HB 375-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2023 SESSION

23-0329

02/05

HOUSE BILL 375-FN

AN ACT relative to the licensure of nonresident aliens temporarily residing in New Hampshire.

SPONSORS: Rep. Sykes, Graf. 14; Rep. Muirhead, Graf. 12; Rep. Baldwin, Graf. 4; Rep. Almy, Graf. 17; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10

COMMITTEE: Transportation

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

ANALYSIS

This bill permits nonresident aliens living in New Hampshire on a temporary basis to obtain a driver's license upon completion of an application for asylum status to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

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

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

23-0329

02/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three

AN ACT relative to the licensure of nonresident aliens temporarily residing in New Hampshire.

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

1 Drivers' Licenses; License for Aliens Temporarily Residing in New Hampshire. Amend RSA 263:39-a, I(b)-(c) to read as follows:

(b) For the purposes of engaging in lawful employment, occupational, or business activity, and is engaged in such activity; [or]

(d) Who has filed a complete application for an asylum status through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Written acknowledgment of receipt from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services shall be provided with the license application. A driver's license issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be valid for 180 days.

2 Drivers' Licenses; License for Aliens Temporarily Residing in New Hampshire. Amend RSA 263:39-a, III to read as follows:

III. [The] Except as provided in subparagraph I(d), the term of the license shall be no longer than 5 years from the date of issuance, and the director may set a lesser term in accordance with the length of the person's residence in New Hampshire.

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

LBA

23-0329

12/30/22

HB 375-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to the licensure of nonresident aliens temporarily residing in New Hampshire.

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


	Estimated Increase / (Decrease)
STATE:	FY 2023	FY 2024	FY 2025	FY 2026
Appropriation	$0	$0	$0	$0
Revenue	$0	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase
Expenditures	$0	$10,000	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase
Funding Source:	[ ] General [ ] Education [ X ] Highway [ X ] Other - Restricted - Cost of Collection/Administration*
*Pursuant to Part II, article 6-a of the New Hampshire constitution, any costs associated with the collection and administration of Highway Funds by the Department of Safety shall be deducted by the Department before such funds are credited to the Highway Fund as unrestricted revenue.
LOCAL:
Revenue	$0	$0	Indeterminable Increase	Indeterminable Increase
Expenditures	$0	$0	$0	$0

METHODOLOGY:

This bill would allow the issuance of a driver license to applicants who have completed the application process for asylum status. The Department states this will generate an indeterminable amount of additional state licensing revenue beginning in FY 2024, and pursuant to RSA 235:23 (“Apportionment A”), 12 percent of road toll and motor vehicle fees collected are distributed to municipalities in the year following collection, increasing state expenditures and local revenue beginning in FY 2025. The Department also states it will incur one-time costs of $10,000 in FY 2024 to make necessary programming changes to the VISION system to reflect this bill.

It is assumed any fiscal impact will occur after FY 2023.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Safety