N.H. Admin. Code § Rko 220.04 - Conduct of Public Comment Hearings

(a) Public comment hearings shall be presided over by the ombudsman or designee in accordance with RSA 541-A:11, II.

(b) The person presiding over a hearing shall:

(1) Call the hearing to order;

(2) Make available the cards or sheets referred to in Rko 220.02(b);

(3) Cause a verbatim recording of the hearing to be made;

(4) Identify on the record the date, time, place, and purpose of the hearing;

(5) Identify the proposed rules that are the subject matter of the hearing and, pursuant to RSA 541-A:11, VI, provide copies of them upon request;

(6) Recognize those who wish to be heard;

(7) If necessary, establish limits and prohibitions pursuant to Rko 220.03 above;

(8) If necessary to permit the hearing to go forward in an orderly manner, effect the removal of a person who speaks or acts in a manner that is personally abusive or otherwise disrupts the hearing;

(9) If necessary, postpone, or move the hearing;

(10) Adjourn or continue the hearing; and

(11) Take such other action consistent with applicable law that is necessary to conduct and advance the hearing in an orderly fashion intended to allow for the due consideration of public comment from those present.

(c) A hearing shall be postponed in accordance with RSA 541-A:11, IV when:

(1) The weather is so inclement that it is reasonable to conclude that people wishing to attend the hearing will be unable to do so;

(2) The person designated to preside over the hearing is ill or unavoidably absent; or

(3) Postponement will facilitate greater participation by the public.

(d) A hearing shall be moved to another location in accordance with RSA 541-A:11, V when the original location is not able to accommodate the number of people who wish to attend the hearing.

(e) A hearing shall be continued past the scheduled time or to another date in accordance with RSA 541-A:11, III when:

(1) The time available is not sufficient to give each person who wishes to speak on a matter which is not repetitive a reasonable opportunity to do so; or

(2) The capacity of the room in which the hearing is to be held does not accommodate the number of people who wish to attend and it is not possible to move the hearing to another location at that time.

Notes

N.H. Admin. Code § Rko 220.04

Derived from Number 19, Filed May 9, 2024, Proposed by #13921, Effective 5/20/2024.