This bill establishes a new legal framework in New Hampshire aimed at reducing excessive speeding and reckless driving through the implementation of an Intelligent Speed Assistance Device (ISAD) Program. The legislation mandates that repeat offenders, whose licenses have been suspended due to excessive speeding, racing, or reckless driving, must install an ISA device—an aftermarket GPS-enabled device that limits vehicle speed to posted or preset limits. The Department of Safety is tasked with overseeing the program, which includes verifying installations, monitoring compliance, and enforcing penalties for noncompliance, such as re-suspension of driving privileges. The bill also includes provisions for data privacy, ensuring that information collected from ISA devices is securely maintained and shared only under specific circumstances.

Additionally, the bill addresses affordability by allowing low-income offenders to receive discounts on installation and leasing costs, while mandating that offenders generally bear the costs of the ISA device. It clarifies that manufacturers, distributors, or retailers of motor vehicles are not liable for damages caused by aftermarket ISADs unless they knowingly contribute to such damages. The bill also allows lessors or lienholders to require notification of ISA installations on leased or financed vehicles. The Department of Safety is authorized to adopt rules for the program's implementation, although the bill does not allocate funding or authorize new positions, which may hinder its execution. The effective date for the bill is set for January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 265:79, 265:75
SB618 text: 265:79, 265:75