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SB649 • 2026

increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Donovan Fenton (D), Regina Birdsell (R), Ted Gorski (R), Mark McConkey (R), Denise Ricciardi (R), Nancy Murphy (D), Bill Gannon (R), Terry Roy (R), Karel Crawford (R), Suzanne Prentiss (D)
Last action
2026-05-29
Official status
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
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.

increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

What This Bill Does

  • increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

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. 2026-05-29 S

    Signed by the Governor on 05/28/2026; Chapter 114; Effective 01/01/2027

  2. 2026-05-18 H

    Enrolled (in recess of) 05/14/2026 HJ 13

  3. 2026-05-18 S

    Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13

  4. 2026-04-09 H

    Lay SB649 on Table (Rep. Scherr): MF DV 168-186 04/09/2026 HJ 10 P. 20

  5. 2026-04-09 H

    Ought to Pass : MA DV 232-123 04/09/2026 HJ 10 P. 21

  6. 2026-04-03 H

    Removed from Consent (Reps. Alexander Jr., Tom Mannion, McFarlane, Barton, D. Kelley, DeVito, Reinfurt, Granger, Thibault, Giasson) 04/03/2026 HJ 10 P. 11

  7. 2026-04-01 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/20/2026 (Vote 11-1; CC)

  8. 2026-03-20 H

    Executive Session: 03/20/2026 02:00 pm GP 159

  9. 2026-03-10 H

    Public Hearing: 03/18/2026 03:00 pm GP 159

  10. 2026-02-26 H

    Introduced (in recess of) 02/19/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety HJ 5 P. 127

  11. 2026-01-29 S

    Ought to Pass : MA, VV; OT3rdg; 01/29/2026; SJ 2

  12. 2026-01-15 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 01/29/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 3

  13. 2025-12-09 S

    Hearing: 01/13/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 02:00 pm; SC 46

  14. 2025-11-25 S

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Transportation; SJ 1

Official Summary Text

increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
CHAPTER 114
SB 649-FN - FINAL VERSION

2026 SESSION
26-2087
06/08

SENATE BILL
649-FN

AN ACT
increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. McConkey, Dist 3; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Prentiss, Dist 5; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Rep. Roy, Rock. 31; Rep. Gorski, Hills. 2; Rep. N. Murphy, Hills. 12; Rep. Crawford, Carr. 3

COMMITTEE: Transportation

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ANALYSIS

This bill increases fines and adds license suspension for repeat offenses involving the use of a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving, with enhanced penalties when the violation contributes to a crash.

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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.
26-2087
06/08

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
increasing fines for using a hand-held mobile electronic device while driving a motor vehicle.

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

114:1 Use of Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving; Prohibition; Penalties. Amend RSA 265:79-c, III to read as follows:
III. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a violation and shall be [
fined $100 plus penalty assessment for a first offense, $250 plus penalty assessment for a second offense, and $500 plus penalty assessment for any subsequent offense within a 24-month period.
]
subject to the following fines and penalties:
(a) For a first offense, a fine of $250. If the violation is a contributing cause of a motor vehicle crash, the fine shall be $500.
(b) For a second offense within 24 months of the first offense, a fine of $500. If the violation is a contributing cause of a motor vehicle crash, the fine shall be $750.
(c) For a third or subsequent offense within 24 months of the first offense, a fine of $750 and license suspension of up to 30 days. If the violation is a contributing cause of a motor vehicle crash, the fine shall be $1,000 and the suspension shall be 60 days.

114:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

Approved: May 28, 2026
Effective Date: January 01, 2027