4, 91-A:7-c