HB107: relative to political advertising printed in newspapers, periodicals, or billboards.

HB 107 - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

06/05/2025 1616s

2025 SESSION

25-0030

08/11

HOUSE BILL 107

AN ACT relative to political advertising printed in newspapers, periodicals, or billboards.

SPONSORS: Rep. Perez, Rock. 16; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17; Rep. Cambrils, Merr. 4; Rep. Dunn, Rock. 16; Rep. Tierney, Coos 1; Rep. Soti, Rock. 35

COMMITTEE: Election Law

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill removes the requirement to mark political advertising printed in billboards as "Political Advertising." It also provides for the issuance of fines for violations of such requirements.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

06/05/2025 1616s 25-0030

08/11

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to political advertising printed in newspapers, periodicals, or billboards.

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

1 Identification of Political Advertising; Rates. Amend RSA 664:16 to read as follows:

664:16 Identification of Political Advertising; Rates.

I. Political advertising printed in newspapers[,] or periodicals[, or billboards] shall be marked at the beginning [or at the end] thereof "Political Advertising." No person or business organization publishing a newspaper or periodical, operating a radio or television station, or selling billboard space shall charge an advertising rate to any candidate, political committee, party, or cause that is different from that charged to any other candidate, political committee, party, or cause.

II. Notwithstanding RSA 664:21, whoever violates paragraph I shall be guilty of a violation and the fine shall be no more than $50. Any subsequent violation within a 5-year period of the first violation shall be subject to a $1,000 civil penalty.

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

LBA

25-0030

6/10/25

HB 107- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2025-1616s)

AN ACT relative to political advertising printed in newspapers, periodicals, or billboards.

FISCAL IMPACT: 









Estimated State Impact





FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028





Revenue

$0

$0 

$0 

$0 





Revenue Fund

None





Expenditures*

Indeterminable





Funding Source

General Fund





Appropriations*

$0 

$0 

$0 

$0 





Funding Source

None





*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill









Estimated Political Subdivision Impact





FY 2025

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028





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

This could possibly result in an increase in civil cases in the Superior Court, however, there is no way to predict how many such actions would occur so any such increase is indeterminable. The Judicial Branch has provided average cost information for civil cases in the Superior Court:

NH Judicial Branch Average Civil Case Estimates





Judicial Branch Average Cost

FY 2025

FY 2026





Superior Court 

Complex Civil Case

$1,430

$1,473





Superior Court 

Routine Civil Case

$535

$552




Common Civil Case Fees





Superior Court Fees

As of 2/12/2020





Original Entry Fee

$280





Third-Party Claim

$280





Motion to Reopen

$160




AGENCIES CONTACTED:

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