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HB 400 · 2025 · House · Judiciary Committee

Public meetings for union negotiations

AI-generated

requiring a public body's collective bargaining negotiations to be deemed public meetings and requiring that arguments made and information generated during the meetings be made available to the public under the right-to-know law.

Provides that collective bargaining negotiations conducted by a public body constitute a public meeting under the right-to-know law.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 26, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill provides that collective bargaining negotiations with a public body are a meeting under the right-to-know law.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Pam BrownRPrimeClerk· Education Funding

Public testimony

238 signed in online · 42 wrote testimony

3% support97% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I was a member of the NEA for over 10 years. The Union Management was always very secretive with union members. Whether it was contract negotiations or MOUs, the Union Management was unwilling to share any information with union members.…”
— Kathleen Dunn, Manchestersupports
“Negotiations should continue to be made by elected officials and employee representatives. A final resolution is then brought forward to the public.…”
— Elizabeth Callahan, Straffordopposes
“This bill makes negotiations a theater instead of focusing on the work which needs to be discussed. Members of the public will likely secretly record the session and post to social media. Some negotiation sessions take 12 hours.…”
— Bob Lemoine, Eppingopposes
“I oppose HB 400 and I hope you do, too. It's a violation of professional and personal privacy to have 'the public' overhearing each and every clause negotiated.…”
— Lynn McRae, Lymeopposes

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

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings

  • 2025-02-059:30 amHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearingrescheduled
  • 2025-03-101:00 pmHouse JudiciaryLOB 206-208Public hearing

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Judiciary HJ 3 P. 8
  2. Feb 5, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/05/2025 01:45 pm LOB 206-208
  3. Mar 7, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 03/07/2025 10:00 am LOB 206-208
  4. Mar 10, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/10/2025 01:00 pm LOB 206-208
  5. Mar 10, 2025HouseMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/10/2025 (Vote 14-4; RC) HC 17 P. 34
  6. Mar 14, 2025HouseMinority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
  7. Mar 26, 2025HouseLay HB400 on Table (Rep. Alexander Jr.): MF DV 163-180 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 72
  8. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 211-135 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 72

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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