relative to establishing penalties for violations of the confidentiality of motor vehicle records.
HB 330 would tighten restrictions on the copying, retention, scanning, release, and use of driver’s license information held by private, non-governmental entities. The bill declares that most information on a driver’s license, other than the person’s name as publicly held out, is private and confidential, and it limits copying or retaining license data to specified governmental purposes such as voting, notary functions, justice of the peace duties, or compliance with judicial orders. It also states that simply showing a license to verify identity for a governmental requirement remains allowed.
The bill creates new penalties for improper handling of retained identification information. Under the proposal, a real person who releases or uses such information in violation of the law would commit a misdemeanor, while an entity other than a real person would commit a felony. It also authorizes substantial civil-style penalties, including at least $100,000 payable to the affected person, lifetime identity theft protection, and an additional $100,000-per-person fine if a data breach compromises illegally retained identification information. The act would take effect January 1, 2026.
HB 330 would amend RSA 260:14, which governs motor vehicle records and driver’s license-related information, by adding explicit limits on private-sector retention and use of license data and by creating new criminal and financial penalties for violations. The bill would affect businesses and other non-governmental entities that copy or store driver’s license information, while preserving certain government uses. Because it adds or modifies criminal penalties, the fiscal note anticipates possible impacts on the judicial and correctional systems, including prosecution, incarceration, probation, and parole costs, though the exact fiscal effect is indeterminable.
The available record shows no committee transcript and no recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or partisan division in the materials provided. The bill’s findings language suggests a strong privacy-protection rationale, framing driver’s license data as confidential personal information and emphasizing residents’ privacy rights. Overall, the proposal appears designed to respond to concerns about misuse of identity documents and data retention by private entities.
The main point of contention is likely the breadth and severity of the restrictions and penalties. The bill would prohibit corporate policies that retain personal information from government documents and would impose very large penalties, including felony exposure for entities and mandatory payments to affected individuals, which could draw concern from businesses, compliance-heavy industries, and organizations that routinely verify identity. Supporters would likely emphasize privacy, anti-fraud, and identity-theft prevention, while opponents may argue that the bill is overbroad, difficult to administer, or disproportionate in its punishment structure.