Revision: March 6, 2013, midnight
HB 617-FN-A-LOCAL – AS INTRODUCED
2013 SESSION
06/10
HOUSE BILL 617-FN-A-LOCAL
AN ACT increasing the rate of the road toll, increasing the vehicle registration fee, and establishing the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.
SPONSORS: Rep. Campbell, Hills 33; Rep. Bouchard, Merr 18; Rep. McConkey, Carr 3; Rep. Barry, Hills 21; Rep. Tatro, Ches 15; Rep. Lovejoy, Rock 36; Rep. A. Schmidt, Sull 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Pierce, Dist 5
COMMITTEE: Public Works and Highways
This bill:
I. Establishes the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.
II. Increases the road toll over a 3-year period.
III. Increases the vehicle registration fee for certain classes of vehicles.
IV. Provides for adjustment in payments by the department of transportation to municipalities for highway construction and reconstruction aid when such payments are based on estimated revenue.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13-0785
06/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT increasing the rate of the road toll, increasing the vehicle registration fee, and establishing the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; Application of Receipts. Amend RSA 6:12, I(b) by inserting after subparagraph (310) the following new subparagraph:
(311) Moneys deposited in the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account established under RSA 260:32-a.
2 Levy of Tolls and Exemptions. Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA 260:32 to read as follows:
260:32 Levy of Tolls and Exemptions. There is hereby imposed a road toll of $.18 per gallon upon the sale of each gallon of motor fuel sold by distributors thereof. The road toll on gasoline shall increase to $.22 per gallon beginning July 1, 2013; to $.26 per gallon beginning July 1, 2014; and to $.30 per gallon beginning July 1, 2015. The road toll on special fuel (diesel) shall increase to $.20 per gallon on July 1, 2013; to $.22 per gallon on July 1, 2014; to $.24 per gallon on July 1, 2015; to $.26 per gallon on July 1, 2016; to $.28 per gallon on July 1, 2017; and to $.30 per gallon on July 1, 2018. The road toll shall be collected by the distributor from the purchaser and remitted to the state in the manner hereinafter set forth. All amounts collected in excess of $.18 per gallon shall be deposited on a monthly basis into the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account established in RSA 260:32-a. Provided, that the road toll shall not apply to:
3 New Section; Account Established. Amend RSA 260 by inserting after section 32 the following new section:
260:32-a Account Established. There is hereby established a separate account in the highway fund called the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account. The account is to be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of state and municipal roads and bridges to improve safe travel for motorists, create jobs, and promote commerce, tourism, and economic growth in the state. The account shall consist of the funds attributable to all road toll revenue collected in excess of $.18 per gallon and all increases over 2012 rates in vehicle registration fees under RSA 261:141, III(g) and (h). The amount deposited into the New Hampshire road and bridge account is hereby exclusively and continually appropriated to the department of transportation and shall be nonlapsing.
4 Department of Safety; Motor Vehicle Registration Fees Increased. Amend RSA 261:141, III(g) and (h) to read as follows:
(g)(1) For all motor vehicles other than those in RSA 261:141, I:
Beginning Beginning Beginning
July 1, 2013 July 1, 2014 July 1, 2015
0-3000 lbs. $31.20 [($2.60 per month)] $36.20 $41.20 $46.20
3001-5000 lbs. $43.20 [($3.60 per month)] $48.20 $53.20 $58.20
5001[-8000] lbs. and above $55.20 [($4.60 per month)] $62.70 $70.20 $77.70
[8001-73,280 $.96 per hundred lbs. gross weight]
(2) All registration fees under subparagraph (1) shall be prorated accordingly on a monthly basis in the case of registrations issued for more or less than a 12-month period.
[(h) Truck-tractors to be used in conjunction with a semi-trailer, gross weight shall include the weight of such tractors, the weight of the heaviest semi-trailer to be used therewith, and the weight of the maximum load to be carried thereby: up to 73,280 pounds $.96 per 100 pounds gross weight, over 73,280 pounds--$1.44 shall be charged for each 100 pounds gross weight or portion thereof in excess of 73,280 pounds.]
5 Block Grant Aid; Apportionment. Amend RSA 235:23, I to read as follows:
I. Apportionment A. In each fiscal year, the commissioner shall allocate an amount not less than 12 percent of the estimated total road toll revenue and motor vehicle fees to be collected [in the preceding] during the fiscal year to a local highway aid fund. This fund shall be distributed to each city, town, and unincorporated place on a formula in which 1/2 of the amount is based on the proportion which the mileage of regularly maintained class IV and class V highways in each municipality, as of January 1 of the previous year, bears to the total of such mileage in the state; and 1/2 of the amount is based on the proportion which the office of energy and planning population estimate of each municipality bears to the latest estimate of the total population of the state as of July 1 of the year of the estimate. Since the payment is based upon estimated revenues to be received during the fiscal year, the following year's payment shall be adjusted for any overpayment or underpayment during the prior year based upon the actual audited total road toll revenues and motor vehicle fees collected. The aid to be distributed under this paragraph shall be in addition to all other state and federal aid specifically authorized by statute.
6 New Section; State Bridge Aid. Amend RSA 234 by inserting after section 4 the following new section:
234:4-a State Bridge Aid. Beginning in fiscal year 2016, the state allocation under this chapter to municipalities for state bridge aid shall be no less than $13,600,000 per year.
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.
LBAO
13-0785
Revised 02/19/13
HB 617 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT increasing the rate of the road toll, increasing the vehicle registration fee, and establishing the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety and Department of Transportation state this bill, as introduced, will increase state restricted revenues by $25,192,491 in FY 2014, $62,198,771 in FY 2015, $98,883,172 in FY 2016, and $100,596,656 in FY 2017, increase state general fund revenues by $87,766 in FY 2015, $263,297 in FY 2016 and $438,828 in FY 2017, increase state restricted expenditures by $3,023,099 in FY 2014, $7,797,461 in FY 2015, $19,508,727 in FY 2016 and $20,223,483 in FY 2017, increase local revenues by $3,023,099 in FY 2014, $7,463,853 in FY 2015, $11,865,981 in FY 2016 and $12,071,599 in FY 2017, and increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2014 and each year thereafter. There will be no impact on county revenues expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Safety states this bill increases the rate for road toll and motor vehicle registration fees and credits revenues attributable to the increases to a newly established account within the highway fund called the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.
Road Toll Increase
The Department of Safety states this bill will change the rate of road toll per gallon of motor fuel as follows:
GASOLINE |
SPECIAL FUEL (DIESEL) | |||||
|
Current |
Proposed |
Current |
Proposed | ||
FY 2014 |
$0.18 |
$0.22 |
FY 2014 |
$0.18 |
$0.20 | |
FY 2015 |
$0.18 |
$0.26 |
FY 2015 |
$0.18 |
$0.22 | |
FY 2016 |
$0.18 |
$0.30 |
FY 2016 |
$0.18 |
$0.24 | |
FY 2017 |
$0.18 |
$0.30 |
FY 2017 |
$0.18 |
$0.26 | |
FY 2018 |
$0.18 |
$0.30 |
FY 2018 |
$0.18 |
$0.28 | |
FY 2019 |
$0.18 |
$0.30 |
FY 2019 |
$0.18 |
$0.30 | |
The Department of Safety states as this bill requires all revenue collected from the increase in road toll to go to the newly established New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account, it estimates the following impact on state restricted revenues:
|
FY 2014 |
FY 2015 |
FY 2016 |
FY 2017 |
Total Estimated Gallons |
797,436,904 |
793,051,001 |
788,689,220 |
784,351,429 |
|
|
|
|
|
Gasoline (85% of Total) |
|
|
|
|
Estimated Gallons |
677,821,368 |
674,093,350 |
670,385,837 |
666,698,714 |
Rate Increase |
$0.04 |
$0.08 |
$0.12 |
$0.12 |
Revenue Increase |
$27,112,855 |
$53,927,468 |
$80,446,300 |
$80,003,846 |
|
|
|
|
|
Diesel (15% of Total) |
|
|
|
|
Estimated Gallons |
119,615,535 |
118,957,650 |
118,303,383 |
117,652,714 |
Rate Increase |
$0.02 |
$0.04 |
$0.06 |
$0.08 |
Revenue Increase |
$2,392,311 |
$4,758,306 |
$7,098,203 |
$9,412,217 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Increase |
$29,505,165 |
$58,685,774 |
$87,544,503 |
$89,416,063 |
The Department of Safety states per RSA 260:60, a portion of road toll is designated as estimated refundable road toll for non-road uses (boats, OHRVs, snowmobiles, etc…). The Department states any remaining (“unrefunded”) balance is allocated in the following fiscal year between the state general fund, the Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) and the Fish and Game (F&G) Department as follows:
|
FY 2014 |
FY 2015 |
FY 2016 |
FY 2017 |
Estimated "Unrefunded" Road Toll Related to Boats |
$0 |
$175,532 |
$526,594 |
$877,656 |
50% to General Fund |
$0 |
$87,766 |
$263,297 |
$438,828 |
50% to F&G Department |
$0 |
$87,766 |
$263,297 |
$438,828 |
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated "Unrefunded" Road Toll Related to OHRV/Snowmobiles* |
$0 |
$316,152 |
$632,304 |
$948,456 |
50% to F&G Department |
$0 |
$158,076 |
$316,152 |
$474,228 |
50% to DRED |
$0 |
$158,076 |
$316,152 |
$474,228 |
|
|
|
|
|
Increase to General Fund |
$0 |
$87,766 |
$263,297 |
$438,828 |
Increase to F&G Department |
$0 |
$245,842 |
$579,449 |
$913,056 |
Increase to DRED |
$0 |
$158,076 |
$316,152 |
$474,228 |
Total |
$0 |
$491,684 |
$1,158,898 |
$1,826,112 |
|
|
|
|
|
Increase to Highway Fund Expenditures |
$0 |
($333,608) |
($842,746) |
($1,351,884) |
Decrease to Highway Fund Revenue |
$0 |
($158,076) |
($316,152) |
($474,228) |
Net Impact to Highway Fund |
$0 |
($491,684) |
($1,158,898) |
($1,826,112) |
* “Unrefunded” road toll relating to OHRV and snowmobiles is comprised of 50% out of unrestricted highway fund revenues and 50% highway fund expenditures.
Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Increases
The Department of Safety states this bill raises motor vehicle registration fees by $5.00 per year beginning on July 1, 2013 for all vehicles under 8,001 pounds and modifies the calculation of registration fee for vehicles larger than 8,001 pounds. The Department of Safety estimates the following impact to state highway fund and restricted revenues:
Vehicle Weight |
Current # Registered |
Current Registration Revenue |
Estimated Registration Revenue Under Bill | |||
FY 2014 |
FY 2015 |
FY 2016 |
FY 2017 | |||
0 - 3,000 lbs. |
156,003 |
$4,867,294 |
$5,647,309 |
$6,427,324 |
$7,207,339 |
$7,207,339 |
3,001 - 5,000 lbs. |
749,647 |
$32,384,750 |
$36,132,985 |
$39,881,220 |
$43,629,455 |
$43,629,455 |
5,001 lbs. + |
460,733 |
$37,728,883 |
$28,887,959 |
$32,343,456 |
$35,798,954 |
$35,798,954 |
Total Revenue |
$74,980,927 |
$70,668,253 |
$78,652,000 |
$86,635,748 |
$86,635,748 | |
Net Increase / (Decrease) |
($4,312,674) |
$3,671,073 |
$11,654,821 |
$11,654,821 | ||
The Department of Safety assumes the combined net revenue increase from this bill will be credited to the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account as follows:
|
FY 2014 |
FY 2015 |
FY 2016 |
FY 2017 |
Gross Revenue From Road Toll Increase |
$29,505,165 |
$58,685,774 |
$87,544,503 |
$89,416,063 |
(Less: "Unrefunded" Road Toll) |
$0 |
($158,076) |
($316,152) |
($474,228) |
Net Revenue From Road Toll Increase |
$29,505,165 |
$58,527,698 |
$87,228,351 |
$88,941,835 |
|
|
|
|
|
Net Revenue From MV Registration Increase |
($4,312,674) |
$3,671,073 |
$11,654,821 |
$11,654,821 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Net Revenue Increase |
$25,192,491 |
$62,198,771 |
$98,883,172 |
$100,596,656 |
The Department of Safety states this bill will increase local expenditures as municipalities that use vendor software in the motor vehicle registration process will have costs associated with computer programing and testing to implement the changes in this bill.
Block Grant (Apportionment A)
The Department of Safety states this bill amends the block grant apportionment A statute changing the total amount of the grants from 12% of the previous year’s road toll and motor vehicles fees to 12% of the estimate of the upcoming year’s road toll and motor vehicle fees. The Department estimates this bill will increase state expenditures and local revenues:
|
FY 2014 |
FY 2015 |
FY 2016 |
FY 2017 |
Total Net Revenue Increase |
$25,192,491 |
$62,198,771 |
$98,883,172 |
$100,596,656 |
Block Grant Amount (12%) |
$3,023,099 |
$7,463,853 |
$11,865,981 |
$12,071,599 |
State Bridge Aid
Under this bill, beginning in FY 2016, the allocation to municipalities for state bridge aid shall be no less than $13,600,000. Currently, this allocation is set at $6,800,000, therefore, in FY 2016 and each year thereafter, there will be an increase in state restricted expenditures of $6,800,000.