N.H. lawmakers take on the next remote access political debate: local government – New Hampshire Public Radio

N.H. lawmakers take on the next remote access political debate: local government – New Hampshire Public Radio

The political wrestle over whether or not To permit distant participation in New Hampshire State House enterprise has migrated to cities and cities.

Democratic regulationmakers have launched legal guidelines To permit public our bodies To primarytain conferences distantly and nonetheless be in compliance with the state’s open data regulation.

Beneath House Invoice 1014, New Hampshire’s “proper-to-know regulation,” RSA 91-A, Can be up So far to state that “a bodily location Isn’t required for any meeting.” Instead, the bill states, conferences Might be held distantly if the physique currentd entry by telephone. Further entry Might Even be currentd by video or completely different digital means, the bill provides.

Rep. Alexis Simpson, an Exeter Democrat, said the bill acquired here On the request of cities and cities, Lots of which expanded distant meeting know-how all by way of COVID-19. Through The primary yr of the pandemic, native governments have been permited To fulfill distantly under an emergency order issued by Gov. Chris Sununu that currentd an exemption to The biggest-to-know regulation. With the expiration of the state of emergency in June, native governing our bodies have misplaced that capability.

“People Who’ve disabilities, these Who’ve youthful youthfulsters, aged residents, And People who can’t drive at Evening time or Inside the snow have all shared with me how important distant entry is to them,” Simpson said.

However the bill has already drawn criticism from excellent House Republicans, echoing the celebration’s prolonged-held opplace to distant participation in full House voting durations and legislative committees.

Republican regulationmakers argued Thursday that empowering cities to make their conferences distant could exclude residents who didn’t have enough know-how to take part.

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Source: https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2022-01-31/nh-lawmakers-remote-access-local-government