PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF BILLS, JOINT RESOLUTIONS, LEGISLATIVE MANUAL, STATUTES, JOURNALS, AND REPORTS

RSA tit. I, ch. 20

in effect

RSA 20:1 Laws.

20:1. Laws. I. At the close of a legislative session, the director of legislative services shall cause such number of copies of all the acts and resolves thereof, with an appropriate index, to be printed as the joint committee on legislative facilities shall determine. II. Such acts and resolves shall be numbered consecutively as chapters, beginning with number one, in the order in which they were enacted and shall be uniform in style with the Revised Statutes Annotated. III. The director of legislative services shall cause such number thereof to be bound as said committee shall determine: (a) In paper, and (b) In hard cover. IV. All the printed copies of the laws which are to be sold or distributed by the state librarian shall be delivered to the state librarian for distribution, sale, and storage. V. (a) The state librarian shall distribute one free copy of the hard bound laws to the following: (1) The governor. (2) Each member of the executive council. (3) Each agency and institution of the state. (4) The justices and clerks of the supreme and superior court. (5) The Library of Congress. (6) New Hampshire state government information access libraries designated under RSA 202-B. (7) The state or territorial library of each state and territory in the United States, provided that if any state or territory makes a charge to the New Hampshire state library for copies of its laws, the state librarian is hereby authorized to make the proper charge for copies of the laws of New Hampshire when forwarded to the state or territorial library of such state or territory. (8) Each free public library established under the laws of the state, upon written request to the state librarian on or before September 1 of each year for the laws enacted in that calendar year. (9) The town clerk of each town, upon written request submitted to the state librarian on or before September 1 of each year for the laws enacted in that calendar year. (b) Each member of the legislature shall be furnished one copy of the paper bound session laws upon request to the house or senate clerk, as appropriate. (c) After retaining sufficient copies for the required distribution, the state librarian shall sell copies of paper bound or hard bound laws to other persons requesting them. The state librarian is authorized to recover the costs of mailing and distribution of those volumes which are sold and may add such costs to the sale price established under paragraph VI. VI. (a) The joint committee on legislative facilities shall determine and fix the price for the sale of hard and paper bound copies of the laws. The state librarian may retain the difference between the cost of printing and the sale price for any hard and paper bound laws sold. The state librarian shall return to the director of legislative services for deposit in the general fund an amount equal to the cost of printing for all hard and paper bound laws sold. (b) The state librarian may sell any unsold copies of the laws in the possession of the state librarian after 5 years from the date the joint committee on legislative facilities fixed the price for such copies, at a price set by the state librarian. The state librarian may retain all proceeds from such sales. Source. 1919, 3:1. 1921, 66:1. PL 5:1. RL 10:1. RSA 20:1. 1955, 2:1. 1969, 98:1. 1975, 464:1. 1979, 380:1. 1997, 351:38. 2001, 281:1, eff. Sept. 14, 2001.

RSA 20:1-a Advance Printing and Distribution of Acts and Resolves.

20:1-a. Advance Printing and Distribution of Acts and Resolves. During each legislative session the director of legislative services shall provide for the advance printing and distribution of all acts and resolves, together with an index thereof, of such session. Each justice of the supreme, superior, probate, district and municipal courts shall be furnished a set of this publication without charge. The senate shall receive at least 2 such sets and the house of representatives at least 3 such sets. The state library shall be furnished a set for its own use and sets for distribution to New Hampshire state government information access libraries designated under RSA 202-B, and upon request, sufficient sets to exchange with other states. Source. 1955, 23:1. 1975, 464:2. 1997, 351:39. 2001, 281:2, eff. Sept. 14, 2001.

RSA 20:1-b Index.

20:1-b. Index. As soon as possible after every final adjournment of a session of the general court and in any case consistently with the schedule of performance set forth in contracts for printing and binding of session laws of the general court, the state librarian shall prepare and furnish the director of legislative services with a complete index of the acts and resolves passed by the general court during the session. Source. 1969, 300:6. 1975, 464:3; 480:3. 1994, 7:1, eff. April 5, 1994.

RSA 20:2-a Examination Before Printing.

20:2-a. Examination Before Printing. After any bill or joint resolution has been enacted by the general court, but prior to the printing of the acts and resolves of any session, the director of legislative services shall reexamine the same. If such reexamination shows any error or omission in the references to statutes, or other technical or clerical errors, the director is authorized to make the necessary corrections and the bill as thus corrected shall be printed. Source. 1969, 26:1. 1975, 464:5, eff. June 20, 1975.

RSA 20:2-b Revised Statutes Annotated.

20:2-b. Revised Statutes Annotated. The director of legislative services is hereby authorized to contract, with the approval of the joint committee on legislative facilities, for the editorial preparation and publication of original, replacement or revised volumes of the official Revised Statutes Annotated and periodic supplements thereto, as necessary. Source. 1975, 464:7. 1993, 150:1. 1997, 351:40, eff. July 1, 1997.

RSA 20:3 Daily Journals.

20:3. Daily Journals. The clerks of the senate and house of representatives shall cause to be printed in pamphlet form at the close of each legislative day sufficient copies of the daily journals of their respective body, and shall make sufficient copies available to members of each body as soon as printed. Thirty-five copies of each shall be delivered to the state library. Source. RS 3:6. CS 3:6. 1857, 2009:1. GS 4:10. GL 4:10. 1879, 20:1. PS 5:9. 1919, 3:3. PL 5:3. RL 10:3. 1949, 128:2. RSA 20:3. 1969, 300:7. 1972, 60:76. 1975, 480:1. 1985, 45:3. 2009, 30:1, eff. July 7, 2009.

RSA 20:3-a Permanent Journals.

20:3-a. Permanent Journals. The clerks of the senate and house of representatives shall at the close of each legislative session: I. Cause such numbers of copies of the permanent journals with indexes as the president of the senate and speaker of the house shall respectively direct to be printed and bound in paper and in hard cover. II. Distribute copies without charge as follows: (a) One hard cover copy each to the library of congress and the secretary of state; (b) Six hard cover copies to the state library for its own use and for the use of the law library and the supreme court and 10 paper bound copies to the state library for its exchange program; (c) As many hard cover copies and paper bound copies as requested by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house. III. Sell all other copies of the journals, paper or hard cover, at prices to be established by the respective presiding officers of the senate and the house. Source. 1975, 480:2. 1979, 230:1, eff. Aug. 11, 1979.

RSA 20:3-b Indexing by State Librarian.

20:3-b. Indexing by State Librarian. As soon as possible after final adjournment of each session of the general court and in any case consistently with the schedule of performance set forth in contracts for printing and binding of the permanent journals of the general court, the state librarian shall prepare and furnish the clerk of each house with a complete index of the journal of his house. Source. 1975, 480:2. 1994, 7:2, eff. April 5, 1994.

RSA 20:4 Bills and Resolutions.

20:4. Bills and Resolutions. The clerks of the senate and house of representatives may cause to be printed sufficient copies of every bill and joint resolution after its second reading, and shall make sufficient copies available to each member of those bodies as soon as printed. Thirty-five copies of each shall be delivered to the state library. Source. 1869, 1:7. GL 5:7. 1891, 7:9. PS 6:8. 1919, 3:4. PL 5:4. RL 10:4. 1949, 128:3. RSA 20:4. 1985, 45:4, eff. June 18, 1985.

RSA 20:5 Manual.

20:5. Manual. The secretary of state, under the direction of the governor and council, shall prepare and cause to be printed a manual for each session of the legislature which follows the November general election, containing such matter as may be useful to the members thereof, and shall determine the style, form, and quantity of such manuals. Manuals shall be distributed without charge as follows: not more than 3 copies to each member of the general court; one copy to the clerk of each city and town; one copy to each member of the congressional delegation; one copy to each public library in the state; one copy to each public and private secondary school library in the state; 5 copies to the governor's office; one copy to each member of the governor's council; 15 copies to the office of legislative services; copies to each state department, agency, board, institution, and to the state library on request; and one copy to each member of the press corps regularly covering the proceedings of the general court. The secretary of state may distribute additional copies of the manual to the persons and bodies listed in this section under such conditions and terms as he deems to be necessary. Copies of the manual not distributed without charge pursuant to this section shall be offered for sale by the secretary of state at a a price determined by the governor and council. Revenue derived from sale of manuals shall be deposited in the general fund. Source. 1887, 159:1. PS 15:14. 1919, 3:5. PL 5:5. RL 10:5. RSA 20:5. 1969, 253:1. 1985, 142:1, eff. July 19, 1985.

RSA 20:6 Agency Reports.

20:6. Agency Reports. All agencies and institutions of the state shall submit their reports to the governor and council, who may limit the amount of matter to be published in each. The agencies and institutions shall cause their reports to be printed in such number as they think wise, and they shall cause the originals thereof to be filed in their respective offices as public documents. Source. 1879, 70:1. PS 5:11. 1901, 71:1. 1919, 3:6. PL 5:6. RL 10:6. RSA 20:6. 1973, 140:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.

RSA 20:6-a Reporting Requirements.

20:6-a. Reporting Requirements. All state departments administering permitting programs that regulate the use of real property or the construction or operation of stationary structures, infrastructure, or facilities on real property shall, beginning on April 30, 2027, and on each April 30 thereafter, report in writing to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chair of the senate executive departments and administration committee, and the chair of the house executive departments and administration committee on the previous calendar year's permitting activity. Such reports shall identify each permitting program administered by the department, enumerate the categories of permits the department has the authority to issue within each program, and for each such category of permit state: I. The statutory timeframes associated with that application type, if applicable. II. The number of applications received during the calendar year for such permit types and the number of permits the department granted or denied, the number of applications withdrawn by the applicant, the number of applications voided, and the number of applications pending a decision at the end of the calendar year. III. The number of applications that were pending at any time without a decision for more than 60, 120, and 180 calendar days after an administratively complete application was submitted to the department. For each group, summarize the primary reasons applications are delayed by giving the number waiting for technical evaluation, waiting for a field inspection, waiting for another agency, delayed due to an application backlog, or other reasons as appropriate for the permit. Source. 2025, 222:1, eff. Sept. 13, 2025.

RSA 20:7 Issuance of Reports.

20:7. Issuance of Reports. I. All agencies and departments of the state shall issue biennial reports summarizing their operations. All reports shall cover periods ending on June 30, and be posted to the state transparency website, with one paper copy submitted to the state library by October 1. Biennial reports shall cover periods ending in odd-numbered years beginning with 2015. State agencies and departments shall make every effort to limit or eliminate the production of paper reports. The governor and council, speaker of the house of representatives, and the senate president shall be notified by letter that a report is available on the state transparency website. Any agency or department required to issue more frequent reports is relieved of the reporting requirement of this paragraph. II. Agencies and departments may post other required reports to their Internet website and the state transparency website in lieu of other methods of distribution, and shall deliver by electronic means to all persons or committees required by law to receive such reports of the reports' availability on the state transparency website. III. The governor's commission on disability established in RSA 275-C shall be exempt from the provisions of this section but shall comply with the reporting requirements in RSA 275-C:6. IV. The lottery commission's comprehensive annual financial report prepared pursuant to RSA 21-I:8, II(b) shall meet the requirements of this section. Source. 1895, 32:1. 1919, 3:6. PL 5:7. RL 10:7. RSA 20:7. 1973, 140:1; 544:8. 1986, 12:4, I. 1989, 339:5. 2004, 97:8. 2008, 25:1, eff. July 11, 2008; 358:1, eff. Sept. 9, 2008. 2015, 259:7, eff. July 1, 2015. 2019, 202:5, eff. Sept. 8, 2019.

RSA 20:8 Special Reports.

20:8. Special Reports. The governor and council may cause to be printed such special reports of state officers and institutions as they deem expedient. Source. 1895, 32:2. 1903, 117:1. 1919, 3:7. PL 5:8. RL 10:8.

RSA 20:9 State and Provincial Records.

20:9. State and Provincial Records. The secretary of state, with the approval of the governor and council, may from time to time collect, arrange, transcribe, and cause to be printed such portions of the early state and provincial records as he may deem expedient. He shall determine the style, form, and quantity to be printed and may employ such assistants as the governor and council may approve. Source. 1919, 3:8. PL 5:9. 1931, 28:1. RL 10:9.

RSA 20:9-a List of Counties.

20:9-a. List of Counties. In all publications of the state or any subdivision, branch, department or commission thereof, other than in statutes enacted by the general court, the counties of the state shall be listed in alphabetical order. Source. 1963, 19:1, eff. July 1, 1963.

RSA 20:10 Distribution of Records.

20:10. Distribution of Records. The publications authorized under RSA 20:9 shall be distributed as follows: one copy to each city and town in the state, one copy to such of the public libraries requesting them, 50 copies to the New Hampshire Historical Society, 50 copies to the state library and the remainder to be placed in the custody of the secretary of state, who is authorized to exchange the same for similar publications by other states. Source. 1931, 28:2. RL 10:10. RSA 20:10. 1973, 140:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.

RSA 20:11 Distribution of Publications and Reports.

20:11. Distribution of Publications and Reports. One copy of each publication provided for in RSA 20:5, 6, and 7 shall be sent by the agency responsible for its issue, free of charge, to each of the following officers and bodies: governor, each member of the council, each agency and institution of the state, state house press room, the justices and clerks of the supreme and superior courts, each free public library established under the laws of the state, the town clerk of each town, the Library of Congress, and the state or territorial library of each state and territory in the United States. The agencies may make such further free distribution of such publications as they may deem wise, or as the governor and council may direct. Each member of the legislature shall be furnished one copy of the manual and, upon request, one copy of each departmental and institutional report. However, each free public library and the town clerk of each town shall not be furnished a copy of the annual or biennial report of each state agency or institution. Source. 1919, 3:9. 1925, 9:1. PL 5:10. 1931, 28:3. 1941, 22:1. RL 10:11. RSA 20:11. 1973, 140:1. 1975, 464:6. 1997, 351:41, eff. July 1, 1997.

RSA 20:11-a Additional Distribution of the Manual and Session Laws.

20:11-a. Additional Distribution of the Manual and Session Laws. Upon request of the speaker of the house of representatives or the president of the senate, additional copies of the manual and of the paper bound and hard bound session laws, from any which have not been otherwise distributed under this chapter, shall be delivered to the clerks of the house and senate for distribution, as the speaker of the house of representatives or the president of the senate may direct. Source. 1975, 8:1. 1979, 380:2, eff. June 23, 1979.

RSA 20:12 Distribution Discontinued.

20:12. Distribution Discontinued. The secretary of state shall discontinue distribution of books or reports to any free public library when notified by its trustees that they have voted not to receive them. Source. 1933, 70:1. RL 10:12.

RSA 20:13 Disposition of Books and Reports.

20:13. Disposition of Books and Reports. Books and reports furnished free by state agencies and institutions to any free public library may be disposed of at the best price obtainable, but only with the approval of the state librarian and of the secretary of state. Source. 1933, 70:1. RL 10:13. 1943, 90:3. RSA 20:13. 1973, 140:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.

RSA 20:14 Preparation for Publication.

20:14. Preparation for Publication. The commission appointed under the provisions of chapter 221, Laws of 1953, to revise, codify, and amend the Revised Laws of the state of New Hampshire, is authorized and directed to prepare for publication and to publish the act passed at this session entitled, House Bill No. 75, "An Act to revise and codify, the Revised Laws of the State of New Hampshire." The commission is authorized to make corrections in the numbering and the subtitles of sections and in the references to sections; to correct errors in typography, spelling, and punctuation; to correct errors in citations to sources; and to add such preface, annotations, cross references, and notes as it shall judge suitable. The commission shall file with the secretary of state, to be deposited with the engrossed bill, a report listing all corrections to H.B. 75 hereby authorized. The constitution and the amendments thereto, shall be inserted in the publication. The commission shall cause to be prepared by such means as it shall judge suitable, and to be inserted in the publication, a complete index of subjects embraced therein. Source. 1955, 231:1, eff. June 30, 1955.

RSA 20:15 Publication.

20:15. Publication. The whole act with the changes, additions and corrections authorized by RSA 20:14 shall be published in one or more volumes as the commission shall determine. The volume shall be bound in a manner suitable for the insertion of cumulative pocket parts to contain subsequent session laws and annotations. The complete publication shall be entitled and cited as "Revised Statutes Annotated," or "RSA", and citation to a chapter and section shall be in the following form, e.g. RSA 1:1. Source. 1955, 231:2, eff. June 30, 1955.

RSA 20:16 Distribution of Revised Statutes Annotated.

20:16. Distribution of Revised Statutes Annotated. I. Unless otherwise directed by the joint committee on legislative facilities, the director of legislative services is authorized to distribute official bound volumes of the Revised Statutes Annotated, replacement volumes thereof and periodic supplements thereto free of charge to each of the following: the clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States, each judge of the circuit court of the United States for this district, the district court of the United States for this district, the United States Department of Justice, the Library of Congress, the New Hampshire Historical Society, and a sufficient number of copies to the state library and law library for use and for distribution to each state or territorial library of the United States on an exchange basis. If any state or territory makes a charge to this state for copies of its laws such state or territory shall in a like manner be required to pay to the state library or law library a price for copies of the Revised Statutes Annotated which shall be determined by the joint committee on legislative facilities. II. The joint committee on legislative facilities shall determine the allocation of volumes of the Revised Statutes Annotated other than those provided for in paragraph I among the following: (a) For the legislative branch, to the director of legislative services, who shall distribute a sufficient number of copies to meet the needs of the general court and all of its agencies as shall be determined by the joint committee on legislative facilities. (b) For the executive branch, to the secretary of state, who shall distribute such copies to the officers, departments, divisions, boards, commissions and institutions of the executive branch as shall be directed by the governor and council. (c) For the judicial branch, to the clerk of the supreme court, who shall distribute such volumes to the supreme, superior and probate courts, which shall include retired judges of the courts mentioned, as shall be directed by the chief justice of the supreme court. III. The joint committee on legislative facilities is authorized to establish a charge for volumes allocated to the secretary of state for distribution under paragraph II(b) and to the clerk of the supreme court for distribution under paragraph II(c) to recover the actual costs incurred by the director of legislative services in having such volumes printed and distributed pursuant to RSA 20:2-b. The secretary of state and the clerk of the supreme court may each recover any charges for which he may be liable under this paragraph on a per volume basis from the persons to whom and the courts to which the volumes are distributed. If a charge is made for the printing and distribution of volumes, the secretary and the clerk shall remit the charge to the director of legislative services and the sums so received shall be credited to the legislative appropriation for joint printing and binding. IV. This section shall not be construed to limit any branch of state government from purchasing such volumes of the Revised Statutes Annotated as it may determine it needs in excess of the number of volumes allocated to it under this section. Source. 1955, 231:3. 1970, 14:4. 1971, 300:1. 1973, 307:3. 1979, 380:3. 1994, 7:3, eff. April 5, 1994.

RSA 20:17 Distribution of Remaining Volumes.

20:17. Distribution of Remaining Volumes. Remaining copies of the Revised Statutes Annotated, furnished to the secretary of state by the publisher, may be sold by the secretary of state at such price or prices as the governor and council may determine. Source. 1955, 231:4, eff. June 30, 1955.

RSA 20:18 Laws of 1955.

20:18. Laws of 1955. The separate volume of the session laws for the 1955 session published pursuant to RSA 20:2 shall not include H.B. 75 "An Act to revise and codify, the Revised Laws of the State of New Hampshire," the publication of which is herein authorized to be published as the Revised Statutes Annotated. Source. 1955, 231:5, eff. June 30, 1955.

RSA 20:19 Laws of 1959.

20:19. Laws of 1959. The separate volume of the session laws for the 1959 session published pursuant to RSA 20:2 shall not include this act adopting the uniform commercial code. This act shall be published in the Revised Statutes Annotated. Source. 1959, 247:5, Commercial Code, eff. July 1, 1961.

Source: New Hampshire General Court (gc.nh.gov)URL: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/NHTOC/NHTOC-I-20.htmFetched: 10/20/2026