HB1703

For the New Hampshire House of Representatives, as a New Hampshire resident and industry professional I oppose this Bill with great abhorrence. The proposition of the Bill HB1703 has been and will be viewed by the residents of this state and neighboring states as unjust and intolerable. History has proven that attempts at forced registration of traditional bicycles has cost municipality's and/or states more tax payer dollars than will be generated by the implementation of the Bill. Not only will the potential passing of this Bill effect potential tourists to our state, but it punishes the very founder of our paved roads. I ask not only all of the House of Representatives to commit a minimal amount of time into researching The Good Roads Movement, but all persons in this country who use our public ways. In conclusion, there will not be enough public endorsement/participation neither funding for enforcement. I would like to invite The House of Representatives to speak to industry professionals to address productive cycling laws and bills that would improve the general publics safety and well-being. Blair Russell Ursprung 4 Leonard Avenue Hudson NH, 03051

I am a single mother of 3 children. Imposing the communities to pay registration fees for bicycles, is a gross use of state regulations. With the vast number of issues that could be focused on, it makes absolutely no sense to create a burden on children or adults. Everyone should have the ability to ride their bicycles without adding unnecessary financial hardships. I plead with the committee to oppose this bill. Thank-you

I Oppose this Bill. There's enough increase of expenses to us in this world we dont need nor deserve more. People use bikes for easier most economical and space saving using for personal, recreation, work, school, store or other destinations. What about us being able to Live Free or Die ? This Bill. is foolish, does not make sense to us. Please cancel it for our people, our families and children and those without licenses or abilities to own and use vehicles, our futures.

I Oppose this Bill. It serves no purpose to anyone especially families with children and grandchildren who need and enjoy getting on and out for rides on bikes. There is over enough increase expenses to us in the world we do not need to charge and cost anything in using a personal bike for whatever use for recreation, travel to and from work or school or other destinations. What about our Live Free or Die ? This Bil just does not make sense to me. Please Dispose of it for all the people and our futures.

This bill is a ridiculous cash grab. It’s impact and implementation have clearly not been thought through.

The proposed bill is unnecessary and burdensome. Regulation of bicycles - like regulation of any item - imposes additional costs and barriers to their use. Unlike motor vehicles, bicycles do not pose a danger to the public at large, and so do not require the same level of government oversight in their operation. In addition to being unnecessary, the proposed regulation would impose a significant burden on bicycle users and hurt a growing bicycle focused sector of the tourism economy. I personally travel to the Bethlehem/Franconia region regularly to use the excellent mountain bike trails there. While there I consume prepared meals, stay in tourist lodging, and shop at the state liquor store. I believe that the state is right to raise revenue from all of these things. Requiring tourists to interface with the New Hampshire DMV to bring a bicycle into the state, however, is a bureaucratic chore that will deter tourism, rather than profit from it. And it would have to be done for EACH bicycle, EVERY year. I will go bike in Vermont instead.

This just creates inequality. People should not have to pay to ride their bikes anywhere, just absurd.

Bicycling is one of the cheapest and fun activity for everyone (adults and kids alike) from spring through fall. Charging $50 to ride a bike is a ridiculous tax on the common people.

This bill is stupid beyond belief. There's no way to enforce it and it's just another money grubbing scheme.

Stop trying to become Massachusetts. I left communism when I moved here. We The People will not comply

I oppose this bill for reasons of anticipated financial hardships for cyclists, youth and families, enforcement and the benefits to maintain cycling routes and pathways are not clearly defined.

Absolutely not.

I am in opposition to this bill. This is a hidden tax on families and will put a a burden on families and it will punish people who primarily bike for fitness and enjoyment. And even if the bikers stick to recreation trails, there are always streets that need to be accessed/crossed. Extra financial burden also to bike enthusiasts that have multiple bikes. The bike season is not even for the whole year and at best there are 4 months where the weather is conducive (Jun-Sep). What happens to the occasional biker or tourists or visitors from out of state or those. Importing in bike charity events? Are they too expected to pay $50 for just for one day? This will discourage tourists/bikers from visiting our state and also discourage those who bike for charity to do so in our state. Have you considered this lost revenue? I struggle to make any sense of this bill. Seems to me the legislature is looking for ways to generate revenue to offset the loss from no longer requiring auto inspections. In my opinion, you need look at the broader picture and ways to equally distribute the tax burden and not single out certain demographics. I oppose this bill and if it passes I will be traveling across Mass lines to bike and will be giving my money (like stopping for lunch/snacks, shopping, etc) to businesses in that state instead. Please vote no.

If this bill passes it will unfairly put a financial burden on families and people who are unable to afford cars, needing to use electric bikes or regular bikes as transportation to jobs. Out of the 424 state legislators, how many of you will be affected by this? Seems to penalize the most vulnerable of your constituents

They are not motorizedand a form of physical exercise. We don't deserve to have to pay twice for these paths. I pay taxes on my home.. are we gonna register tricycles to? Don't be so ridiculous with your greed.

$5o is an absurd price to register a bike. Especially if you want to use this money to fund the highways. You do realize bikes (even e-bikes!) aren't allowed on the highway, right? What kind of bike infrastructure do we even HAVE in this state? Not a whole lot. Most of what exists would be maintained by Parks & Rec, rather than DOT, which means it'd make far more sense to buy a season pass to the local park's bike trails the way one buys a season pass to a favorite skiing place. Most of the folks I see riding bikes are kids. You're gonna charge some single mom struggling to make ends meet $50/kid so that her kids can have something to do after school? Or in the summer? A way to get to practice that doesn't require her to drive them? Everything costs too much as it is these days. What are we getting out of this new tax? Because that's what it is, just more taxes being piled onto the little guy. You want more taxes? Take it out of businesses and the wealthy. Working folk are paying through the nose already just trying to survive.

What, as a civilized society are we thinking? To nickel and dime every last vestige of freedom seems beyond insane. I cannot fathom what inspired this inane bill but clearly it wasn’t sound thought. Think of who this will affect? Low-income and homeless people for sure. For so many who are barely scraping by, cycling is the only way they can reach work, housing, the grocery store and more. For people with disabilities and driving is not ask option, cycling is often the only way to maintain independence and capacity. What about children who use this method of transportation to get to school, before/after care and to visit with friends? $50 May not seem like a lot but to so many who are living paycheck to paycheck, it could be the very amount that makes or breaks their fiscal situation. People are making impossible choices everyday, can we not make cycling one of them? I oppose this asinine bill.

A Few Reasons Why I Oppose HB1703: -A family of four with four bikes would pay $200 per year, discouraging parents from buying bikes for their children -Registration fees and penalties would discourage bicycling, undermining public health, quality of life, and tourism (unclear if out of state riders would need to register if bringing a bike in) -It would disproportionately affect people who rely on bicycles as their primary mode of transportation, especially those with limited incomes -The cost of implementing the registration program may exceed the revenue it generates; the fiscal note states that revenues cannot be determined -Many cyclists own multiple bikes, which would further raise costs on cyclists to enjoy this sport -Unless the registration sticker is displayed on your bike, I see no way how this bill does not give law enforcement carte-blanche to pull riders over to check their registration status.

This bill places an undue burden on NH residents that cycle for fitness, transportation, and even just ride to enjoy the outdoors. This would especially costly for anyone who has multiple bicycles or family members who cycle in a time where costs are already struggling to pay bills. For myself, we participate in charity rides in the state. We would lose participants in this event because out of state riders would need to pay to register their bike with the state. This is going to affect tourism in NH as well since it’s just as easy to cycle in another state in New England instead of pay $50 per bike just to enjoy a day in NH.

I think this bill is completely counter productive and ill thought out. It will impose a heavy financial burden on those least able to afford it, especially lower income families with children who have bikes. The proposed fee is atrociously high, and will be an enforcement nightmare. Tourists coming to the state with bikes will have a nasty surprise. I do think that a voluntary fee, like conservation license plates for motor vehicles, would be a good idea, and many cyclists might support that if the money raised went to biking infrastructure. Consider that instead.

This bill is a ridiculous government overreach and a restriction of freedom in my state, which claims to be the "Live Free or Die" state. A bicycle tax is a radical right wing agenda that zero people of NH support.

I can't believe the legislators of this state- the "live free or die," no vehicle inspections state- are going to tell kids that they can't ride their bikes around their neighborhood during the summer without paying a $50 fee and having written permission from their parents. Why are the legislators spending their time trying to limit one of the quintessential childhood experiences of riding bikes with your friends during the summer? Why are the legislators making it harder for people to spend time outside or to be active? If the goal is for the hike trails, sell parking passes or create a donation fee structure for use of the bike trails. Don't say that language can be written in the future for kids under 16- if that was the intention, it would have been included in the original bill.

I am against this bill and see no benefits.

We are a larger family having adopted multiple children from foster care. Requiring fees for bicycles would eliminate a low cost activity we do with our children often. How would any family afford it!? Every new bike would incur a fee? Require proof of ownership? What if the bikes are gifts? Or bought at yard sales? What if the bikes are stolen and have to be replaced? This bill is not well thought out and would place financial burdens on people for a much needed physical activity to help get folks outside and active. I strongly oppose this bill.

Strongly oppose this burden on our families! This is a nickel and dime operation as far as the state collecting revenue is concerned. This will hardly make up for the cuts to millionaires/billionaires and mega corporations taxes that are being decreased or eliminated.