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SB41 • 2026

changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Regina Birdsell (R), Bill Gannon (R), Terry Roy (R)
Last action
2026-01-07
Official status
HOUSE
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

What This Bill Does

  • changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-07 H

    Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 01/07/2026 HJ 1 P. 48

  2. 2025-11-13 H

    Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 10/22/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 51 P. 6

  3. 2025-10-08 H

    ==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 10/22/2025 01:00 pm GP 230

  4. 2025-10-03 H

    ==RESCHEDULED== Full Committee Work Session: 10/22/2025 10:00 am GP 230

  5. 2025-04-24 H

    Retained in Committee

  6. 2025-04-14 H

    ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 04/23/2025 11:00 am LOB 202-204

  7. 2025-04-14 H

    ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 04/25/2025 10:00 am LOB 202-204

  8. 2025-04-01 H

    Public Hearing: 04/09/2025 01:30 pm LOB 202-204

  9. 2025-03-28 H

    Introduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 11 P. 109

  10. 2025-03-06 S

    Ought to Pass : MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/06/2025; SJ 6

  11. 2025-02-13 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 03/06/2025; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 11

  12. 2025-01-27 S

    Hearing: 01/14/2025, Room 100, SH, 01:00 pm; SC 5

  13. 2025-01-09 S

    Introduced 01/08/2025 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 2

Official Summary Text

changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB 41-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION
25-0936
11/09

SENATE BILL
41-FN

AN ACT
changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

SPONSORS: Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Rep. Roy, Rock. 31

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

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

ANALYSIS

This bill enhances the penalties for driving a vehicle in excess of 100 miles per hour.

This bill is at the request of the department of safety.

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

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.
25-0936
11/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT
changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

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

1 Serious Traffic Offenses; Reckless Driving. Amend RSA 265:79 to read as follows:
265:79 Reckless Driving; Minimum Penalty.

I.
Whoever upon any way drives a vehicle recklessly, or causes a vehicle to be driven recklessly, as defined in RSA 626:2, II(c), or so that the lives or safety of the public shall be endangered, or upon a bet, wager, or race, or who drives a vehicle for the purpose of making a record, [
or who drives a vehicle at a speed of 100 miles per hour or greater,
] and thereby violates any of the provisions of this title or any rules adopted by the director, shall be, notwithstanding the provisions of title LXII, guilty of a violation and fined not less than $500 plus penalty assessment for the first offense and $750 plus penalty assessment for the [
second
]
subsequent
offense nor more than $1,000 plus penalty assessment and his or her license or operating privilege shall be revoked for a period of 60 days for the first offense and from 60 days to one year for the [
second
]
subsequent
offense.

II. Whoever upon any way drives a vehicle at a speed of 100 miles per hour or greater and thereby violates any of the provisions of this title or any rules adopted by the director, shall be, notwithstanding the provisions of title LXII, guilty of a violation and fined not less than $750 plus penalty assessment for the first offense and $1000 plus penalty assessment for the subsequent offense and his or her license or operating privilege shall be revoked for a period of 90 days for the first offense and from 90 days to one year for the subsequent offense.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.

LBA
25-0936
12/5/24

SB 41-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT
changing the reckless driving minimum penalties.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Estimated State Impact

FY 2025
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028

Revenue
Indeterminable

Revenue Fund
Highway Fund, Penalty Assessment (General Fund, Victims' Assistance Fund, and Judicial Branch Information Technology Fund)

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

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