SB465: (New Title) relative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.

SB 465-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

01/18/2024 0113s

2024 SESSION

24-3053

12/10

SENATE BILL 465-FN

AN ACT relative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Rep. D. Fox, Ches. 2; Rep. Rombeau, Hills. 2

COMMITTEE: Transportation

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill adds stopped or standing vehicles as highway emergencies requiring approaching drivers to give a wide berth.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

01/18/2024 0113s 24-3053

12/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

AN ACT relative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.

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

1 Motorist Duties; Approaching Stopped or Standing Vehicles. Amend RSA 265:37-a, I to read as follows:

I. When in or approaching an incident involving a fire, collision, disaster, utility construction or maintenance, or other emergency resulting in partial or complete blockage of a highway, or a location where a police officer has made a traffic stop, or a stopped or standing vehicle, every driver other than the driver of an emergency response vehicle, shall:

(a) Maintain a reduced speed and if practical give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency, warning lights, or a stopped or standing vehicle.

(b) Obey the directions of any authorized person directing traffic and of all applicable emergency signals and traffic control devices.

(c) Vacate as soon as possible any lane wholly or partially blocked.

[(d) Give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency or warning lights.]

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

LBA

24-3053

Amended 1/22/24

SB 465-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2024-0113s)

AN ACT relative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.

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

Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Revenue Fund

None

Expenditures

Indeterminable

Funding Source

General Fund

Appropriations

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source

None

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease)

FY 2024

FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

County Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

County Expenditures

Indeterminable

Local Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

Local Expenditures

Indeterminable

METHODOLOGY:

This bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation. Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments. A summary of such costs can be found at: https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association