Revision: Feb. 7, 2022, 2:33 p.m.
SB 306-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/03/2022 0306s
2022 SESSION
22-2904
12/10
SENATE BILL 306-FN
AN ACT relative to the penalties for various motor vehicle violations.
SPONSORS: Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill provides for enhanced penalties for certain driving offenses where the offense was also based on facts involving the prohibited use of a mobile electronic device.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/03/2022 0306s 22-2904
12/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two
AN ACT relative to the penalties for various motor vehicle violations.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Criminal Code; Sentences and Limitations. Amend RSA 651:2 by inserting after paragraph II-g the following new paragraph:
II-h. A person charged with any offense under RSA 265, RSA 265-A, or RSA 630:3 whose offense was also based on facts involving the prohibited use of a mobile electronic device while driving, as defined in RSA 265:79-c, may be subject to enhanced penalties for such offenses, as follows:
(a) If the offense would otherwise constitute a violation, it may be charged as a class B misdemeanor.
(b) If the offense would otherwise constitute a class B misdemeanor, it may be charged as a class A misdemeanor.
(c) If the offense would otherwise constitute a class A misdemeanor, it may be charged as a class B felony.
(d) If the offense would otherwise constitute a class B felony, it may be charged as a class A felony.
(e) If the offense is a class A felony or an unclassified felony, there shall be no enhanced charge.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2023.
22-2904
Amended 2/7/22
SB 306-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2022-0306s)
AN ACT relative to the penalties for various motor vehicle violations.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ ] Local [ ] None
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STATE: | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ ] Other | |||
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COUNTY: |
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Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
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METHODOLOGY:
This bill contains penalties that may have an impact on the New Hampshire judicial and correctional systems. There is no method to determine how many charges would be brought as a result of the changes contained in this bill to determine the fiscal impact on expenditures. However, the entities impacted have provided the potential costs associated with these penalties below.
Judicial Council | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
Public Defender Program | Has contract with State to provide services. | Has contract with State to provide services. |
Contract Attorney – Felony | $825/Case | $825/Case |
Contract Attorney – Misdemeanor | $300/Case | $300/Case |
Assigned Counsel – Felony | $60/Hour up to $4,100 | $60/Hour up to $4,100 |
Assigned Counsel – Misdemeanor | $60/Hour up to $1,400 | $60/Hour up to $1,400 |
It should be noted that a person needs to be found indigent and have the potential of being incarcerated to be eligible for indigent defense services. Historically, approximately 85% of the indigent defense caseload has been handled by the public defender program, with the remaining cases going to contract attorneys (14%) or assigned counsel (1%). Beginning in March of 2021, the public defender program has had to close intake to new cases due to excessive caseloads. Due to these closures, the contract and assigned counsel program have had to absorb significantly more cases. The system is experiencing significant delays in appointing counsel and the costs of representation have increased due to travel time and multiple appointments. | ||
Department of Corrections | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
FY 2021 Average Cost of Incarcerating an Individual | $54,386 | $54,386 |
FY 2021 Annual Marginal Cost of a General Population Inmate | $5,715 | $5,715 |
FY 2021 Average Cost of Supervising an Individual on Parole/Probation | $603 | $603 |
NH Association of Counties | FY 2022 | FY 2023 |
County Prosecution Costs | Indeterminable | Indeterminable |
Estimated Average Daily Cost of Incarcerating an Individual | $105 to $125 | $105 to $125 |
This bill contains penalties that will have an indeterminable impact on the Judicial Branch system. There is no method to determine how many charges would be brought as a result of the changes contained in this bill to determine the fiscal impact on expenditures. In the past the Judicial Branch has used averaged caseload data based on time studies to estimate the fiscal impact of proposed legislation. The per case data on costs for routine criminal cases currently available to the Judicial Branch are based on studies of judicial and clerical weighted caseload times for processing average routine criminal cases that are more than fifteen years old, so the data does not have current validity. A new case study is being conducted and updated estimates will be available in the future.
Many offenses are prosecuted by local and county prosecutors. When the Department of Justice has investigative and prosecutorial responsibility or is involved in an appeal, the Department may be able to absorb the cost within its existing budget. However, if the Department needs to prosecute significantly more cases or handle more appeals, then costs will increase by an indeterminable amount.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Departments of Corrections and Justice, Judicial Council, and New Hampshire Association of Counties