Title I, The State and Its Government

The legislature declares that a program for the efficient and economical management of state and local records will promote economy, efficiency, and integrity in the day-to-day record-keeping activities of the state government and will facilitate and expedite government operation…

I. Upon receipt of a certified copy of a court order regarding the paternity of a child born in New Hampshire, the clerk of the city or town where the birth occurred shall prepare a new birth record. II. Acceptable documentation for preparing a new birth record shall include a ce…

This subdivision shall be known as "Archives and Records Management Act."

I. A parent or legal guardian who is a signatory to the affidavit of paternity shall provide information to complete a rescission of paternity form as follows: (a) Information about the child, including the child's first, middle, and last names as they appear on the birth record,…

There shall be a division of archives and records management in the department of state, under the executive direction of the state archivist.

I. A parent or legal guardian may request to rescind an affidavit of paternity from the clerk of the city or town where the birth occurred within 60 days of the filing of an affidavit of paternity unless an administrative or judicial proceeding related to the child results in an …

The secretary of state, with the approval of governor and council, shall appoint the director of the division of archives and records management, who shall be known as the state archivist and who shall be an unclassified state employee. The director shall have a minimum of a mast…

In this subdivision: I. "Agency" means any department, office, commission, board, or other unit, however designated, or the executive branch of state government. II. "Archives" means records having permanent or historical value. III. "Director" means the director of the division …

When it is known that a child has been born to a surrogate mother and it is intended that the child be adopted after birth by the natural father's wife, the preparation of the initial birth record shall be governed by the following: I. If the surrogate mother is a married woman, …

As used in paragraph (c) of article 7 of the interpleader compact, the phrase "executive head" shall mean the governor of this state. In the event that the governor shall take any action pursuant to paragraph (c) of article 7 of such interpleader compact, he shall promptly notify…

I. A political subdivision, by resolution of its governing body, may establish and enter into agreements for obtaining or implementing insurance by self-insurance; for obtaining insurance from any insurer authorized to transact business in this state as an admitted or surplus lin…

The following uses of AI by state agencies shall be prohibited: I. Classifying persons based on behavior, socio-economic status, or personal characteristics resulting in unlawful discrimination against any individual person or group of persons. II. Real-time and remote biometric …

Subject to the state personnel regulations, and within the limits of available appropriations and funds, the secretary of state may employ a chief clerk and such other clerks and assistants as may be necessary. If a subordinate classified employee's salary exceeds the maximum sal…

I. The New Hampshire constitution identifies the office of the secretary of state as the keeper of the records of the state. II. The division shall: (a) Provide access to vital records and vital records data while assuring the privacy of all New Hampshire citizens. (b) Outline th…

The director shall, with due regard for the functions of the agencies concerned, and subject to the approval of the secretary of state: I. Establish standards, procedures, and techniques for effective management of state records. II. Make continuing surveys of paperwork operation…

I. When it is known that the birth of a child is the result of artificial insemination of sperm from a person who is not the mother's husband, the male parentage shall be indicated on the birth record as follows: (a) If the mother is married, the husband's name shall be listed as…

The director shall, subject to the provisions of RSA 5:40, adopt rules governing: I. The organization of the records center. II. Transfer of records to the records center. III. The inventory of materials in the records center. IV. The means of access and reference to records and …

All information on an adoption shall be completed on a form prescribed by the division, in accordance with RSA 170-B:22. A parent or the court shall provide the following information in order to complete the form: I. The child's information taken from a certified copy of the adop…

I. Adoptions shall be recorded pursuant to this section and RSA 170-B:22. II. In accordance with the reporting requirements cited in RSA 170-B:22, the clerk of the county probate court shall send a completed adoption form, as referenced in RSA 5-C:31, for each child adopted in th…

The state records and archives shall control all space in the state records and archives center. The department of administrative services, division of plant and property shall maintain the state records and archives center in suitable repair and condition for use by the division…

The head of each agency shall: I. Establish and maintain an active, continuing program for the economical and efficient management of the records of the agency, consistent with the rules adopted by the director and under the director's supervision. II. Make and maintain records c…

I. When the clerk of the town or city of birth occurrence receives a notice of adoption, a new birth record shall be prepared as specified in RSA 5-C:31. II. The new birth record shall be substituted immediately for the original birth record by the clerk of the town or city. III.…

I. The registrar shall establish a New Hampshire certificate of foreign birth for a person born in a foreign country and for whom a final decree of adoption has been issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in New Hampshire. This certificate of foreign birth shall be establish…

Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to divest agency heads of the authority to determine the nature and form of the records required in the administration of their several departments, or to compel the removal of records deemed necessary by them in the performance of t…

The director shall accept for storage in the state archives such local records as the municipal records board established under RSA 33-A:4-a may require. The director shall designate, with the approval of the municipal records board, a publicly accessible website for the retentio…

I. Upon receipt of a completed application for certificate of foreign birth, the division shall prepare a certificate of foreign birth for the foreign born child pursuant to RSA 5-C:34. II. A certificate of foreign birth shall include: (a) A unique file locating number assigned b…

The director shall accept for preservation and storage any papers or records donated to the state by a member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation from their service in the United States Senate or House of Representatives. Such records shall be placed in a New Hampshire …

Within one year of leaving office, the governor, in consultation with the director, shall donate a selection of official papers and records to the state. Such records shall be placed in a New Hampshire depository selected by the governor, with the approval of the director, and sh…

The department of health and human services shall record the following information for a "foundling," which shall mean an infant of unknown parentage: the name given to the child, if available; the date and place of filing; the child's sex; the approximate birth date of the child…

Under the same provisions specified in RSA 5:33, the director shall assist and advise in the establishment of records management programs in the legislative and judicial branches of state government and shall, as required by them, provide program services similar to those availab…

All records made or received by or under the authority of or coming into the custody, control, or possession of public officials of this state in the course of their public duties are the property of the state and shall not be mutilated, destroyed, transferred, removed, or otherw…

Whoever assumes the custody of a foundling shall report such within 6 days to the clerk of the custodian's city or town of residence. The clerk of the town or city shall assist in the completion of the birth record of a foundling, pursuant to RSA 5-C:36, and file the completed bi…

Unless otherwise provided by law with respect to particular departments or particular records, records not having a permanent or historical value may be destroyed at the end of 4 years from their making, provided that the rules of the director, as adopted under RSA 5:40, may prov…

I. When a birth record of a living person in the state of New Hampshire has not been filed within 6 months of birth, or 12 months if the birth occurred in a hospital, the registrant, parent, or legal guardian shall register the birth record with the clerk of the town or city in w…

Subject to the limitations of the constitution, the secretary of state may transfer any of his records to the records center and he may transfer reports of state agencies to the state library.

I. The clerk of the town or city shall type a list on the delayed certificate of birth describing each document submitted to support the facts shown on the application for a delayed certificate of birth. The description required shall include: the title or description of the docu…

Pooled risk management programs established for the benefit of political subdivisions shall make an informational filing, as defined in RSA 5-B:2, II, with the department and shall pay an annual filing fee of $150. The department may make requests for additional information neces…

The secretary shall arrange methodically, fold uniformly, file, and label all the papers in his office belonging to the state, preserve the same carefully, and give copies thereof, duly authenticated, whenever required and paid for such copies.

I. The state registrar, under the supervision of the secretary of state, shall have charge of the vital records of the state and shall enforce the provisions of law in relation to them. The state registrar shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the division and sha…

Use of AI by state agencies shall be allowed under the following circumstances and with the following restrictions: I. If an AI system produces a recommendation or a decision, and this recommendation or decision once implemented or executed cannot be reversed, then the recommenda…

I. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the secretary of state shall have exclusive authority and jurisdiction: (a) To bring administrative actions to enforce this chapter. (b) To investigate and impose penalties for violations of this chapter, including but not limited to…

The secretary of state shall, during certain times within his discretion, put on public display in rooms 118 and 119 of the state house the authentic copy of the declaration of independence and bill of rights which he has in his possession. This document shall be displayed under …

I. The state registrar shall review each application for a delayed certificate of birth received from a clerk of a town or city to determine that: the application meets the requirements of RSA 5-C:38; no prior birth record is on file at the division for the person whose birth is …

The director, under the supervision of the secretary of state, shall establish a manual of uniform procedures necessary and proper to effectuate the purpose of this subdivision. Such procedures and any subsequent revisions, when approved by the governor and council, shall be bind…

All records of the Rockingham county registry of deeds recorded as Rockingham county registry of deeds volumes 101-239, inclusive, which do, in fact, contain records of transfers of land now located in other counties of the state, shall be removed by the division of archives and …

I. There shall be 2 forms for the completion of a marriage registration. The marriage application worksheet, which shall be the form that is used to record marriage intentions, shall be completed by the prospective marriage applicants and the clerk of the town or city and shall c…