HB 1666-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2016 SESSION
\t16-2687
\t03/01
HOUSE BILL\t1666-FN
AN ACT\trelative to certain definitions in the motor vehicles law.
SPONSORS:\tRep. Goulette, Hills. 23; Rep. Spillane, Rock. 2
COMMITTEE:\tTransportation
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ANALYSIS
\tThis bill limits the general definitions of "motor vehicle" and "vehicle."
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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.
\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
\t16-2687
\t03/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen
AN ACT\trelative to certain definitions in the motor vehicles law.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
\t1 Motor Vehicle; Definition. Amend RSA 259:60, I to read as follows:
\t\tI. Except where otherwise specified in this title, any self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on stationary tracks, including ski area vehicles and used for commercial purposes on the highways in the transportation of passengers, passengers and property, or property or cargo. "Used for commercial purposes" means the carriage of persons or property for any fare, fee, rate, charge, or other consideration, or directly or indirectly in connection with any business, or other undertaking intended for profit;
\t2 New Paragraph; Vehicle; Definition. Amend RSA 259:122 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:
\t\tIV. For purposes of vehicle registration, the same as paragraph I of this section, but not including any noncommercial mechanical self-propelled device used for travel.
\t3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t16-2687
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRevised 1/25/16
HB 1666-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT\trelative to certain definitions in the motor vehicles law.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill, as introduced, would decrease state restricted revenue $96,495,017 in FY 2017 and each year thereafter, decrease state restricted expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2017 and each year thereafter, decrease local revenues by $196,587,421 in FY 2017, and by $206,528,554 in FY 2018 and each year thereafter, and may have an indeterminable impact on local expenditures. The Judicial Branch and Department of Corrections state this bill will have an indeterminable fiscal impact on state expenditures and revenue in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There is no impact on county revenue or expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Safety states this bill limits the general definition of “motor vehicle” to vehicles used for commercial purposes. The Department assumes this would decrease the number of vehicles registered, titled, and inspected as well as the number of drivers’ licenses issued by approximately 85%. The Department assumes the following reduction in revenue, per year, due to the reduction in registrations, titles, inspections, and drivers’ licenses issued under this bill (85% of FY 2015 actual revenue):
| FY 2017 | FY 2018 and Each Year Thereafter |
STATE HIGHWAY FUND REVENUE |
|
|
MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS* | ($61,451,755) | ($61,451,755) |
MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS* | ($10,513,073) | ($10,513,073) |
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE* | ($7,501,802) | ($7,501,802) |
MOTOR VEHICLE FINES, COLLECTED BY COURTS | ($5,774,624) | ($5,774,624) |
INSPECTION STICKERS* | ($3,360,236) | ($3,360,236) |
PARK PLATES-ADMIN FEE* | ($15,908) | ($15,908) |
TOTAL | ($88,617,398) | ($88,617,398) |
|
|
|
OTHER RESTRICTED STATE REVENUE |
|
|
“PLEA BY MAIL” FINE REVENUE | ($5,621,107) | ($5,621,107) |
REFLECTORIZED PLATE FEE | ($1,691,899) | ($1,691,899) |
MOTORCYCLE RIDER EDUCATION | ($564,613) | ($564,613) |
TOTAL | ($7,877,619) | ($7,877,619) |
|
|
|
TOTAL STATE REVENUE | ($96,495,017) | ($96,495,017) |
|
|
|
LOCAL REVENUE |
|
|
MUNICIPAL PERMIT FEES | ($196,587,421) | ($196,587,421) |
LOCAL HIGHWAY AID (RSA 235:35)* | $0 | ($9,941,133) |
TOTAL LOCAL REVENUE | ($196,587,421) | ($206,528,554) |
* 12% of previous year motor vehicle fee and road toll revenue to the state highway fund
The Department states there would be a direct savings of $1,179,556 per year relative to registration materials including registration paper, plates, and decals, as well as a reduction of $9,939,224 per year related to local highway aid included in the above table under municipal revenue. The Department is unable at this time to estimate any other potential impacts on expenditures as it is uncertain how this bill’s implementation would affect operations. Lastly, the Department states this bill would have an indeterminable impact on local expenditures due to the reduction in vehicle registrations.
The Judicial Branch states this bill would amend the definition of “motor vehicle” in RSA 259:60, I, to limit the definition to vehicles used for commercial purposes and similarly amends the definition of “vehicle” in RSA 259:122, but only for the purposes of vehicle registration. The Branch states this may have a significant impact on “motor vehicle” cases brought forward as the definition of a “motor vehicle” will include far fewer vehicles. The Branch states the fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable at this time.
The Department of Corrections states this bill would likely result in a significant, although indeterminable, decrease in license plates, which it manufactures. Per RSA 228:25, the Department of Corrections is reimbursed for its direct and indirect costs for plate manufacturing from the plate inventory fund within the Department of Safety. The Department of Corrections is unable at this time to identify areas of direct or indirect costs that may be reduced proportional to the likely decrease in plate manufacturing resulting from this bill and therefore is unable to estimate this bill’s impact on revenues and expenditures.