This bill mandates that the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles issue enhanced driver licenses and Real ID compliant cards to U.S. citizens residing in the state, which will serve as identity and citizenship documentation for land and sea border crossings. The bill amends existing laws by changing the language from "may" to "shall" in RSA 263:1-d, I and RSA 260:21, XII, thereby requiring the Department of Safety to enter into a memorandum of understanding with federal agencies to obtain approval for these enhanced licenses and identification cards. The bill also specifies that these cards must comply with the standards set forth by the Real ID Act of 2005 and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

The estimated implementation cost for the Department of Safety to comply with this bill is at least $563,000, which includes expenses for new card design and system changes. While the bill does not provide funding, it anticipates an indeterminable increase in state revenue from the issuance of these enhanced licenses and IDs, with projections suggesting potential revenue increases of $76,000 to $152,000 annually if 1% to 2% of applicants opt for the enhanced versions. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, although the Department has indicated that this timeline may be unrealistic due to the necessary testing and implementation processes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 263:1-d, 260:21
HB1445 text: 263:1-d, 260:21