Chapter 14-A: Members of the General Court

If the office of chairman of a committee of either branch of the general court becomes vacant for any reason at any time after the adjournment of the biennial session and before the dissolution of the general court under the constitution, the presiding officer of the branch of the general court in which the vacancy occurs may appoint a chairman to fill the vacancy from among any of the members of the committee in which the vacancy exists.

I. A member of the general court may resign his office by delivering a written resignation to the presiding officer of the branch in which the member serves. When the general court is in session the resignation becomes effective by delivering the letter of resignation to the presiding officer concerned at the state house in Concord, by mail or otherwise. If the general court is in recess, the resignation becomes effective on the delivery of the letter of resignation to the presiding officer concerned at his place of residence, by mail or otherwise. The presiding officer who receives a letter of resignation shall send it to the secretary of state for filing.

II. If the general court is not in session, and if the office of the presiding officer is vacant, a resignation from the general court may be made and becomes effective by delivering a letter of resignation to the secretary of state at his office in the state house, by mail or otherwise. The secretary of state shall file the letter of resignation in his office, and he shall notify the clerk of the branch in which the resignation occurs of the existence of the vacancy. The secretary of state shall also notify the town or city clerk of the town or ward in which the vacancy occurs.

I. A member of the general court shall be entitled to a mileage allowance at the rates specified by RSA 14:15-a for miles actually traveled while on legislative business. Except as otherwise specifically provided only travel paid out of legislative travel funds shall be considered legislative travel. The presiding officer of the house of representatives or senate, or his respective designee, shall determine what constitutes travel on legislative business for the members of his respective house.

II. In addition to legislative mileage, the president of the senate or the speaker of the house may authorize payment of expenses incident to travel by a member of his respective house on official legislative business, provided that no additional expenses shall be paid for such business at Concord on a day when the general court meets.

III. Any member of the general court who travels on official state business which is not legislative business as determined by the president of the senate or the speaker of the house shall be reimbursed for his actual travel by the appropriate state agency at the same rate provided for state employees. Except as otherwise specifically provided, no mileage paid out of executive agency funds shall be considered legislative business.

IV. The provisions of this section shall not apply to members of the general court traveling on official business pursuant to a specific statute which provides for legislative mileage. In such cases, the members shall receive legislative mileage at the rate provided for in RSA 14:15-a, notwithstanding that the mileage is paid out of executive agency funds.

Every 2 years, the department of health and human services shall provide, at no charge, health screening to be conducted at the state house for each member of the general court who chooses to receive it. Such screening shall include oral cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, hypertension and nutritional counseling. The speaker of the house and the president of the senate shall determine the date, time and place for administering these examinations.

I. Members of the general court may participate at their own expense in a group health and dental insurance arrangement for members of the general court during their tenure in office. Such group health and dental insurance arrangement shall be the state employees group insurance plan afforded full-time state employees. Participation in such state employees group insurance plan by a member of the general court shall not be considered by any judicial, administrative, executive or any other body as evidence that a member of the general court is an employee of the state.

II. Notwithstanding the terms of any state employee group insurance contract or other state law to the contrary, members of the general court who have participated in a group health and dental insurance arrangement for members of the general court during their tenure in office, shall elect, within 30 days after they leave the general court, either to continue to participate fully in that arrangement for as long as they choose to do so at their own expense, or to discontinue their participation.

III. The commissioner of the department of administrative services shall invoice and collect amounts due from members. Collected amounts shall be deposited in the employee and retiree benefit risk management fund.

IV. Failure to remit payment for participation pursuant to paragraph I of this section in full within 30 days of billing shall be grounds for terminating benefits, effective with the beginning of the billing period. Reenrollment shall be dependent upon payment of outstanding participation or other amounts.

V. Failure to remit payment in full for participation pursuant to paragraph II of this section within 60 days of billing shall be grounds for permanently terminating benefits effective upon the beginning of the billing period. Either in the billing notice or in a separate notice to the person billed, the department of administrative services shall advise that failure to pay the specified amount in full within the required time shall be grounds for permanent termination of benefits.