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HB 265 · 2025 · House · Judiciary Committee

Meeting minutes must include times

AI-generated

(New Title) requiring that a public body's meeting minutes include start and end times of the meeting and the printed name of the recording secretary.

Requires that public body meeting minutes include the meeting's start and end times and the printed name of the recording secretary.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · June 25, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill requires that public meeting minutes be documented with the start time, end time, and recording secretary's printed name.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Subject to the provisions of RSA 91-A:3, all meetings, whether held in person, by means of telephone or electronic communication, or in any other manner, shall be open to the public.”
Section 112:1
“Except for town meetings, school district meetings, and elections, no vote while in open session may be taken by secret ballot.”
Section 112:1
“Any person shall be permitted to use recording devices, including, but not limited to, tape recorders, cameras, and videotape equipment, at such meetings.”
Section 112:1
“Minutes of all such meetings, including nonpublic sessions, shall include the names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies, [and] a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions, the start time and end time of the meeting, and name of the person who produced the minutes.”
Section 112:1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Marjorie SmithDPrimeRanking Member· Judiciary
  • Rep. Bob LynnRChair· Judiciary
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary

Public testimony

5 signed in online · 2 wrote testimony

80% support0% oppose20% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Annotating minutes with "... name and signature of the person who produced the minutes ..." is not feasible for some bodies because minutes are transcribed by secretaries from audio tape. The body then moves to accept previous meeting minutes.…”
— Daniel Richardson, Nashuaneutral

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 22, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary3:07:17–3:08:391m 22slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 30, 2025Public hearingHouse Judiciary1:33:21–1:35:282m 7slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Executive Session
  • Feb 20, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 8, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal AffairsWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHearing
  • Apr 17, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1544s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1544s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-1544s — adopted, voice vote
  • May 8, 2025Floor debateHouse floor29:34–30:421m 8slocated in the stream transcriptHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1544s (Rep. Lynn) — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 2 P. 12
  2. Jan 22, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/22/2025 01:00 pm LOB 206-208
  3. Jan 30, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 01/30/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  4. Jan 30, 2025House: Ought to Pass 01/30/2025 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 12 P. 8
  5. Feb 20, 2025HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 02/20/2025 HJ 6 P. 8
  6. Mar 6, 2025SenIntroduced 03/06/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  7. Apr 8, 2025SenHearing: 04/08/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:45 am; SC 16
  8. Apr 17, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1544s, 04/17/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 17
  9. Apr 17, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-1544s, AA, VV; 04/17/2025; SJ 10
  10. Apr 17, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-1544s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/17/2025; SJ 10
  11. May 8, 2025HouseHouse Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1544s (Rep. Lynn): MA VV 05/08/2025 HJ 14 P. 3
  12. Jun 12, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/12/2025); SJ 17
  13. Jun 12, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/12/2025 HJ 17 P. 24
  14. Jun 23, 2025HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 06/23/2025; Chapter 112; eff.08/22/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.