Bill Text: NH HB251 | 2021 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Establishing a committee to study requiring New Hampshire children to be placed in rear facing restraints in motor vehicles.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2021-07-26 - Signed by Governor Sununu 07/23/2021; Chapter 135; Eff: 07/23/2021 [HB251 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2021-HB251-Amended.html

---

HB 251-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

 

9Apr2021... 0652h

05/13/2021   1229s

 

2021 SESSION

21-0308

11/05

 

HOUSE BILL 251-FN

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study requiring New Hampshire children to be placed in rear facing restraints in motor vehicles.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Fenton, Ches. 8

 

COMMITTEE: Transportation

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill establishes a committee to study requiring New Hampshire children to be placed in rear facing restraints in motor vehicles.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

9Apr2021... 0652h

05/13/2021   1229s 21-0308

11/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty One

 

AN ACT establishing a committee to study requiring New Hampshire children to be placed in rear facing restraints in motor vehicles.

 

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

 

1  Committee Established.  There is established a committee to study requiring New Hampshire children to be placed in rear facing restraints in motor vehicles.

2  Membership and Compensation.

I.  The members of the committee shall be as follows:

(a)  One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(b)  Four members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

II.  Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.

3  Duties.  The committee shall:

I.  Review the research on the percentage of New Hampshire parents that currently utilize rear facing restraints for their children in motor vehicles.

II.  Review the research on the injuries and treatment of children in motor vehicle accidents in New Hampshire.

III.  Compare the motor vehicle accidents involving children in New Hampshire to national data as well as other states that require children under the age of 2 years old to be restrained in rear facing child restraints in motor vehicles.

4  Chairperson; Quorum.  The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members.  The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first named house member.  The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section.  Three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

5  Report.  The committee shall submit a preliminary report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 1, 2021, and shall submit a final report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation on or before November 1, 2022, to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chair of the house transportation committee, the chair of the senate transportation committee, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library.

6  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.

 

LBA

21-0308

Amended  4/19/21

 

HB 251-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2021-0652h)

 

AN ACT requiring children under the age of 2 years to be restrained in a motor vehicle.

 

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

	Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE:	FY 2021	FY 2022	FY 2023	FY 2024
Appropriation	$0	$0	$0	$0
Revenue	$0	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable
Expenditures	$0	Indeterminable	Indeterminable	Indeterminable
Funding Source:	[ X ] General            [    ] Education            [ X ] Highway           [    ] Other

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill modifies the requirements for child passenger restraints in a motor vehicle, to which those found guilty are subject to a violation level offense.  It is not possible to estimate how many new cases may arise as a result of this change, if any, however the Judicial Branch estimates average cost of violation level cases to be $54 in FY 2022.  It should be noted that average case cost estimates for FY 2022 are based on data that is more than ten years old and does not reflect changes to the courts over that same period of time or the impact these changes may have on processing the various case types.  Additionally, violations of this statute carry a fine of $50 for first offense and $100 for subsequent offenses.  Therefore, this bill may increase revenue to the state highway fund.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Judicial Branch