The Committee’s jurisdiction to review complaints is limited by statute to complaints “which allege a violation of law, guideline, rule or regulation and relate to the conduct of individuals in the performance of their duties as members, officers, or employees of the legislature." See RSA 14-B:1, III.

A complaint must consist of a sworn “statement of facts within the personal knowledge of the complainant alleging a violation of law, guideline, rule or regulation of the legislature and relating to the conduct of individuals in the performance of their duties as members, officers, or employees of the legislature." See RSA 14-B:1, VI.

When the Committee receives a sworn complaint, it conducts an initial review to determine if the complaint is within its jurisdiction and has merit. The act of filing the complaint, the names of the complainant and individual or individuals complained against, and all proceedings and materials related to the complaint, are confidential unless otherwise requested by the individual or individuals complained against. Premature violations of such confidentiality by any person may result in termination of the proceedings and prosecution as a misdemeanor. See RSA 14-B:4 and RSA 14-B:4-a.

At the conclusion of its initial review, the Committee may decide to dismiss the complaint or may vote to proceed to a preliminaryinvestigation. Upon the completion of the preliminary investigation, the Committee may vote to dismiss the complaint, or pursue an informal resolution, or institute formal proceedings, and all of the Committee's records pertaining to the complaint will be made public, except its own work product and internal memoranda. Formal proceedings include a formal hearing which could result in a recommendation of formal disciplinary action by the General Court.