This bill mandates that offenders convicted of certain impaired driving laws must participate in a "qualified online victim impact panel program." The program is defined in the bill and must meet specific criteria, including 24-hour accessibility, availability in both English and Spanish, and a minimum duration of 3.5 hours. Participants are required to pay for the program themselves, and it must include personal stories from victims and offenders about the impact of impaired driving. Additionally, the program must provide a certificate of completion and follow-up communications to reinforce the lessons learned.

The bill also amends existing laws regarding penalties for reckless driving and negligent driving. Specifically, individuals who plead guilty to offenses originally charged under impaired driving laws (RSA 265-A:2 or RSA 265-A:3) will now be required to complete the victim impact panel program unless the court finds exceptional circumstances. The bill removes certain language from existing statutes while inserting new requirements for the completion of the program. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b
As Amended by the House: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b
Version adopted by both bodies: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 265-A:1, 265-A:18, 265:79, 265:79-b