March 2024 BNL

In the June 2022 Newsletter, I wrote about how your tax money is being used to lobby against the citizens and for more government power. This year I put in House Bill 1479 to expand the prohibition on use of State grants and appropriations for lobbying to tax money at all levels of government within the state from using tax money to lobby. The hearing was very interesting as members of the public showed up in support of the bill and municipal and lobbying groups showed up in opposition. I got some letters from towns saying they want the New Hampshire Municipal Association to lobby on their behalf, which means their dues to the NHMA were not just for training and legal advice but also specifically for lobbying. This new information in black and white made me ask the question, are they separating the money they receive from the State via appropriations and grants from other funds not, currently, barred from being used for lobbying. 

The current law which does not allow State money to be used for lobbying RSA 15:5 and for those who do want to lobby that receive State money “shall segregate the state funds in such a manner that such funds are physically and financially separate from any non-state funds that may be used for any of these purposes. Mere bookkeeping separation of the state funds from other monies shall not be sufficient.” So I confirmed that Fremont, Stratham, and Manchester are not separating the money they receive from the State and are just putting that money in the General Fund with all the other money which means all that money cannot be used for lobbying because you can no longer see where state funds end and local funds begin.

Since the towns are specifically wanting lobbying services and not just tangential services to what they actually are buying with the memberships in the associations, I believe these towns and cities to be currently in violation of RSA 15:5 and have sent a letter to the New Hampshire Attorney General to ask them to investigate all municipalities for compliance with the current RSA 15:5. These municipalities are not above the law and should be held accountable. HB 1479 would expand the current restrictions in RSA 15:5 and close loopholes so I hope the House supports such an action in light of the disregard for the current law.

Feel free to reach out with questions or concerns,

Honorable Representative Josh Yokela

Representing Brentwood, Danville, and Fremont

josh.yokela@leg.state.nh.us