Bill Text: NH HB626 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Relative to penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-10-25 - Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2019-2734h (Vote 16-1; Consent Calendar) [HB626 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB626-Introduced.html

HB 626-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0702

11/06

 

HOUSE BILL 626-FN

 

AN ACT relative to penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Josephson, Graf. 11; Rep. Diggs, Graf. 16; Rep. Dontonville, Graf. 10

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill updates the penalties imposed for illegally overtaking or passing a school bus.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0702

11/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus.

 

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

 

1  Motor Vehicles; Rules of the Road; Overtaking and Passing School Bus.  Amend RSA 265:54, I-b to read as follows:

I-b.  Except as provided in paragraph IV, a person who violates the provisions of paragraph I shall be guilty of a violation and shall be fined [$150] $500 plus penalty assessment for a first offense, and shall be fined not less than [$250 nor more than] $1,000 for a subsequent offense.  In addition, the director may suspend the person's license to drive or nonresident driving privilege for a period of 30 days for a [second or subsequent] first offense and 90 days for a subsequent offense.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2020.

 

LBAO

19-0702

1/3/19

 

HB 626-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other - Restricted - Cost of Collections*, Restricted - Plea-By-Mail, Victims' Assistance Fund, Judicial Branch IT Fund

*Pursuant to Part II, article 6-a of the New Hampshire constitution, any costs associated with the collection and administration of Highway Funds by the Department of Safety shall be deducted by the Department before such funds are credited to the Highway Fund as unrestricted revenue.

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill increases the fine amounts and subsequent license suspension penalties for persons who illegally pass school buses.  The Judicial Branch assumes the increase in the fine will not impact the average of approximately 160 cases per year of persons violating RSA 265:54, therefore the Branch would experience no change in expenditures.  The Branch reports nearly all violations of RSA 265:54 are committed by first time offenders.  Therefore, the $350 fine increase for first time offenders multiplied by the 160 cases a year would increase fine revenue by an estimated $56,000 a year.  Additionally, a 24% penalty assessment would be imposed on those violators which would produce an estimated additional $13,440 to the following funds: $8,959.10 to the general fund, $2,240.45 to the victims’ assistance fund, and $2,240.45 to the judicial branch information technology fund.

 

The Department of Safety states this bill will increase expenditures in FY 2020 by an indeterminable amount due to reprogramming changes needed to update the uniform fine schedule.  State expenditures may also increase by an indeterminable amount each year relative to costs associated with hearing requests, and notification of suspensions and restoration of driving privileges.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety and Judicial Branch

 

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