Section 21-K:17 Granite State Cultural Legacy Award; Criteria; Selection Process.
I. The granite state cultural legacy award shall be awarded biennially to an individual, group or community which has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of cultural appreciation and achievement within the state.
II. Nominations shall be solicited from each member of the legislature before April 15 in the first year of the biennium on a form provided to each member of the legislature by the awards committee.
III. (a)(1) A selection committee is established consisting of 3 members of the senate, appointed by the senate president; 3 members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house; one member from the New Hampshire Council on the Arts, appointed by that council; one member from the New Hampshire Humanities Council, appointed by that council; and one member from the division of historical resources, department of cultural resources, appointed by the director.
(2) The first-named member of the house shall call the first meeting within 60 days of the effective date of this act.
(3) A chairperson shall be elected by the members of the committee.
(4) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation, except that the legislative members shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.
(b) Specific cultural areas which shall be considered shall include the arts, the humanities, and historic preservation. Awards shall be based on the following criteria:
(1) The significance and magnitude of the contribution or achievement.
(2) The range of the state's population affected and the degree of recognition brought about by the contribution or achievement.
(3) The duration and intensity of commitment shown by the individual, organization, or community toward the contribution or achievement.
(c) The committee shall review all nominations and provide suitable recognition to an individual, organization, or community which has made an outstanding contribution to the arts, humanities, or historic preservation according to the criteria set forth in subparagraph (b).
IV. This granite state cultural legacy award shall be presented to the recipient or recipients during a joint session of the legislature at any time from January 1 to the end of the legislative session in the second year of the biennium.
V. The committee shall be authorized to raise the funds necessary to fulfill the requirements of this section.
Source. 1994, 274:2. 1995, 21:4, eff. June 17, 1995. 1998, 363:3, eff. Aug. 25, 1998.