This bill proposes to amend the existing law regarding aggravated driving while intoxicated (DWI) by adding wrong-way driving as an aggravating factor. Specifically, it modifies RSA 265-A:3 to include a new clause that states a driver can be charged with aggravated DWI if they "drives or operates a vehicle in violation of 265:26, I." This addition is made alongside the existing aggravating factors, which include carrying a passenger under the age of 16 and driving a vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more. The language "or" is deleted from the previous list of factors to accommodate the new insertion.

The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and is expected to have indeterminable fiscal impacts on state and local governments due to potential changes in prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs associated with the new aggravating factor. The bill was introduced at the request of the department of safety and aims to enhance road safety by addressing the serious issue of wrong-way driving in the context of impaired driving offenses.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 265-A:3
HB776 text: 265-A:3