HB1238 (2024) Detail

Requiring all municipal police department vehicles to bear municipal police license plates.


HB 1238-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2024 SESSION

24-2191

09/08

 

HOUSE BILL 1238-FN

 

AN ACT requiring all municipal police department vehicles to bear municipal police license plates.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Phinney, Straf. 9; Rep. Read, Rock. 10

 

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires all municipal police departments to affix municipal police license plates to all department-owned vehicles.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2191

09/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

 

AN ACT requiring all municipal police department vehicles to bear municipal police license plates.

 

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

 

1  New Chapter; Police Vehicles.  Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 105-D the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 105-E

POLICE VEHICLES

105-E:1  Municipal Police License Plates Required.

Each municipal police department shall affix municipal police license plates on all department-owned vehicles.  No police officer shall use any vehicle that does not bear municipal police license plates in the performance of the officer's official duties.

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

 

LBA

24-2191

10/23/23

 

HB 1238-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to requiring all municipal police department vehicles to bear municipal police license plates.

 

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

 

 

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

 

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

Local Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Local Expenditures

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill would require all municipal police vehicles to display official license plates and prohibits police officers from using any vehicle lacking these plates while performing their duties.  The New Hampshire Municipal Association states there will unlikely be significant costs affixing municipal police license plates which do not currently poses an official license plate.   There may be significant costs prohibiting police officers from using police vehicles that do not have an official license plates as police departments often employ unmarked vehicles in covert operations, especially in drug-related activities.  If they are unable to use these vehicles, departments will need to adjust their tactics, potentially leading to the acquisition of extra equipment, like surveillance gear, or the rental of facilities for surveillance purposes. Additionally, these adjustments might result in increased expenditures on officer overtime and related employment costs resulting in an indeterminable increase in local expenditures starting in FY 2025.

 

It is assumed any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2024.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Municipal Association

 

Links


Date Body Type
Jan. 12, 2024 House Hearing
Jan. 19, 2024 House Exec Session
Jan. 19, 2024 House Floor Vote

Bill Text Revisions

HB1238 Revision: 39707 Date: Dec. 1, 2023, 3:21 p.m.
HB1238 Revision: 44178 Date: Nov. 28, 2023, 2:48 p.m.

Docket


Feb. 1, 2024: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/01/2024 HJ 3 P. 4


Jan. 24, 2024: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/19/2024 (Vote 20-0; CC) HC 4 P. 4


Jan. 11, 2024: Executive Session: 01/19/2024 02:00 pm LOB 202-204


Jan. 5, 2024: Public Hearing: 01/12/2024 11:30 am LOB 202-204


Dec. 1, 2023: Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety