CONCORD, NH – The House of Representative Transportation Committee held a hearing on largely opposed House Bill 1703, establishing an annual registration fee for all bicycles operating on state or municipally funded paths, trails, and roadways.
After receiving complaints from what he described as “countless” complaints and a “social media explosion” in response to the bill, the prime sponsor, Representative Thomas Walsh, R-Hooksett, said that the language of the bill did not accurately depict what he intended it to.
The bill, he said, was being introduced as a draft because legislatures were asked last year not to seek redrafts due to the high volume of bills, and instead to wait to fix bills once they were in committee.
He said that he never intended to require registration on children’s bicycles or adult bicycles, and that the $50 amount for registration was meant to be a placeholder until an appropriate fee was decided upon.
Walsh explained that the bill was meant to be a “genuine attempt at fair funding,” that would propose a user fee for those who choose to use bicycle infrastructure created by the state when there is state money involved.
“The only reason I filed this bill is because now we’re being asked to raise fees on motor vehicles once again,” Walsh said, noting how vehicle registration was raised in last years’ budget, and mentioning current Senate Bill 627, relative to toll rate adjustments.
“We’re being asked to do this because we’re told the highway fund is $400 million short of taking care of the proposed road projects.”
However, trails are funded by multiple sources, not just by the state or the Highway Fund, which he said is a hurdle he wasn’t aware of before filing the bill.
With more than 13,000 online testimonies in opposition to the bill, nearly 30 people came out to testify at the hearing, with most in opposition.
Some believed that the bill could hurt tourism for those who come to New Hampshire to use the trails, and could be a financial barrier for those who biking is their only means of transportation.
HB 1703 has not yet been scheduled for an executive session.