HB 1041  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2024 SESSION

24-2492

11/08

 

HOUSE BILL 1041

 

AN ACT relative to establishing a commission to investigate the USS Liberty incident and its aftermath.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Gerhard, Merr. 25; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2

 

COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a commission to investigate the USS Liberty incident of 1967 and its aftermath.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2492

11/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT relative to establishing a commission to investigate the USS Liberty incident and its aftermath.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; Commission to Study the USS Liberty Incident of 1967.  Amend RSA 4 by inserting after section 13-dd the following new section:

4:13-ee  Commission Established to Study the USS Liberty Incident of 1967.  There is established a commission to study the USS Liberty incident of 1967..

I.  Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 14:49, the members of the commission shall be as follows:

(a)  Three members of the house of representatives, including two members from the house state-federal relations and veterans affairs committee, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b)  Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c)  A member of the public, appointed by the governor.

(d)  The attorney general, or designee.

(e)  One member representing the New Hampshire Veterans of Foreign Wars, appointed by the department.

(f)  One surviving member of the crew of the USS Liberty.

(g)  One additional member representing the USS Liberty Veterans Association, appointed by the association.

(h)  One member representing the American Legion Department, appointed by the department.

(i)  One member representing the Council for the National Interest.

(j)  One public member with expertise in American-Israeli relations.

II.  The commission shall determine whether a breach of trust occurred between the federal government and its citizens and service members and also determine if Israel had an ulterior motive for the attack.

III.  Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

IV.  The members of the study commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member.  The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  For voting purposes, 7 members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

V.(a)  The commission shall submit an interim report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2024.

(b)  The commission shall report to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2025.

2  Repeal.  RSA 4:13-ee, relative to the U.S.S. Liberty Incident of 1967.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2024

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.