Mods: This isn't specifically gun related, so if you feel this shouldn't be hear please feel free to move / delete.
This all started in early 2015, with Senate Bill 116. For a bit of history please take a look at This thread on Northeast Shooters.
If you survive that thread skip the next paragraph as you will already understand this information. If not...
SB 116 Was is basically a constitutional Carry bill in NH. As part of public testimony there were both various Chiefs of Police as well as State Police, who admitted, at least in some cases to violating the law (specifically in the time required to issue Pistol and Revolver Licenses). I decided to start researching with the state Police, by requesting information on the numbers of licenses applied for, granted and denied from out of state residents, as well as how long it took to issue a decision.
To investigate this issue I drafted a FOIA request and hand delivered it to the licensing office on March 16 (ignore the date on the document, when I opened it to obfuscate my actual contact information that updated to today). I was out of town the following week, but when I returned home on the 27th I had a letter from Marta Modigliani indicating that it would take her 5 months to analyze what information is subject to disclosure.
NH RSA 91-a specifically says (emphasis mine):
This is my first time to file an FOIA request, so I don't know exactly what "reasonably necessary" means, but given the rest of 91-a talking about time frames like 5 days, taking 5 month to analyze whether or not this is a valid request seems unreasonable to me. Other opinions?
This all started in early 2015, with Senate Bill 116. For a bit of history please take a look at This thread on Northeast Shooters.
If you survive that thread skip the next paragraph as you will already understand this information. If not...
SB 116 Was is basically a constitutional Carry bill in NH. As part of public testimony there were both various Chiefs of Police as well as State Police, who admitted, at least in some cases to violating the law (specifically in the time required to issue Pistol and Revolver Licenses). I decided to start researching with the state Police, by requesting information on the numbers of licenses applied for, granted and denied from out of state residents, as well as how long it took to issue a decision.
To investigate this issue I drafted a FOIA request and hand delivered it to the licensing office on March 16 (ignore the date on the document, when I opened it to obfuscate my actual contact information that updated to today). I was out of town the following week, but when I returned home on the 27th I had a letter from Marta Modigliani indicating that it would take her 5 months to analyze what information is subject to disclosure.
NH RSA 91-a specifically says (emphasis mine):
91-a:4-IV. Each public body or agency shall, upon request for any governmental record reasonably described, make available for inspection and copying any such governmental record within its files when such records are immediately available for such release. If a public body or agency is unable to make a governmental record available for immediate inspection and copying, it shall, within 5 business days of request, make such record available, deny the request in writing with reasons, or furnish written acknowledgment of the receipt of the request and a statement of the time reasonably necessary to determine whether the request shall be granted or denied. If a computer, photocopying machine, or other device maintained for use by a public body or agency is used by the public body or agency to copy the governmental record requested, the person requesting the copy may be charged the actual cost of providing the copy, which cost may be collected by the public body or agency. Nothing in this section shall exempt any person from paying fees otherwise established by law for obtaining copies of governmental records or documents, but if such fee is established for the copy, no additional costs or fees shall be charged.
This is my first time to file an FOIA request, so I don't know exactly what "reasonably necessary" means, but given the rest of 91-a talking about time frames like 5 days, taking 5 month to analyze whether or not this is a valid request seems unreasonable to me. Other opinions?
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