Senator Fenton introduces SB 553 to increase penalties for eluding police; Keene police support bill

Senator Donovan Fenton introduced Senate Bill 553 in the Senate Judiciary Committee, describing it as a response to a rise in dangerous police pursuits and a measure aligned with work by the governor’s highway safety task force.

SB 553 would increase penalties for willfully attempting to elude law enforcement — conduct Fenton described as increasing speed, turning off headlamps while in motion, or abandoning a vehicle during pursuit — and would require offenders who violate RSA 265:4 to face a license suspension of no less than six months plus a minimum five consecutive days in the House of Corrections.

Captain Steve Tenney of the Keene Police Department testified in support, saying pursuits in Keene have become longer, faster and more hazardous and that stiffer, consecutive custodial penalties would deter repeat offenders who cross municipal and state lines. "Over the years, the number of our pursuits has gone up exponentially," Tenney said, and he asked the committee to support the measure.

Representatives of state law enforcement also described increasing pursuit incidents and supported clearer penalties targeted to true pursuit situations rather than routine motor‑vehicle stops. The committee closed public testimony on SB 553 at the conclusion of the hearing; the transcript shows no committee vote on the bill during that session.