2023 New Hampshire Revised Statutes › Title XXI - Motor Vehicles › Chapter 265-A - Alcohol or Drug Impairment › Section 265-A:15 - Preliminary Breath Test.

265-A:15 Preliminary Breath Test. –
I. Any law enforcement officer, authorized agent, or peace officer, who has been certified by the police standards and training council according to standards for such certification contained in rules adopted by said council pursuant to RSA 541-A, having reasonable grounds to believe that a person has been driving, operating, attempting to operate, or in actual physical control of an OHRV, driving, attempting to drive, or in actual physical control of a vehicle, or operating, attempting to operate, or in actual physical control of a boat upon the public waters of the state while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or controlled drug, prescription drug, over-the-counter drug, or any other chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which impairs a person's ability to drive or while the person's alcohol concentration was 0.08 or more or in the case of a person under the age of 21, 0.02 or more or in the case of a person licensed to operate and operating a commercial vehicle or operating a commercial vessel and licensed pursuant to RSA 270-E:22 at the time of the offense, 0.04 or more may, without making an arrest, request that such person submit to a preliminary breath test for alcohol concentration to be administered by the officer. The results of any test administered under this section may be introduced into evidence in a court for any relevant purpose. Failure to submit to the test shall not constitute a violation of this chapter. Evidence of a failure to submit to a preliminary breath test shall not be admissible in court in any prosecution under this subdivision, except for the purpose of determining whether the officer had probable cause to arrest the person. The provisions of this section shall not limit the introduction of any other competent evidence bearing on the question of whether a person charged with violating RSA 265-A:2, I(a), RSA 265-A:2, II, or RSA 265-A:3 was under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any controlled drug, prescription drug, over-the-counter drug, or any other chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which impairs a person's ability to drive. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent or require a subsequent test pursuant to RSA 265-A:4. The police officer requesting the test shall advise orally the person to be tested that his or her failure to take the test or his or her taking of the test shall not be construed to prevent or require a subsequent test pursuant to RSA 265-A:4. The results of the test shall be furnished immediately to the person tested by the police officer administering the test and in writing, if requested.
II. No device may be used to give a chemical test under the provisions of this section unless it has been approved as to type and make by the department of safety.
III. The commissioner of the department of safety shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to methods and procedures for evaluation and approval of preliminary breath test devices.
Source.
2006, 260:1. 2012, 267:12, eff. Jan. 1, 2013.