A bill filed in the New Hampshire legislature would make it more difficult for the public to access police records, reversing a recent decision by the state’s supreme court that requires greater openness. The New England First Amendment Coalition reports:
Senate Bill 39 intends to exempt police personnel files, internal investigations and other law enforcement records from the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law.
If made law, the bill would overturn a New Hampshire Supreme Court decision — Seacoast Newspapers, Inc. v. City of Portsmouth — that ruled such documents were not categorically exempt under the public records statute.
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Dan, please correct me if I am wrong: As of the last election (November 2020) NH is now an all Republican State House(s)… The (R) party loonies set out years ago to build NH as a Republican stronghold, as a counterpoint to liberal MA. It is fair to conclude that the reactionary NH pro-law enforcement plan is the embodiment of Trumpism as it rolls on.
Marcus, the urge to suppress public information seems to be one issue on which bipartisanship prevails. For instance: https://www.wgbh.org/news/commentary/2020/07/16/let-the-sun-shine-in-its-time-to-end-the-legislative-exemption-to-the-states-public-records-law