HB 1457 New Hampshire House · 2024 Regular Session

establishing penalties for driving over covered wooden bridges in vehicles that exceed posted limits and for vehicular damage to covered wooden bridges.

This bill establishes new penalties for drivers who exceed posted weight, height, or size limits on covered wooden bridges in New Hampshire. It creates a two-tier fine system where drivers face a $500 penalty for violating size limits without causing damage, and a $1,000 fine if their vehicle damages the bridge, with higher fines up to $2,000 if the violation blocks traffic. Additionally, vehicle owners must pay the full cost of any repairs to the bridge, plus a $100 civil penalty if they fail to pay within 30 days. The law also clarifies that towing a trailer on a bridge marked "nothing in tow" counts as a violation of dimensional limits. These provisions take effect on January 1, 2025, and all fines collected go to the municipality or agency responsible for maintaining the bridge.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2023
Committee Review
May 2024
House Passage
Mar 2024
Senate Passage
May 2024
Signed into Law
Jul 2024
Introduced Dec 6, 2023 Signed Jul 22, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Jul 22, 2024
Signed into law
Signed by Governor Sununu 07/03/2024; Chapter 135; eff. 01/01/2025
lower
May 9, 2024
Upper · Passed
Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/15/2024; SJ 12
upper
May 8, 2024
Upper · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass, 05/16/2024; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 19
upper
Mar 26, 2024
Introduced
Introduced 03/21/2024 and Referred to Transportation; SJ 8
upper
Mar 14, 2024
Lower · Passed
Ought to Pass: MA VV 03/14/2024 HJ 8 P. 10
lower
Mar 6, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee Report: Ought to Pass 03/05/2024 (Vote 17-0; CC)
lower
Feb 28, 2024
Lower · Passed
Full Committee Work Session: 03/05/2024 10:30 am LOB 203
lower
Feb 15, 2024
Lower · Passed
==CANCELLED== Full Committee Work Session: 02/20/2024 10:00 am LOB 203
lower
Dec 6, 2023
Introduced
Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Transportation HJ 1 P. 21
lower
1 primary · 8 co-sponsors

Sponsors