Janet Lucas: HB 1114 is important for all constituents to know about

To The Daily Sun,

I write to present HB 1114 and explain how it will help every New Hampshire citizen. It’s becoming known as the Public Comments Bill. You may recall that certain 2025 legislative bills generated thousands of online testimonies. It was a time when some committee chairs chose to not include public response in committee reports.

Many folks cannot testify in person because of school, work, caregiving, illness, or disability, and choose to register their opinions remotely on the bill sign-ins offered by the New Hampshire House and Senate. That does not mean their opinions are of lesser value. HB 1114 seeks to correct this problem by requiring the preservation of written public comments submitted on legislation, including those received via hearings and the state’s remote sign-in system, and mandates that standing committees prepare reports explaining how such comments influenced their recommendations. This bill will be heard by the House Committee on Legislative Administration on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 10:15 a.m. at 1 Granite Place, Room 234.

Every testimony, whether given in person or online, must have an equal role in the destiny of a bill. Join in testifying in favor of HB 1114 in whatever way is best for readers.

Rep. Janet Lucas

Campton