Committee debates portrait policy, retains bills to accept portraits of Jeb Bradley and Sylvia Larson

The Legislative Administration Committee on the request of sponsor aides heard testimony on two bills—SB 186, to allow the joint legislative historical committee to accept and display a portrait of Senator Jeb Bradley, and SB 200, to request the joint committee accept and hang a portrait of former Senator Sylvia Larson.

Max Taylor, legislative aide to Senator Ricciardi, introduced SB 186 and described the measure as honoring "a leader who has made a lasting impact on our state through years of dedicated public service," and urged the committee to move the bill "ought to pass." Taylor said the portrait for Senator Jeb Bradley had not, to his knowledge, yet been completed or commissioned.

Senator Tara Reardon, appearing for SB 200, described former Senator Sylvia Larson's legislative record and said the portrait "has been created" and is currently stored in Room 120 of the State House. Donna Soucy, who served as Larson's chief of staff, testified about Larson's leadership and the portrait's artist, saying Larson was "an example of grace under pressure" and that the portrait by Ralph Stoney Jacobs was completed, framed and ready once accepted by the committee.

Committee members used a less-formal work-session format to discuss a range of issues surrounding portraits, including limited wall space in the State House, the need for consistent size guidelines, archival storage conditions, rotating or virtual displays, and which body (the joint legislative historical committee, the executive council or the governor) has authority over particular displays. Representative Wall described existing RSA language that assigns placement responsibility to the joint historic committee in consultation with the Division of Historical Resources and noted a small non-lapsing preservation fund of about $10,000 per year for restoration and preservation of portraits and artifacts.

After discussion the committee took two recorded actions to retain the portrait bills so the committee can use them as vehicles to consider broader statutory and policy changes. Representative Turcotte moved to retain SB 186; Representative Wade seconded. The roll call recorded the following votes (yes): Representative Turcotte; Representative Virgil; Representative Nader; Representative Boyd; Representative Wall; Representative Pyre; Representative Sorensen; Representative Wade; and Chairman Hill. The motion passed (10 yes votes recorded including the clerk’s yes vote).

Representative Turcotte then moved to retain SB 200; Representative Wade seconded. The second motion passed by the same recorded affirmative roll call and the chair announced the motion passed with 10 yes votes. The committee closed the session and said staff and the committee researcher will gather comparative practices from other states and consult with the joint historic committee and other stakeholders to draft possible statutory changes and display guidelines for future meetings.

Votes at a glance: - SB 186 — Motion to retain passed (tally: yes=10, no=0, abstain=0). Motion moved by Representative Turcotte; seconded by Representative Wade. Recorded yes votes: Turcotte, Virgil, Nader, Boyd, Wall, Pyre, Sorensen, Wade, Chair (clerk recorded yes as well). - SB 200 — Motion to retain passed (tally: yes=10, no=0, abstain=0). Motion moved by Representative Turcotte; seconded by Representative Wade. Recorded yes votes: Turcotte, Virgil, Nader, Boyd, Wall, Pyre, Sorensen, Wade, Chair (clerk recorded yes as well).

What the committee did not do: the committee did not formally accept or hang either portrait during this meeting. Committee members asked staff to pursue options including size limits, archival and climate-controlled storage, more legible historical plaques, a possible virtual tour or virtual wall, and to consult the joint legislative historical committee. The committee indicated any statutory amendments would be drafted and circulated to the members for a future short session.