Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
← All bills

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 signature.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

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

Hearings

  • 2025-01-2210:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing
  • 2025-01-3010:00 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing
  • 2025-04-089:15 amSenate Election Law and Municipal AffairsLOB 103Public hearing

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.