HB 105-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0016
11/08
HOUSE BILL 105-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. Rung, Hills. 12; Rep. Crawford, Carr. 3; Rep. Darby, Hills. 11; Rep. J. MacDonald, Carr. 6; Rep. Veilleux, Hills. 34; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill creates the "Love NH Lakes" number plate and directs that the residual amount of the special fee for the plate and royalties and proceeds from the commercial use of its design be deposited in the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0016
11/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Sections; New Hampshire Lakes Number Plates. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 261:97-f the following new sections:
261:97-g New Hampshire Lakes Number Plates.
I. The director may issue special number plates, to be called "Love NH Lakes" number plates. The design of these special plates shall be determined by the division of motor vehicles, in consultation with the department of environmental services. The plates shall prominently display a loon on a lake. The plates shall retain the "live free or die" logo. Such plates shall be issued only upon application and upon payment of a $30 fee that shall be in addition to the regular motor vehicle registration fee and any other number plate fees otherwise required.
II. The director may issue vanity "Love NH Lakes" number plates. The fee for any such vanity conservation number plate shall be the fee as provided in RSA 261:97-g, I, in addition to the fees for vanity plates which are otherwise established by law. The vanity plate portion of the fee shall be distributed as provided in RSA 261:89 and RSA 263:52.
III. The director shall establish a numbering system and method of distribution.
IV. Plates shall be renewed on an annual basis for $30 per set. Of this sum, the department shall retain an amount as is necessary to recover production and administrative costs as approved by the fiscal committee of the general court. The remaining funds shall be paid to the state treasurer and distributed to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund under RSA 485-A:61. The cost of replacement number plates shall be identical to the cost of initial number plates and the revenue from replacement number plates shall be distributed in the same manner as revenue derived from initial number plates.
261:97-h Plate Use. "Love NH Lakes" plates may be used on passenger motor vehicles and recreation vehicles.
261:97-i Commercial Use of Plate Design. The commissioner of safety shall ensure that the plate design is registered with the secretary of state. The commissioner, with the approval of the governor and council, shall have the authority to enter into contractual arrangements for the commercial use of the "Love NH Lakes" plate design. Any royalties or proceeds derived from such contracts shall be deposited into the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund under RSA 485-A:61.
2 Funds Derived From "Love NH Lakes" Number Plates. Amend RSA 485-A:61 to read as follows:
485-A:61 Cyanobacteria Mitigation Loan and Grant Fund Established. There is hereby established in the department of environmental services the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund which shall be maintained by the state treasurer in distinct and separate custody from all other funds. The state treasurer may invest the fund in accordance with RSA 6:8. Any earnings on fund moneys shall be added to the fund. All moneys in the fund shall be nonlapsing and continually appropriated to the department of environmental services. The cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund shall be used to fund loans, grants, and reimbursements in accordance with this subdivision. Funds from any bond proceeds, grants, loan repayments, legislative appropriations, donations, "Love NH Lakes" number plates under RSA 261:97-g and RSA 261:97-i, and other funds shall be credited to this fund.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
25-0016
11/12/24
HB 105-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT:
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Estimated State Impact | |||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | |
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | |||
Revenue Fund(s) | Reflectorized Plate Fund (RSA 228:25) and Cyanobacteria Mitigation Loan and Grant Fund (RSA 485-A:61) | ||||
Expenditures* | $0 | System Software Changes - $25,000 in FY 2026
Plate Production and Administrative Costs - Indeterminable in FY 2026 and Beyond | |||
Funding Source(s) | Reflectorized Plate Fund (RSA 228:25) | ||||
Appropriations* | $0 | Fund is continually appropriated in RSA 228:25 | |||
Funding Source(s) | Reflectorized Plate Fund (RSA 228:25) | ||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | |||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill creates the "Love NH Lakes" number plate, at a cost of $30, with proceeds credited to the cyanobacteria mitigation loan and grant fund, less Department of Safety production and administrative costs (as approved by the Fiscal Committee of the General Court). The Department states system software changes to add this new plate type would be a one-time cost of $25,000 in FY 2026. It is indeterminable how many plates will be sold or what the Fiscal Committee may approve for retained production and administrative costs, therefore, this bill’s impact on the Reflectorized Plate Fund and Cyanobacteria Mitigation Loan and Grant Fund is indeterminable.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety