HB 1179

AN ACT relative to driver education training reimbursement.

SPONSORS: Rep. Hammond, Graf 18; Rep. Major, Rock 79; Rep. P. Cote, Hills 65

This bill requires a portion of the fees collected for the driver training fund to be allocated directly to students who have successfully completed private driver education courses as reimbursement, or to students who have successfully completed secondary school driver education as a credit toward, or reimbursement of, fees charged.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

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

I. The proceeds from original license fees as provided in RSA 263:42 and $5 from every special fee for vanity number plates collected in accordance with RSA 261:89, plus such additional portion of the $25 special fee for vanity number plates or the renewal of the use of such plates as is needed to fully fund the driver training program for each fiscal year as determined by the general court pursuant to paragraph II, after costs of such plates or designation of effective periods thereof and issuance of same have been appropriated and deducted, shall be expended solely for courses of instruction and training in safe motor vehicle driving conducted in or under the supervision of approved secondary [~~schools~~] or private driver education courses. After all costs of administration of the program each year of the biennium have been reserved, the balance which is appropriated to the driver training program shall be paid to the state treasurer by June 30 of each year. Such balance shall be kept in a separate fund [~~which shall be paid out on or before September 15 of each year to participating schools prorated on a per-pupil basis for those who have completed the driver education program~~]. Subject to final approval by the governor and council, the commissioner of safety jointly with the commissioner of education shall adopt pursuant to RSA 541-A and publish rules governing the courses of instruction and training and determining eligibility of [~~secondary schools~~] students to receive moneys from the fund established by this section. Students who successfully complete driver education provided by public secondary schools shall receive either a $150 credit toward their tuition or a reimbursement of that amount from the public institution within 30 days of receiving its reimbursement from the department of safety. Students who successfully complete private driver education courses shall be reimbursed $150 directly from the fund.

The Department of Safety has determined this bill will decrease state general fund revenue and increase state restricted revenue and expenditures by $600,000 in FY 2005 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenue or expenditures.

The Department stated it would reimburse approximately 4,000 students who attend private driver training courses a total of $150 each from the Driver Training Fund for an increase in state restricted expenditures from the fund of $600,000 per year. Current statute requires all excess driver training revenue over the legislative estimates be transferred to the general fund as unrestricted revenue. By increasing the expenses to the fund by $600,000, there will be a reduction in general fund revenue of $600,000 and an increase in restricted revenue of $600,000.