Bill Text: NH HB715 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to personal electric vehicles.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-3)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-22 - Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Transportation House Journal 3 [HB715 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2025-HB715-Introduced.html
HB 715-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0616
06/02
HOUSE BILL 715-FN
AN ACT relative to personal electric vehicles.
SPONSORS: Rep. Gould, Hills. 2; Rep. Vail, Hills. 6; Rep. S. Pearson, Rock. 13; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Rep. Creighton, Hills. 30; Rep. Ball, Rock. 25; Rep. Avellani, Carr. 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill defines and regulates personal electric vehicles.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0616
06/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACT relative to personal electric vehicles.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Personal Electric Vehicles. Amend RSA 259 by inserting after section 57 the following new section:
259:57-a Personal Electric Vehicle. "Personal electric vehicle" shall mean a motor-driven vehicle or hybrid self-powered and electric-motor driven vehicle used for recreation or transport, and not otherwise defined in Chapter 259 or Chapter 215, where the motor exceeds 1.0 horsepower, even if it is equipped with pedals, but not to include electric bicycles. This class of vehicles shall include, but not be limited to, electric unicycles, electric scooters, electric skateboards, electric hoverboards, Segways, Onewheels, and electric skates. For purposes of this chapter "personal electric vehicle" shall be abbreviated as PEV.
2 Motor-Driven Cycle; Moped. Amend RSA 259:65 to read as follows:
259:65 Motor-Driven Cycle. "Motor-driven cycle" shall mean any motorcycle, moped, or motor scooter with a motor which [produces] does not to exceed 5 horse-power, and any bicycle with motor attached except any electric bicycle.
3 New Section; Education; Personal Electric Vehicles. Amend RSA 263 by inserting after section 19 the following new section:
263:19-a Driver Education; Personal Electric Vehicles.
I. Any person over 16 years of age who does not hold a driver's license and operates a PEV shall, prior to operation, complete an online PEV safety course developed by the department of motor vehicles. The course shall, at a minimum, educate operators about the safe operation and regulation of PEVs. An operator who completes the course shall receive a certificate of completion, which the PEV operator shall possess in original, digital, or digital image form, and produce upon request of a peace officer. The department of motor vehicles may charge a fee for the course.
II. Retail dealers of PEVs shall post signage and inform potential customers about the device classification and its legal areas of use.
III. Modifying the speed limiters on true e-bikes to attain higher speeds violates the manufacturer's warranty and shall not be conducted by a retail dealer.
IV. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section will result in a violation and a fine of $50. Any peace officer in their jurisdiction may enforce this paragraph.
4 New Section; Personal Electric Vehicles. Amend RSA 261 by inserting after section 182 the following new section:
261:183 Personal Electric Vehicle Registration. Due to the nature of personal electric vehicles not having vehicle identification numbers and the frequent change in ownership, a typical vehicle registration system is impractical. Instead, a person operating a personal electric vehicle must be certified as a skilled user by completing the New Hampshire department of motor vehicles safety exam and possess the safety certificate or license. Electric unicycles shall follow the guidelines of class 1, 2, and 3 electric bicycles and shall not be classified as motor vehicles. The vehicle weight and user vulnerability are comparable to electric bicycles rather than electric motorcycles. All personal electric vehicles, such as electric mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles that require registration as motor vehicles, shall be exempt from the $100 electric vehicle registration surcharge applied to full-size electric cars and trucks.
5 New Paragraph; Speed Limit and Protection; PEVs. Amend RSA 265:60 by inserting after
paragraph IV the following new paragraph:
IV-a.(a) No person shall operate a PEV over 5 miles per hour on sidewalks, walkways, or walking trails, which for the purposes of this paragraph is deemed a prima facie reasonable and prudent speed for PEV travel. No person shall operate a PEV over 18 miles per hour on public rail trails, public hiking trails, and public bicycle trails.
(b) On public ways or public places besides those mentioned in subparagraph (a), the speed limit is based on the speed limits applicable to that section. No person younger than 16 years of age may operate a personal electric vehicle on any public property unless they wear protective headgear approved by the commissioner of health and human services. Any personal electric vehicle operator must wear at least one item of reflective outerwear, such as a reflective vest, jacket, or helmet strip, from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise.
(c) Operation of a PEV over the speed limit is a violation and shall be punishable by a fine commensurate with any motor vehicle traveling above the speed limit.
6 New Subparagraph; Personal Electric Vehicles Exempt. Amend RSA 261:3, I by inserting after subparagraph (l) the following new subparagraph:
(m) Personal Electric Vehicles;
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
25-0616
1/13/25
HB 715-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to personal electric vehicles.
FISCAL IMPACT:
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | ||||
Revenue Fund(s) | Highway Fund | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | ||||
Funding Source(s) | Restricted - Highway Fund Cost of Collections - Per the state constitution, costs associated with the collection/administration of highway fund revenue by the Department of Safety is deducted prior to funds being credited as unrestricted highway fund revenue | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill defines and regulates the use of personal electric vehicles (PEV’s) and requires anyone over the age of 16 without a driver license to take an online PEV safety course, developed by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Ultimately, the Department of Safety states the fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable, however it expects there would be an upfront cost to the DMV to create the online training function. For informational purposes, the Department reports DMV does utilize a Moodle online platform, which is licensed based and runs $50,000 for approximately 1,000 users. In addition, while this bill does allow DMV to charge a fee for the training, the Department is unable to estimate fee amounts or course participation, therefore unable to provide a potential revenue estimate.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Safety
