Bill Text: NH SB659 | 2020 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Relative to agricultural and farm motor vehicle plates.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-09-23 - Died on Table [SB659 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-SB659-Amended.html

SB 659-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

02/13/2020   0487s

02/13/2020   0559s

2020 SESSION

20-2963

11/08

 

SENATE BILL 659-FN

 

AN ACT relative to agricultural and farm motor vehicle plates.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Renzullo, Hills. 37; Rep. Packard, Rock. 5; Rep. Chirichiello, Rock. 6

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires owners of vehicles registered with agricultural plates to affix the name and address of the farm upon which such vehicle is to be driven to the sides of the vehicle.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

02/13/2020   0487s

02/13/2020   0559s 20-2963

11/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT relative to agricultural and farm motor vehicle plates.

 

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

 

1  Motor Vehicles; Definitions; Truck.  Amend RSA 259:115-b to read as follows:

259:115-b  Truck.  "Truck" shall mean every motor vehicle designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property, except as provided in RSA 261:82 and RSA 261:84.

2  Motor Vehicles; Agricultural Plates.  Amend RSA 261:82, V(a) to read as follows:

V.(a)(1)  To be eligible for the issuance of an agricultural vehicle registration for agricultural and farming purposes, the applicant shall sign the following form which the treasurer of a city or such other official as the city government may designate or the town clerk shall provide.  This form shall be provided to the applicant upon request without further evidence from the applicant that the plate shall be used for purposes of this section.

I, the undersigned, fully understand the limitations concerning the use of trucks, tractor-trucks, tractors, or cargo vans registered under RSA 261:82, and hereby certify that my vehicle will be used only for agricultural and farming purposes and uses incidental thereto, within a 20 mile radius of the main entrance of the farm upon which the vehicle is to be driven.

Signed:  

______________________________  

Date: ___________________  

Copies to:

Town or City Clerk

Applicant

(2)  The owner of a vehicle registered with agricultural plates pursuant to paragraph I shall affix the name of the farm along with the address of the farm to the driver's side of the vehicle in letters no less than 3 inches tall.

3  New Paragraph; Motor Vehicles; Agricultural Plates.  Amend RSA 261:82 by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraph:

VII.  For purposes of this section:

(a)  "Truck" means a vehicle designated by the manufacturer as such and which has a passenger cab which is separate from the cargo or material hauling portion of the vehicle.

(b)  "Cargo van" means a van which was manufactured with seats for only a driver or a driver and a front passenger, and in which the area behind the driver does not include any seating.  The term "cargo van" shall not include a van manufactured as a cargo van and subsequently converted to a passenger vehicle.

4  Motor Vehicles; Farm Plates.  Amend RSA 261:84, I-III to read as follows:

I.  A truck, tractor-truck, van, or semi-trailer shall qualify for farm registration rates and number plates and shall be driven with such registration only if such vehicle is used solely for the transportation of agricultural products produced on and meant to be used in connection with the operation of a farm or farms owned, operated, or occupied by the registrant.  Additionally, any vehicle which qualifies for farm plates may transport farm workers.  It may also be used to transport or tow an implement of husbandry.  A vehicle which qualifies for farm registration and number plates shall not be used for the transportation of wood and lumber for sale other than from such farms on which the production of wood and lumber is incidental to other farm operations, nor shall such trucks be used for the retail delivery of milk.

II.  This section shall be construed as authorizing the holder of farm plates or a driver authorized by the holder to operate the vehicle while it is empty so long as it is being used generally to accomplish the purposes allowed in this section, and to transport within such vehicle incidental personal property such as food, tools, and clothing.

III.(a)  To be eligible for the issuance of a farm vehicle registration, the applicant shall sign the following form which the treasurer of a city or such other official as the city government may designate or the town clerk shall provide.  This form shall be provided to the applicant upon request without further evidence from the applicant that the plate shall be used for purposes of this section.

I, the undersigned, fully understand the limitations concerning the use of trucks, tractor-trucks, or semi-trailers registered under RSA 261:84, and hereby certify that my vehicle will be used only for agricultural and farming purposes and uses incidental thereto.

Signed:  

_____________________  

Date: __________  

Copies to:

Town or City Clerk

Applicant

(b)  The owner of a vehicle registered with farm plates pursuant to paragraph I shall affix the name of the farm along with the address of the farm to the driver's side of the vehicle in letters no less than 3 inches tall.

IV.  For purposes of this section:

(a)  "Truck" means a vehicle designated by the manufacturer as such and which has a passenger cab which is separate from the cargo or material hauling portion of the vehicle.

(b)  "Van" means a vehicle which was manufactured for the purpose of transporting cargo and/or passengers.

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

 

LBAO

20-2963

1/3/20

 

SB 659-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to agricultural and farm motor vehicle plates.

 

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

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

$0

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other - Restricted - Costs of Collections/Administration*

*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

$0

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill modifies the definition of truck and cargo van as it pertains to agricultural and farm registrations, which may result in a state revenue increase if it is determined that certain vehicles that currently have such registrations no longer qualify or are unable to prove their eligibilty (agricultural and farm registrations are offered at a much lower rate than a passenger plate registration).  The Department of Safety is unable to determine how many vehicles may be affected by this change.  Also, pursuant to RSA 235:23 (“Apportionment A”), 12 percent of motor vehicle fees collected are distributed to municipalities.  Therefore, in FY 2022 and each year thereafter, this bill may have an impact on state expenditures and local revenue depending on the number of registrations affected.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety

 

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