CATS does not specifically engage in legislative advocacy, but promotes citizen engagement and empowerment in the legislative process. The CATS website provides a variety of educational resources to increase awareness of youth risk behaviors and strategies for increasing safe and healthy communities. This guide provides information for NH residents to become more informed about the legislative process.
An adaptation from the NH General Court website - A Primer on the Legislative Process
New Hampshire has a Citizen Legislature It includes a State Senate and House of Representatives. New Hampshire is divided into districts for the purpose of representation. For example, Derry falls under District 5 for the House of Representatives and District 19 for the Senate. Derry is represented by 11 representatives and 1 senator. Introducing a Bill or "There ought to be a law." State Senators and Representatives can file a bill. They rely on your ideas and input to do this task. A carefully researched and written bill is sponsored by the representative and submitted to the Clerk's Office. The bill will be designated either a "SB" (Senate bill) or "HB" (House bill). After a "formal" reading of the bill by the Senate President or House Speaker it is assigned to the appropriate Senate or House committee for review and a public hearing.
Speak Up (or Listen) at a Public Hearing Public hearings must be announced at least 72 hours in advance through the Senate or House Calendar. Supporting and opposing testimony from all interested parties is heard by committee members. This means you. Members of the public can attend a public hearing. Following the public hearing, committee members vote to pass the legislation, amend it, refer it back to committee for further study, or defeat it. You can attend a public hearing and just listen. From Committee to Floor Once the committee makes a decision the bill is then placed before the full House or Senate for a "floor vote". Debate may follow. After debate, the full legislative body (House or Senate) votes on the committee's decision. The results are available in the Senate or House Journals. From One Legislative Body to the Other If the bill passes, with or without amendments, it is referred to the other legislative body (House or Senate) for another committee hearing and full body vote. Crossover day is the deadline for all House bills to go to the Senate and all Senate bills to go to the House. If the bill is defeated or referred for more study, it does not pass to the non-originating legislative body.
On to the Governor If both the House and Senate pass a bill or agree on an amended version, it then goes to the Governor's desk for approval. The Governor has 5 days to veto the bill,. If the Governor takes no action within 5 days, the bill passes into law. If a bill is vetoed by the Governor, it requires 2/3 of both House and Senate to override the Governor's action and pass the bill into law.
Governor John Lynch Office of the Governor State House, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 603.271.2121 or governorlynch@nh.gov
Who's your rep? Click here to search by town for a list of representatives.
>Bill Docket confirms dates of introduction and committee hearings. (Ex: HB71) >Bill Status confirms docket information and committee information, floor date, and sponsors. (Ex: HB71) >Bill Text provides the carefully researched and written proposal. (Ex: HB71)
Speak up.
Contact your representatives! From the town listing page click on an individual rep for complete contact information. Call, write, or email! View their voting record, committee membership, and bills sponsored. (Ex: Beverly Ferrante)
