Should NH House committees livestream their meetings?

State Rep. Jim McConnell, R-Swanzey, is sponsoring a bill in the next legislative session that would require all House committees to make live video of their meetings available online. Click here ot learn more. 

Sporadic video coverage

Currently, all House sessions are livestreamed, but only a handful of meetings of the Finance Committee get the same treatment. Other hearings may have audio recordings made available, if requested by the committee chair.

McConnell’s proposed legislation wouldn’t apply to the state Senate, where committee hearings are also only occasionally livestreamed.

A boost for transparency or unnecessary expense?

McConnell and supporters of the effort say video of legislative hearings would make the process more transparent for New Hampshire citizens since most of the details pertaining to legislation are worked out in committee.

"We're all responsible to our constituents and when we have a hearing it isn't reasonable to expect that everyone who has an interest in that particular issue is going to be able to make it to Concord and sit in on those hearings."

- Rep. Jim McConnell

Opponents, who include House Speaker Shawn Jasper, note that with 24 standing committees, the cost of setting up a video system could be very expensive. Others worried the move would impede open discussion and debate.

“I think there's a concern that you're not going to operate as you normally do as a legislator, that you're always going to feel like you're in the spotlight. You're not going to be able to speak as freely, as openly, or people will play to a camera versus playing to an issue."

- Rep. Dan Eaton

Weigh in

Do you think it’s worth the cost to provide livestream coverage of House committee hearings? Let us know in the comments section below.