HB 1571-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2022 SESSION

22-2602

12/08

HOUSE BILL 1571-FN

AN ACT increasing fines for littering and directing revenues to the fish and game department.

SPONSORS: Rep. Egan, Graf. 2; Rep. Massimilla, Graf. 1; Rep. Thompson, Coos 1; Rep. Dontonville, Graf. 10

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

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ANALYSIS

This bill increases littering fines by 20 percent and dedicates the increased revenues to support conservation officers.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

22-2602

12/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT increasing fines for littering and directing revenues to the fish and game department.

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

1  New Paragraph; Rules of the Road; Littering Penalty.  Amend RSA 265:102 by inserting after paragraph IV the following new paragraph:

V.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the commissioner shall increase the fine for violations of this section by 20 percent and credit 20 percent of all fines collected from violations of this section to the account created in RSA 206:35-f.

2  New Paragraph; Litter Control Law; Littering Penalty.  Amend RSA 163-B:4 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:

III.  Beginning January 1, 2022, the commissioner shall increase the fine for violations of this section by 20 percent and credit 20 percent of all fines collected from violations of this section to the account created in RSA 206:35-f.

3  New Section; Dedicated Littering Fines.  Amend RSA 206 by inserting after section 35-e the following new section:

206:35-f  Dedicated Littering Fines.  The state treasurer shall establish a separate account to which shall be credited all moneys collected pursuant to RSA 163-B:4, III and RSA 265:102, V.  The moneys in said account shall be used to support conservation officers.  Said funds shall be nonlapsing and are to be expended for the purposes of this section as determined by the executive director with the approval of the commission.

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

LBA

22-2602

Revised 12/21/21

HB 1571-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT increasing fines for littering and directing revenues to the fish and game department.

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

METHODOLOGY:

This bill increases littering fines by 20 percent and dedicates the increased revenues to the Fish and Game Department to support conservation officers. According to the Department of Safety and Judicial Branch, based on recent littering fine collections, this change would increase revenue directed to the Fish and Game Department by less than $5,000 per year.  It is unknown how much in each year the Fish and Game Department may expend these funds.

To implement the changes in this bill, the Department of Safety estimates one-time system programming costs, to implement the changes in this bill, of approximately $70,000, anticipated to be incurred in FY 2022. Similarly, the Judicial Branch expects one-time programming costs of approximately $5,000.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety, Fish and Game Department, and Judicial Branch