SB 238-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

03/07/2019   0621s

5Jun2019... 1753h

2019 SESSION

19-0580

11/03

 

SENATE BILL 238-FN

 

AN ACT relative to the registration of motor vehicles owned by veterans.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock. 5

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill grants authority to the legislative body of cities and towns to waive the fee for a municipal permit to register a motor vehicle owned by any veteran who is a former prisoner of war, was awarded the Purple Heart medal, or survived Pearl Harbor.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/07/2019   0621s

5Jun2019... 1753h 19-0580

11/03

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to the registration of motor vehicles owned by veterans.

 

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

 

1  Department of Safety; General Provisions; Rulemaking Authority; Commissioner of Safety.  Amend RSA 21-P:14, III(gg) to read as follows:

(gg)  Exemption from municipal permit fees for certain [disabled] veterans, as authorized by RSA 261:157, RSA 261:157-a, and 261:159; and for nonprofit organizations, as authorized by RSA 261:158.

2  Certificates of Title and Registration of Vehicles; Municipal Permits for Registration; Local Option Exemption for Certain Other Veterans.  Amend RSA 261:157-a to read as follows:

261:157-a  Local Option; Exemption for [Prisoners of Wars] Certain Other Veterans.  The legislative body of a city or town may adopt an ordinance waiving the fee to be charged for a permit to register one motor vehicle owned by any person who [was captured and incarcerated for 30 days or more while serving in a qualifying war or armed conflict as defined in RSA 72:28, V, and who was honorably discharged, provided the person has provided the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances.]:

I.  Is a former prisoner of war and was captured and incarcerated while serving in a qualifying war or armed conflict as defined in RSA 72:28, V, including those serving in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and who was honorably discharged, provided that such person has furnished the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances; or

II.  Was awarded the Purple Heart medal and who was honorably discharged or is still on active duty, provided that such person has furnished the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances; or

III.  Survived Pearl Harbor and was honorably discharged, provided that such person has furnished the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances.

3  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

19-0580

Amended 3/8/19

 

SB 238-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2019-0621s)

 

AN ACT relative to the registration of motor vehicles owned by veterans.

 

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

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

$42,000

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [ X ] Other - *Restricted Cost of Collections

*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.

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill authorizes municipalities to adopt an ordinance waiving the municipal fee to register a motor vehicle for any veteran who is a former prisoner of war, was awarded the Purple Heart medal, or survived Pearl Harbor.  The Department of Safety estimates this bill requires programming modifications to the Division of Motor Vehicles registration system at a cost of $42,000 in FY 2020.  Additionally, local governments adopting the ordinance authorized in this bill may need to make modifications to their registration systems which could increase local expenditures, depending on when they adopt the ordinance.

 

The impact in revenue loss to local governments is indeterminable, since each registration fee is based on the vehicle and it is unknown how many, if any, municipalities may enact the ordinance authorized in this bill.  Currently, the number of registered vehicles in the State potentially impacted by this bill includes the following: 15 former prisoner of war, 3 Pearl Harbor survivor, and 653 Purple Heart medal registrations.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety