HB 461 New Hampshire House · 2025 Regular Session

relative to department of safety and department of motor vehicle training and testing materials.

HB 461 requires all driver's license examinations and related materials in New Hampshire to be administered exclusively in English, prohibiting all translation assistance during the test. It specifically bans in-person translators, mobile translation apps, and translation software on personal or desktop devices for non-English or non-American Sign Language speakers. The bill allows only devices designed for hearing or vision impairments (like screen readers), not translation tools. This directly affects non-English and non-ASL speakers attempting to pass driver's license tests. The Department of Safety must create implementing rules under RSA 541-A.
Bill status failed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 10, 2025 Last action May 15, 2025
Floor votes · House Mar 26, 2025

How they voted

9893
Passed · 30 other
Total votes 221
Mar 26, 2025
D Democratic106
1 Yea 92 Nay 13
86% Nay
I Independent2
1 Yea 1
50% Yea
R Republican113
96 Yea 1 Nay 16
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
12
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Amendments
1
May 7, 2025
Committee
Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Vote 5-0; CC; 05/15/2025; SC 21
upper
Mar 28, 2025
Introduced
Introduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Transportation; SJ 10
upper
Mar 26, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (98-93-30)
house
Mar 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0471h: MA RC 187-159 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 95
lower
Mar 26, 2025
Introduced
Amendment # 2025-0471h: AA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 95
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0471h 03/04/2025 (Vote 9-7; RC) HC 17 P. 45
lower
Jan 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Transportation HJ 3 P. 11
lower
0 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.