HB 1560 would prevent the Regional Planning Commissions (for example) from using our tax dollars to lobby the NH Legislature on behalf of the federal government.
From the text of HB 1560
1 Lobbyists; Prohibited Activities; Political Subdivision Funds. Amend RSA 15:5 to read as follows:
15:5 Prohibited Activities.
I. Except as provided in paragraph II, no recipient of a grant or appropriation of state funds or a grant or appropriation of funds from a political subdivision of the state may use the state funds or political subdivision funds to lobby or attempt to influence legislation, participate in political activity, or contribute funds to any entity engaged in these activities.
II. Any recipient of a grant or appropriation of state funds or a grant or appropriation of funds of a political subdivision of the state that wishes to engage in any of the activities prohibited in paragraph I, or contribute funds to any entity engaged in these activities, 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, and the political subdivision funds are physically and financially separate from any non-political subdivision funds that may be used for any of these purposes. Mere bookkeeping separation of the [state] funds from other moneys shall not be sufficient.
III. For a political subdivision which contributes any funds to an entity engaged in lobbying or attempting to influence legislation, that portion of such contribution which is directly related to lobbying or attempting to influence legislation shall not be derived from tax revenues of the political subdivision.