New Hampshire General Court

New Hampshire General Court
Name	New Hampshire General Court
Legislature	New Hampshire General Court
House type	Bicameral
Houses	New Hampshire Senate, New Hampshire House of Representatives
Leader1 type	Senate President
Leader1	Jeb Bradley
Election1	December 7, 2022
Leader2 type	House Speaker
Leader2	Sherman Packard
Election2	December 2, 2020
Members	424 (24 Senators, 400 Representatives)
House1	New Hampshire Senate
House2	New Hampshire House of Representatives
Meeting place	New Hampshire State House, Concord, New Hampshire

New Hampshire General Court is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives, meeting in the historic New Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire. As the third-largest English-speaking legislative body in the world, it is a distinctive institution with deep roots in the New England tradition of town meeting governance. Its structure and procedures are defined by the New Hampshire Constitution and state statute.

History

The origins trace back to the colonial Province of New Hampshire, with an assembly first convened in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1680. After the American Revolution, the New Hampshire Constitution of 1784 formally established the modern bicameral legislature. The body played a pivotal role in early national politics, hosting the decisive New Hampshire ratification convention for the United States Constitution in 1788. Throughout the 19th century, its proceedings were influenced by figures like Franklin Pierce and Daniel Webster, and it grappled with issues such as industrialization and abolition. The landmark Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution later impacted its apportionment decisions.

Structure and composition

The upper chamber is the New Hampshire Senate, consisting of 24 members elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. The lower chamber, the New Hampshire House of Representatives, is one of the world's largest representative bodies with 400 members elected from various multi- and single-member districts, also serving two-year terms. Elections coincide with the United States presidential election and midterm elections. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party dominate its membership, with leadership including the Senate President and the House Speaker.

Powers and duties

As defined by the New Hampshire Constitution, it holds the sole power to enact, amend, and repeal statutory law within the state, as codified in the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated. It exercises the power of the purse, crafting the state's biennial budget and authorizing all appropriations. The body holds investigative authority through committees, can propose constitutional amendments, and plays a role in gubernatorial succession. It also retains certain residual powers not granted to the Governor of New Hampshire or the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Legislative process

Legislation can be introduced in either chamber by any member. A bill typically proceeds through committee review in bodies like the House Finance Committee or Senate Judiciary Committee, public hearings, and floor debates. It must pass both the New Hampshire Senate and the New Hampshire House of Representatives in identical form before being presented to the Governor of New Hampshire for signature or veto. The process is governed by rules set by each chamber and influenced by nonpartisan staff from the New Hampshire Legislative Services.

Current session and leadership

The current legislative session is the 2023-2024 term. The Senate President is Jeb Bradley, a Republican, and the House Speaker is Sherman Packard, also a Republican. The Majority and Minority Leaders in each chamber manage partisan legislative agendas. Key committees are chaired by members such as Sharon Carson and Mary Jane Wallner. The session's calendar is set jointly by the New Hampshire Secretary of State and legislative clerks.

Notable legislation

Historically significant acts include early laws establishing public education and the University of New Hampshire. In the 20th century, it passed the nation's first minimum wage law in 1937 and later created the New Hampshire Lottery in 1963. More recent major legislation includes the 2018 reauthorization of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, the 2021 state budget which included tax cuts, and the 2022 Fiscal Responsibility Act addressing pension liabilities. It has also enacted laws on renewable energy, school funding, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Hampshire.

Category:New Hampshire General Court Category:State legislatures of the United States