HB 374 - AS INTRODUCED
2021 SESSION
21-0227
06/05
HOUSE BILL 374
AN ACT relative to the official ballot referendum form of town meetings.
SPONSORS: Rep. Pauer, Hills. 26; Rep. McGuire, Merr. 29; Rep. Yokela, Rock. 33; Rep.
Lewicke, Hills. 26; Rep. Warden, Hills. 15
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
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ANALYSIS
This bill amends the method of adopting official ballot referendum form of meeting.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
 HB 374 - AS INTRODUCED
21-0227
06/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One
AN ACT relative to the official ballot referendum form of town meetings.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 1 Method of Adopting Official Ballot Referendum Form of Meeting. Amend RSA 40:14, III to
2 read as follows:
3 III. The local political subdivision shall place the question on the warrant of the annual
4 meeting under the procedures set out in RSA 39:3 or RSA 197:6, and the question shall be voted
5 on by official ballot in accordance with the procedures established in RSA 669:19-29, RSA
6 670:5-7, and RSA 671:20-30, including all requirements pertaining to absentee voting,
7 polling places, and polling hours. [Voting on the question shall be by ballot, but the question
8 shall not be placed on the official ballot used to elect officers. Polls shall remain open and ballots
9 shall be accepted by the moderator for a period of not less than one hour following the completion of
10 discussion on the question.]
11 2 Method of Adopting Official Ballot Referendum Form of Meeting. Amend RSA 40:14, VII to
12 read as follows:
13 VII. Any local political subdivision which has adopted RSA 40:13 may consider rescinding its
14 action in the manner described in paragraphs III-VI[, except that the question shall be placed on the
15 official ballot]. The wording of the question shall be: "Shall we rescind the provisions of RSA 40:13
16 (known as SB 2), as adopted by the (local political subdivision) on (date of adoption), so that the
17 official ballot will no longer be used for voting on all questions, but only for the election of officers
18 and certain other questions for which the official ballot is required by state law?" A 3/5 majority of
19 those voting on the question shall be required to rescind the provisions of this subdivision, except in
20 the case of repeal by charter enactment under RSA 49-D. Only votes in the affirmative or negative
21 shall be included in the calculation of the 3/5 majority.
22 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40:14
Ought to Pass: 40:14
latest version: 40:14