1979 SB29 Legislative History

Versions of SB29:

• SB29 As Introduced

Senate Index

[HJ 2572] SB 29 Re legislative committees holding executive sessions. (Splain & Rep. Morrissette of Str. 7)
123, K 149-150

From 1979 Senate Journal

Wednesday, January 31, 1979

[SJ 123] INTRODUCTION OF SENATE BILLS

Senator Brown moved the following resolution:

Resolved, that in accordance with the list in the possession of the Clerk, Senate Bills 24-30 and CACR 4 shall be by this resolution read a first and second time by the therein listed titles, laid on the table for printing and referred to the therein designated committees.

Adopted.

First and Second Reading and Referral

SB 29, relative to legislative committees holding executive sessions. (Splain of Dist. 24; Morrisette of Straf. Dist. 7-To Rules and Regulations)

Wednesday, February 14, 1979

[SJ 140] COMMITTEE REPORTS

Sen. LAMONTAGNE: Mr. President, members of the Senate, the committee of rules and resolutions reports that SB 29 inexpedient to legislate. The committee feels that the right to know law makes a special inclusion for the Legislature because of Constitutional Article No. 37 in which it very clearly states that the Senate shall appoint their President and other officers and set their own rules. There is no need for this type of legislation. This would tie up all the committees and it would also slow up the work of both Houses.

Sen. ROCK: I would just like to speak very, very briefly on this legislation. I know that there are many instances, Mr. [SJ 150] President, members of the Senate, and I can give you very, very good ones-for instance a piece of property might come up or be available for sale or the state might have an interest in a piece of property and it might be the wish of the appropriations and the House and Senate Finance to discuss to what extent you might wish to go in purchasing the property. If the Eagle Hotel were for sale and it was proposed that it should be an office building and the property owner was offering the Eagle Hotel for sale to the State of New Hampshire for an office building and he was asking $350 thousand for it, you might want to discuss in the privacy of the chamber without public or press how far you'd want to go or to what extent you would be willing to go to meet the purchase price. But if you don't have an executive session how will everybody know how far you're willing to go and the how will the buyer know exactly what he can get for the property without the benefit of this. I think that many times in discussing personnel and purchase of property it's extremely important to get some background and input on what you're doing before it gets to be a full blown issue. I didn't hear Sen. Lamontagne, I apologize, I was called out to speak with a representative, but I can also see occasions in this legislation and I understand that it calls for 3/4 of the body to give approval. You can change the constitution of the state with only 2/3 and yet you have to get 3/4 to go into legislative session. For instance, if you were holding sessions next week for Senate Finance and the Senate was in recess and the President were not available how do you get the Senate back to get the 3/4 vote before the whole issue is ended. I accept the committees report.

Adopted.