HB 347 · 2025 · House · Legislative Administration Committee
Employment protections for legislators voting
AI-generatedrelative to protection of employment for members of the general court.
Provides members of the general court with protection from adverse employment action during legislative voting sessions.AI-generated
Status
Died on the table in the House · March 26, 2025- ✓Introduced
- ✕House
- Senate
- Governor
- Law
Analysis
This bill provides members of the general court with employment protections during voting sessions.
From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.
In the bill's words
Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site
“An employer shall permit an employee who is a member of the general court to leave work to attend up to 168 hours of general court voting each calendar year, whether or not the employee has accrued paid time off.”
“Before an employee may leave work under this provision, the employee shall provide the employer with a copy of the notice for each general court session day they will attend.”
“An employer shall not discharge an employee who is a member of the general court for attending a noticed and disclosed session of the general court.”
“An employer may require a member of the general court to use the employee's accrued vacation time, personal leave time, or paid time off to attend a noticed and disclosed voting session of the general court.”
Official record
gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source
Sponsors
- Rep. Ellen ReadDDeputy Ranking Member· Housing
Also: Rep. Susan ElbergerD, Rep. Alicia GreggD, Rep. Jessica GrillD, Rep. Heather RaymondD, Rep. Kris SchultzD, Rep. Loren SeligD, Rep. Eric TurerD
Public testimony
28 signed in online · 3 wrote testimony
86% support14% oppose0% neutral
In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted
“This bill does not take into account some of the harsh realities of a minor female's life and presumes that she has a healthy and open relationship with her parents. What if she lives in a physically and verbally abusive household?…”
“Help, I chose to run for representative office and now I want time off from work to actually act as representative. Clearly, some elected officials are guilty of making bad personal decisions.”
“The decision to serve as a legislator is a personal decision. This bill transfers part the burden of legislative service to a legislator's employer. 168 hours of time off for voting sessions, whether paid or unpaid, is more than 4 weeks of time off.…”
Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.
Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026
Votes
yeanay- Mar 19, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate8–3Overall73% yea
- Mar 26, 2025HouseDivisionLay HB347 on Table (Rep. Wade)Adopted265–85Overall76% yea
Hearings and debates
- Jan 23, 2025Public hearingHouse Legislative Administration3:18:02–3:33:1415m 12slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
- Mar 12, 2025Public hearingHouse Legislative AdministrationWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full stream==RECESSED== Executive Session
- Mar 19, 2025Public hearingHouse Legislative Administration20:10–22:322m 22slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Minority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0473h; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
- Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floor4:47:04–4:52:004m 56slocated in the stream transcriptLay HB347 on Table (Rep. Wade) — adopted, division 265-85
- Dec 17, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamDied on Table, Session ended
Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.
Legislative history
- Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Legislative Administration HJ 2 P. 16
- Jan 23, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 01/23/2025 01:15 pm LOB 203
- Mar 12, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/12/2025 09:00 am LOB 203
- Mar 19, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/19/2025 01:00 pm LOB 203
- Mar 19, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 03/19/2025 (Vote 8-3; RC) HC 17 P. 38
- Mar 19, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0473h
- Mar 26, 2025HouseLay HB347 on Table (Rep. Wade): MA DV 265-85 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 85
- Dec 17, 2025HouseDied on Table, Session ended 12/17/2025 HJ 19
Coverage
No reporting linked yet.
Documents (PDF)
Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.