Bill Text - HB388 (2023)

Relative to number plates for motor vehicles.


Revision: Jan. 9, 2023, 3:30 p.m.

HB 388-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2023 SESSION

23-0602

02/04

 

HOUSE BILL 388-FN

 

AN ACT relative to number plates for motor vehicles.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Hynes, Hills. 2; Rep. Prout, Hills. 13; Rep. Phinney, Straf. 9; Rep. Granger, Straf. 2

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill would require private passenger vehicles to display only one number plate on the rear 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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0602

02/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

 

AN ACT relative to number plates for motor vehicles.

 

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

 

1  Number Plates.  Amend RSA 261:75, II to read as follows:

II.  Every vehicle driven in or on any way in this state, if required to be registered hereunder, shall have displayed conspicuously thereon a number plate or plates to be furnished by the department, together with any current validation sticker issued by the department and which has a changeable designation of their effective period.  The director may make special rules relative to the number of plates, the location of said plate or plates on the vehicle, and the material and design thereof, provided, however, that number plates for passenger vehicles shall have the state motto "Live Free or Die" written thereon, and further provided that a private passenger vehicle shall only be required to display one number plate on the rear of the vehicle.  The plate shall be kept clean.

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

 

LBA

23-0602

12/19/22

 

HB 388-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to number plates for motor vehicles.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

($700,000) Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund

($700,000) Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund

($700,000 Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund)

   Expenditures

$0

$96,000 Cost of Collections/Admin

 

($700,000) Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund

($700,000) Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund

($700,000) Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [ X ] Other - Reflectorized Plate Inventory Fund and Restricted Cost of Collection/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.

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill would require private passenger vehicles to display only one number plate (on the rear of the vehicle). Private passenger vehicle is defined in RSA 259:81 as a motor vehicle, except motorcycles, tractors, snowmobiles, OHRV's and mopeds, which is designed and used for the purpose of transporting 10 persons or less and used for the transportation of human beings with their necessary personal belongings, and not exceeding 8,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight (which make up most of the vehicles on roadways). During FY 2022, approximately 175,000 sets of passenger plates were processed through the Department of Safety’s warehouse, with the cost per plate being $4. Beginning in FY 2024, assuming individuals choose to only equip one plate, both revenues and expenditures of the reflectorized plate inventory fund will decrease by approximately $700,000 ($4 x 175,000 plates) per year.  In addition, the Department estimates one-time software change costs relative to implementation of this bill will be approximately $96,000 in FY 2024 (this would be an administrative charge against highway revenue collections).

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety