SB 82-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/25/09 1049s
2009 SESSION
03/04
SENATE BILL 82-FN
AN ACT eliminating fees for plates and registration for certain veterans and authorizing purple heart special number plates for veterans on active duty.
SPONSORS: Sen. Sgambati, Dist 4; Sen. Hassan, Dist 23; Sen. Barnes, Jr., Dist 17; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Houde, Dist 5; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 3; Rep. Foose, Merr 1; Rep. K. Roberts, Ches 3
COMMITTEE: Transportation and Interstate Cooperation
This bill eliminates fees for plates and registration for certain veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart medal or survived Pearl Harbor. This bill authorizes municipalities to waive municipal vehicle permit fees for certain veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart medal or survived Pearl Harbor. This bill also authorizes purple heart special number plates for veterans on active duty.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/25/09 1049s
09-0876
03/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
AN ACT eliminating fees for plates and registration for certain veterans and authorizing purple heart special number plates for veterans on active duty.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Special Number Plates for Certain Veterans; Purple Heart; Active Duty Veterans. Amend RSA 261:86, I(d) to read as follows:
(d) Was awarded the Purple Heart medal in a qualifying war or armed conflict as defined in RSA 72:28, V, and who was honorably discharged or is still on active duty, provided that such person has furnished the director with satisfactory proof of these circumstances. A veteran furnished a Purple Heart plate while on active duty shall furnish proof of honorable discharge to the director prior to the first renewal of registration following discharge.
2 Special Number Plated for Certain Veterans; Fees. Amend RSA 261:86, II to read as follows:
II. Plates furnished pursuant to [subparagraphs I(a)-(c)] paragraph I shall be issued without charge. [Plates furnished pursuant to subparagraphs I(d) and (e) shall be issued upon payment of the regular registration fee and the $4 per plate fees under RSA 261:75.] Notwithstanding RSA 265:73 or any other law, any person who is issued a plate pursuant to subparagraphs I(c)-(e) shall not be entitled to free parking privileges provided for disabled veterans, except that a person who qualifies for special plates pursuant to subparagraph I(d) may be issued an additional special plate for a motorcycle.
3 New Subparagraphs; Registration Fee Exemptions. Amend RSA 261:141, VIII by inserting after subparagraph (c) the following new subparagraphs:
(d) Was awarded the Purple Heart medal in a qualifying war or armed conflict as defined in RSA 72:28, V, and who was honorably discharged or is still on active duty, provided that such person has furnished the director with satisfactory proof of these circumstances. A veteran furnished a Purple Heart plate while on active duty shall furnish proof of honorable discharge to the director prior to the first renewal of registration following discharge.
(e) Survived Pearl Harbor and was honorably discharged, provided that such person has furnished the director with satisfactory proof of these circumstances.
4 New Sections; Municipal Fee Exemptions. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 157-a the following new sections:
261:157-b Exemption for Veterans Awarded the Purple Heart Medal. 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 awarded the Purple Heart medal in a qualifying war or armed conflict as defined in RSA 72:28, V, and who was honorably discharged or is still on active duty, provided the person has provided the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances. A veteran furnished a Purple Heart plate while on active duty shall furnish proof of honorable discharge to the city or town clerk prior to the first renewal of registration following discharge.
261:157-c Exemption for Veterans Who Survived Pearl Harbor. 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 survived Pearl Harbor and was honorably discharged, provided the person has provided the city or town clerk with satisfactory proof of these circumstances.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.
LBAO
09-0876
Amended 04/06/09
SB 82 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT eliminating fees for plates and registration for certain veterans and authorizing purple heart special number plates for veterans on active duty.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill, as amended by the Senate (Amendment #2009-1049s), will decrease state highway fund revenue by $32,400 in FY 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter, increase state highway fund expenditures by $48,612 in FY 2010, decrease state highway fund expenditures by $3,888 in FY 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter, and decrease local revenue by $3,888 in FY 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county revenue or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Safety states this bill eliminates fees for license plates and vehicle registrations for certain veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart medal or survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Department estimates state highway fund revenue would decrease by approximately $32,400 annually, based on 750 plate holders multiplied by an average registration fee of $43.20 per year. RSA 235:23 requires 12% of Highway Fund revenue be apportioned to municipalities for local highway aid. Therefore, state highway fund expenditures for local aid and local revenue will decrease by $3,888 ($32,400 x 0.12) in FY 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter. The Department states highway fund expenditures in FY 2010 would increase because of computer programming costs required to implement this change by approximately $52,500 (300 hours of programming at $175 per hour), less 12% of the decrease in highway fund revenue of $3,888, for a net increase of $48,612.