Welcome to the first Closer Looks, our new weekly trending bill feature on the blog. This week we will take a closer look at New Hampshire’s trending bill, SB555.
SB555 would have establish a citizens’ right-to-know appeals commission and a right-to-know law ombudsman. A Right-To-Know commission was established last year to examine the law they passed in 2013. The commission recommended that the state create a Citizens Right to Know Appeals Board and a Right to Know Ombudsman to mediate disputes that arise over access to public records. Currently, the only alternative for people whose requests are denied is for them to take their cases to Superior Court (a considerable cost for most people).
What is the idea behind “right-to-know”? This bill put forth detailed procedures that must be followed to ensure citizens have access to government meetings and records with the overall goal of making government more open and transparent. There is a Right to Know NH non-profit which educates citizens on their Right to Know and aids them in exercising their rights under the law. They also educate public officials on improving their adherence to the law and delivering greater government transparency to their constituents.
Senator Bob Giuda, who chairs the commission studying the right-to-know, said “This bill will level the playing field and save communities significant amounts of money as well by avoiding court cases. This is about transparency in government. This is information people are entitled to by law, but is being denied to them by process.”
There have been many bills over the last few years having to do with right-to-know and different areas this law affects. Here is a list of all of the bills over since 2011 having to do with it. The bills range from allowing voters to register as members of political organizations to information to be included in the minutes to costs for paper records or for electronic records to prohibiting costs for inspection to collective bargaining under the right-to-know law.