Governor Ayotte Applauds New Hampshire House Vote to Close DUI Refusal Loophole

CONCORD, NH - Today, the New Hampshire House passed Senate Bill 620 to increase the administrative license suspension penalty for drivers who refused a breath alcohol test when stopped on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Following the vote, Governor Kelly Ayotte applauded members from both parties who came together to close the loophole and save lives.

"I am proud to see the House pass legislation to increase the administrative license suspension time for refusing a breath alcohol test, closing the loophole that encourages people not to cooperate when stopped for a DUI," said Governor Ayotte. "With this bipartisan bill now coming to my desk, we're taking a critical step to keep New Hampshire the safest state in the nation. I thank the House and Senate for working with me to close this loophole so we can save lives."

SB 620 increases the administrative license suspension time from six to nine months for drivers who refuse DUI testing. Under current law, the administrative suspension time for a driver convicted of a DUI is the same as a driver who refuses testing, creating a loophole incentive not to cooperate with law enforcement.

"For too long, people have made the dangerous choice to drive under the influence because they know there is little accountability for refusing a breath alcohol test," said State Sen. Bill Gannon of Sandown, lead sponsor of SB 620. "I was proud to work with Senators from both sides of the aisle to pass SB 620 to close the DUI refusal loophole, and I'm glad to see my colleagues in the House send it to the Governor's desk today. I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law so we can hold impaired drivers accountable, make our roads safer, and ensure New Hampshire remains #1 for public safety."

Since 2018, more than 260 Granite Staters have been killed in crashes caused by impaired drivers. With the passage of SB 620 today, New Hampshire is closing the refusal loophole and saving lives.

"Our family lives with the consequences of another person's reckless decision to drive under the influence every day," said highway safety advocate Beth Shaw, who lost her son to a crash caused by an impaired driver with three prior DUIs. "While nothing will bring my son Tyler back, I am proud that the New Hampshire House made the right choice today to increase the license suspension for drivers who refuse DUI testing. If we can spare even one more family from that knock on the door in the middle of the night, our state will be a stronger, safer place. I thank Governor Kelly Ayotte and the Legislature for listening and taking action to close this loophole."