HB 1078-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2596
07/06
HOUSE BILL 1078-FN
AN ACT creating a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
SPONSORS: Rep. Michael Murphy, Coos 6; Rep. A. Davis, Coos 2; Rep. Korzen, Coos 7; Rep. Moffett, Merr. 4; Rep. Ouellet, Coos 3; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill creates a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2596
07/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT creating a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Motor Vehicles; Number Plates; Gold Star Number Plates. RSA 261:87-c is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
261:87-c Gold Star Number Plates.
I. For purposes of this section:
(a) "Gold star mother"?means the mother or stepmother of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
(b) "Gold star family" means an immediate family member, who is not a gold star mother or father, of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
(c) ?"Gold star father"?means the father or stepfather of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
II. The department shall furnish one set of special number plates, designed by the director with the approval of the commissioner, for one motor vehicle owned by a qualifying individual as follows: a gold star mother, gold star father, or gold star family of a person killed while on duty in the United States armed forces.
III. The special plates shall feature the same base design approved by the commissioner. The plates shall be distinguished solely by wording on the plate, specifying "Gold Star Mother," "Gold Star Father," or "Gold Star Family."
IV. Eligibility for a gold star plate shall be documented by submission of:
(a) DD Form 1300, report of casualty, or an official casualty notification document;
(b) Proof of relationship to the deceased service member; and
(c) A certification letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or other recognized authority.
V. Issuance shall be upon payment of regular registration fees, and no additional plate fees shall be charged.
VI. The director shall establish documentation and application procedures for issuance, including verification of eligibility and maintenance of records.
VII. Applicants may request a specific combination of characters to appear on their plate, subject to the following conditions:
(a) The requested combination shall comply with all state requirements for letters, numbers, and symbols on registration plates;
(b) The requested combination shall not already be in use or reserved by the division of motor vehicles;
(c) The requested combination shall not contain offensive, profane, or otherwise inappropriate content, as determined by the director;
(d) The availability of the requested combination may be verified by the department at the time of application; and
(e) The director may deny or revoke any requested combination that violates the provisions of this section or any other applicable statute or division rule pursuant to paragraph VIII.
VIII. The director is authorized to adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to the design, application process, documentation requirements, and issuance of plates under this section.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2596
11/4/25
HB 1078-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT creating a gold star family and gold star father license plate.
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $28,000 - $55,000 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | Restricted - Highway Fund Cost of Collections - Per the state constitution, costs associated with the collection/administration of highway fund revenue by the Department of Safety is deducted prior to funds being credited as unrestricted highway fund revenue | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill creates gold star father and gold star family motor vehicle license plates. The Department of Safety states this would require system changes, at a cost of approximately $25,000 and the creation of a new plate would range in cost from $3,000 to $30,000, depending on the number of plates that need to be manufactured. In total, this bill is expected to increase state expenditures by $28,000 to $55,000 in FY 2027.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 27, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Jan. 27, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Jan. 27, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
Feb. 2, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 01/27/2026 (Vote 16-0; RC)
Feb. 2, 2026: Executive Session: 01/27/2026 10:20 am GP 232
Jan. 21, 2026: ==ROOM CHANGE== Public Hearing: 01/27/2026 10:20 am GP 232
Dec. 1, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Transportation HJ 1