NH 2003 Legislative Session

Driver's education/youth operators

last updated 03/15/03 2:00PM

Laws affecting youth operators can have a much larger effect on home educated students than on public school students. Many older home educated students use cars to get to and from classes and jobs -- there is no school bus. The trend in recent years has been to place restrictions on new drivers, with one set of restrictions replacing an older one on Jan 1, 2003.

Laws affecting driver's education can have a significant effect on home educating families, because of the difficulty of finding a spot in a class, whether through the public school or in a private driver education school/teacher. There are efforts underway to revise the laws to permit parent-taught driver's education.

02/13/03 Letter from a homeschooler requesting action

02/25/03 Conversation between Roberta Perreault and Rep. Scanlon

NH House Bill 819 (LSR 912)

an act relative to original and youth operators' licenses

last updated 03/10/03, 4:00PM

Analysis

HB 819 seeks to establish a procedure by which drivers under age 21 would be issued a license that would expire at the time of their 21st birthday. At present anyone from 16 to almost 21 is issued a license that has a red border around the photo, and the words “Under 21 until (that person’s birthdate)” for purposes of preventing the sale of alcohol to underage drinkers.

Under current circumstances the license is good for five years, and so it’s possible that someone who is almost 26 is carrying a license that still bears this marking and message. Even though the person could demonstrate that the 21st birthday has been passed (just by pointing to the date of birth information on every license), the whole situation has apparently been confusing especially for store clerks who are at risk of losing jobs for illegal alcohol sales.

Status - committee report filed; awaiting vote in House

You can also go to this site and type in "HB819" in the box labelled "Bill Number" to find the status of the bill.

Referred to House Transportation Committee 1/30/03
House Transportation Committee Hearing 02/12/03, 10:00AM, RM203,LOB
House Transportation Committee votes 15-0 on 03/04/03 to recommend adoption
House Voted 03/12/03 to adopt
Senate Transportation Committee Hearing
Senate Transportation Committee Vote and Reports
Senate Vote
Conference Committee Vote
Governor Signs/Vetoes Bill

Sponsors

NH House Bill 689 (LSR 853)

an act relative to drivers' licenses issued to persons under the age of 21.

last updated 02/09/03, 8:00PM

Analysis

This bill requires that drivers' licenses issued to persons under the age of 21 be of a color or shape that is readily distinguishable from the color or shape of all other licenses. It also specifies that such licenses expire on the license holder's twenty-first birthday instead of after four years. The cost of the license is pro-rated to its duration.

HB 689 was originally filed with an intention similar to that of HB 819. Sponsors don’t always know that someone else is attempting to accomplish the same goal (there are about 1000 bills filed each session). Derek Owen, the sponsor of HB689, is willing to offer an amendment to introduce provisions that would recognize the use of parent taught driver education programs for purposes of fulfilling the requirement that 16 and 17 year olds take a driver education course before being licensed.

At present, these students are required to take a school-based driver education course. However, there are several driver education courses that have been developed with a parent-teacher in mind, providing elaborate guidance to both the parent and student. Such programs have already been recognized in several other states, and are accepted by some insurance companies for driver education discounts

Status

You can also go to this site and type in "HB689" in the box labelled "Bill Number" to find the status of the bill.

Referred to House Transportation Committee 01/09/03
House Transportation Committee Hearing 02/12/03, 10:45AM, RM203,LOB
House Transportation Committee Vote and Reports
House Vote
Senate Transportation Committee Hearing
Senate Transportation Committee Vote and Reports
Senate Vote
Conference Committee Vote
Governor Signs/Vetoes Bill

Sponsors

NH Senate Bill 24 (LSR 853)

last updated 03/10/03, 4:30PM

Analysis

This bill clarifies that special penalties are to be enacted for DWI offenses when the operator was under 21 at the time of the crime, not the time of the conviction. It has minimal impact on home educated students.

Status

You can also go to this site and type in "SB24" in the box labelled "Bill Number" to find the status of the bill.

Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee 01/09/03
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing 01/21/03
Senate Judiciary Committee Voted 3-0 on 01/24/03 to recommend amendment and adoption
Senate Voted 01/30/03 to amend and adopt
Referred to House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee 02/06/03
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee Hearing
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee Vote and Reports
House Vote
Conference Committee Vote
Governor Signs/Vetoes Bill

Sponsors