Bill Text: NH HB544 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relative to the governance of the Manchester school district.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-15 - Signed by Governor Sununu 07/10/2019; Chapter 174; Sec. 2 Eff: as provided in Sec.3 II. Rem. Eff: 07/10/2019 [HB544 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB544-Enrolled.html

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HB 544 - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0405

08/04

 

HOUSE BILL 544

 

AN ACT relative to the governance of the Manchester school district.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Long, Hills. 10

 

COMMITTEE: Education

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires the establishment of a charter commission to recommend a procedure to revise, amend, or replace the Manchester school district charter without legislative approval.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0405

08/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to the governance of the Manchester school district.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Subdivision; Manchester School District Charter Commission.  Amend RSA 49-B by inserting after section 14 the following new subdivision:

Manchester School District Charter Commission

49-B:15  Manchester School District; Charter Commission Established.

I.  A charter commission shall be established to develop a local procedure, which does not require the approval of the legislature, to revise, amend, or replace the Manchester school district charter, established in 1846 as amended in 1848, as amended by chapter 301 of the 1909 Laws of New Hampshire, as amended by chapter 323 of the 1909 laws of New Hampshire, as amended by chapter 249 of the 1915 Laws of New Hampshire, as amended by chapter 302 of the 1915 Laws of New Hampshire, as amended by chapter 52 of the 1972 Laws of New Hampshire.  The charter commission shall submit its recommendations for a procedure to revise, amend, or replace the Manchester school district charter in the form of a ballot question to the Manchester school district voters for a vote at the November 2020 regular election.  If the ballot question is approved then the Manchester school district charter shall be revised, amended, or replaced in accordance with the local procedure approved by the school district voters and, effective on the date the ballot question is approved, the Manchester school district shall be solely responsible for revising, amending, or replacing the charter.

II.(a)  The charter commission shall consist of 9 members who shall be registered voters of the Manchester school district, and who shall run without party designation.

(b)  The election of charter commission members shall be held in conjunction with the regular November elections in 2019 in accordance with RSA 49-B:4.

III.  The charter commission shall have all the powers and duties of a charter commission established pursuant to this chapter and shall comply with the provisions of this chapter, except as otherwise indicated in this section.

2  Repeal.  The following are repealed:

I.  1846, as amended by 1848, as amended by 1909, 301 as amended by 1909, 323 as amended by 1915, 249, as amended by 1915, 302, as amended by 1972, 52, relative to the Manchester city charter amendments.

II.  RSA 49-B:15, relative to the Manchester school district charter commission.

3  Contingency.  If Manchester school district voters approve a ballot question at the November 2020 regular election to adopt a school district charter which includes a procedure to allow the Manchester school district to amend the charter without the approval of the legislature, and to repeal the existing Manchester school district charter established in 1846, as amended by 1848, as amended by 1909, 301 as amended by 1909, 323 as amended by 1915, 249, as amended by 1915, 302, as amended by 1972, 52, then section 2 of this act shall take effect on the date such ballot question is approved.  If the ballot question is not approved section 2 of this act shall not take effect.

4  Effective Date.

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect as provided in section 3 of this act.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.