SB 273-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2025 SESSION
25-0314
11/09
SENATE BILL273-FN
AN ACTrelative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.
SPONSORS:Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23; Sen. Lang, Dist 2; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. Long, Dist 20; Sen. Altschiller, Dist 24; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Ricciardi, Dist 9; Rep. Crawford, Carr. 3; Rep. Sykes, Graf. 14; Rep. T. Walsh, Merr. 10; Rep. D. Fox, Ches. 2; Rep. Gorski, Hills. 2
COMMITTEE:Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill adds stopped or standing vehicles as highway emergencies requiring approaching drivers to give a wide berth.
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Explanation:Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
25-0314
11/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
AN ACTrelative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Short Title. This act shall be known as "Sherrill's Law".
2 Motorist Duties; Approaching Stopped or Standing Vehicles. Amend RSA 265:37-a, I to read as follows:
I. When in or approaching an incident involving a fire, collision, disaster, utility construction or maintenance, or other emergency resulting in partial or complete blockage of a highway, or a location where a police officer has made a traffic stop, or a stopped or standing vehicle displaying warning signals, including vehicle hazard warning lights, road flares, traffic cones, caution signs, or any nonvehicular warning signs, every driver other than the driver of an emergency response vehicle, shall:
(a) Maintain a reduced speed and if practical give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency, warning lights, or a stopped or standing vehicle.
(b) Obey the directions of any authorized person directing traffic and of all applicable emergency signals and traffic control devices.
(c) Vacate as soon as possible any lane wholly or partially blocked.
[(d) Give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency or warning lights.]
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBA
25-0314
12/4/24
SB 273-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACTrelative to motorist duties when approaching highway emergencies involving a stopped or standing vehicle.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Estimated State Impact
FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028
Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Revenue Fund None
Expenditures* Indeterminable
Funding Source General Fund
Appropriations* $0 $0 $0 $0
Funding Source None
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact
FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028
County Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
County Expenditures Indeterminable
Local Revenue $0 $0 $0 $0
Local Expenditures Indeterminable
Estimated State Impact
FY 2025
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Revenue Fund
None
Expenditures*
Indeterminable
Funding Source
General Fund
Appropriations*
$0
$0
$0
$0
Funding Source
None
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact
FY 2025
FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
County Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
County Expenditures
Indeterminable
Local Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0
Local Expenditures
Indeterminable
METHODOLOGY:
This bill adds, deletes, or modifies a criminal penalty, or changes statute to which there is a penalty for violation. Therefore, this bill may have an impact on the judicial and correctional systems, which could affect prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, for the state, as well as county and local governments. A summary of such costs can be found at: https://gencourt.state.nh.us/lba/Budget/Fiscal_Notes/JudicialCorrectionalCosts.pdf
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Judicial Branch, Judicial Council, Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties, and New Hampshire Municipal Association