NEFAC, The Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and the Granite State News Collaborative are providing an open government workshop on March 19 in celebration of Sunshine Week. The workshop is 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the NH Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. Register here.
Right-to-Know Legislation
- NEFAC Legislation Tracker
- New Hampshire Press Association Tracker
- How to Follow a Bill and Engage with Lawmakers
Public Records
- FAQs
- Notable Case Law
- Right to Know Request Form Sample
- Introduction to Public Records (video)
- 3 Requests 3 Stories (video)
- Public Record Appeals (video)
- How Newsrooms Fight Public Record Denials (video)
- Beyond Public Records Law: Getting the Documents You Need (video)
- Public Records Law (Update) (video)
- Police Misconduct Records
- Accessing Immigration Records
Other Helpful Links
- NH Attorney General Guide to Right to Know Law | This is a very detailed guide to what is — and is not — a public record.
- N.H. Constitution Part I, Article 8 | [Accountability of Magistrates and Officers; Public’s Right to Know.] All power residing originally in, and being derived from, the people, all the magistrates and officers of government are their substitutes and agents, and at all times accountable to them. Government, therefore, should be open, accessible, accountable and responsive. To that end, the public’s right of access to governmental proceedings and records shall not be unreasonably restricted.
- N.H. Right to Know Law, RSA 91-A | Preamble – Openness in the conduct of public business is essential to a democratic society. The purpose of this chapter is to ensure both the greatest possible public access to the actions, discussions and records of all public bodies, and their accountability to the people.
- Don’t Be Overcharged for Records | RSA 91-A:4 limits charges for electronic communications. You can be charged for the cost of copying records, but not for the time it takes to gather and redact them, though some town officials think otherwise. There are also limits on fees for electronic communications, including emails and text and chat messages. State law prohibits charges for the first 250 electronic communications, including the attachments and replies to those communications.
- Citizens Count Advocacy Toolkit | Do you have a cause you feel strongly about but aren’t sure how to effect change on the state level? These handy how-to guides can help everyday citizens take their advocacy to the next level.