Relative to the director of the division of archives and records management of the department of state.
Summary
HB 780 makes a narrow, technical update to New Hampshire law governing the director of the Division of Archives and Records Management within the Department of State. The bill revises several provisions in RSA 5 by replacing gendered references to the director and agency heads with gender-neutral language, such as changing "he" to "the director" or "the head of each agency." It does not create new programs or change the substantive duties of the office; rather, it modernizes statutory wording and clarifies that the provisions apply regardless of gender.
The bill continues to describe the director’s responsibilities for collecting and preserving early state and provincial records, overseeing the records center, adopting rules for records management, and working with state agencies on retention schedules and records surveys. It also preserves the existing framework for agencies to identify records of permanent historical value and records that may be discarded when no longer needed for administrative, legal, or fiscal purposes.
Impact
HB 780 has a limited legal impact because it amends only a few sections of RSA 5 to make the language gender neutral. The bill affects the statutory provisions governing the Division of Archives and Records Management and the duties of the director, but it does not alter the underlying authority, procedures, or records-retention standards. Its practical effect is to update the wording of state law to reflect inclusive drafting conventions while leaving current records-management operations unchanged.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was noncontroversial and largely procedural. Because it is a technical cleanup measure focused on gender-neutral drafting, there is no recorded committee debate or vote history indicating opposition or significant concern. The absence of transcripts or recorded votes suggests the bill likely received routine support as a housekeeping amendment.
Contention
No notable points of contention are evident in the available materials. The bill does not appear to have raised policy disputes over archives management, records retention, or agency authority. Any discussion would likely have centered only on the stylistic and drafting change from gendered to gender-neutral statutory language, which is generally a low-conflict issue.
An act to amend Sections 24801, 24826, 24827, 24830, 24862, and 24908 of, to repeal Section 24861 of, and to repeal and add Section 24863 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to transportation.