Sponsors of $50 NH “Bicycle Tax” Should Be Ashamed of Themselves

I usually don’t start my columns with an assertion, but with the insanity I’m about to opine on, I will. This is, hands down, one of the most absurd pieces of legislation I have ever laid eyes on. 

New Hampshire House Bill 1703 was introduced in December, 2025 and sponsored by Rep. Thomas Walsh (R), Rep. Gregory Hill (R) and Rep. Ted Gorski (R). The bill proposes a $50 annual registration fee for all bicycles and electric bicycles that are operated on a public way and they must be registered with the NH Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Let’s be clear about what House Bill 1703 actually means. It would require every bicycle ridden in NH on publicly funded roads and paths to be registered with the DMV, at $50 per bike, every year. Failing to comply could bring fines of $100 per violation, even for a child’s bike with training wheels. 

Advocates of the bill argue that it is simply a “user fee” and fair, like registration fees on recreational vehicles or snowmobiles to fund paths and lanes. But bicycles are not recreational vehicles. They don’t wear out roads the way motorized vehicles do. They don’t impose the same maintenance burdens. And unlike motorized vehicles, bikes generate benefits like cleaner air, reduced healthcare costs and reduced traffic, that far exceed whatever expense their infrastructure might demand. And let’s not forget about the thousands of children in New Hampshire who ride their bikes to school, to a friend’s house or just for fun.

If there is one thing Granite Staters have long agreed on, beyond our love of wide open spaces and our fiercely independent spirit, it’s that the government should leave everyday life alone unless absolutely necessary. This ridiculous piece of legislation goes against everything New Hampshire stands for.

This is the type of legislation you’d expect to see in Boston, New York, San Francisco or other cities run by lunatic liberals who want to control the most basic of rights we as citizens enjoy. What’s most shocking about this madness is that the three NH state representatives who sponsored this bill are all so-called Republicans. I wonder how they all came up with this and thought it was a good idea. I have to imagine alcohol was involved.

If this legislation sounds outrageous, you’re not alone. Since news broke of this bill, the public opposition has been stronger than anything I have seen in a long time. Even Rep. Thomas Walsh has backed off this ludicrous idea. In a recent public hearing, Walsh said “We’re not going to be moving forward with this”, but still said it was worth having a discussion about how bike paths and rail trails are funded.

Let’s make one thing clear. Imposing a registration fee (tax) on bicycles is by far one of the most outrageous ideas any lawmaker in America has put forward for consideration. It’s a ridiculous and unnecessary tax and it’s an insult that I even have to write about this nonsense. Fortunately, the citizens of New Hampshire have more common sense than the sponsors of this bill, that we the people actually elected. Live and learn.

Thankfully, this bill has no chance of seeing the light of day. It’s a harsh reminder to ensure we are all paying very close attention to what the people we elected are actually doing.