2012 -- H 7124

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LC00460

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Nunes, and Ferri

     Date Introduced: January 17, 2012

     Referred To: House Corporations

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     31-3-92. Year of manufacture plates. – (a) For the purpose of this chapter “Year of

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manufacture plate” means a registration plate (in the possession of the applicant) originally issued

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by the state of Rhode Island in the exact year of manufacture of an antique motor car (as defined

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in Rhode Island general laws 31-1-3).

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     (b) At the discretion of the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, a year of

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manufacture registration plate may be re-issued for display on a vehicle which meets the criteria

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for antique motor car pursuant to Rhode Island general laws 31-1-3. A year of manufacture

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registration plate shall confer the same privileges as an antique plate pursuant to Rhode Island

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general laws 31-2-3.

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     (c) Only motor vehicles meeting the definition of an antique motor car, in accordance

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with Rhode Island general laws 31-1-3, may display a year of manufacture plate.

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     (d) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall re-issue a year of

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manufacture plate only if:

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     (1) The plate(s) shall be in good repair and in original condition;

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     (2) The plate letters, numbers and markings are clearly legible. Any indication that a plate

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has been repainted or otherwise altered will disqualify the plate from use as a year of manufacture

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plate; and

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     (3) The plate(s) shall be sufficiently distinctive in appearance so as not to be confused

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with currently issued plates. If the administrator has already approved the use of the plate as a

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year of manufacture plate, which contains a specific combination of letters and numbers (or

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letters or numbers alone) that same combination on a different year of manufacture plate is not

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sufficiently distinctive and shall not be approved by the administrator as another year of

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manufacture plate.

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     (e) A plate displaying the word “antique” cannot be used as a year of manufacture plate.

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     (f) If a year of manufacture plate is ever suspended or revoked, the administrator may

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require the plate be turned in to the division of motor vehicles. When a year of manufacturer plate

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is voluntarily cancelled, the plate(s) does not have to be surrendered to the division of motor

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vehicles.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00460

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

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     This act would authorize the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to re-issue

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year of manufacture license plates from the exact year of manufacture of an antique motor car for

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display on an antique motor car.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00460

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