2012 -- H 7600

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LC01741

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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 -- NEXT-OF-KIN ACCIDENT

IDENTIFICATION

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Baldelli-Hunt, Johnston, Jacquard, E Coderre, and Hull

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2012

     Referred To: House Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 31-10 of the General Laws entitled "Operators' and Chauffeurs'

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Licenses" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     31-10-33.1. Next-of-kin identification registry program. – (a) By January 1, 2014, the

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administrator of the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles shall develop and implement an

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Internet next-of-kin registry program. Under the program, the holder of any Rhode Island driver's

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license or non-driver identification card shall have the opportunity to voluntarily submit, via the

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Internet, the name and telephone number of three (3) emergency contacts to the division of motor

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vehicles.

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     (b) In implementing this program, the administrator shall establish a process whereby the

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holder of any driver's license or non-driver identification card may electronically sign onto the

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division of motor vehicles’ website using his or her driver's license number or non-driver

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identification card number. The licensee or cardholder may then submit the name and telephone

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number of up to three (3) emergency contacts to the division of motor vehicles’ official website.

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A licensee or cardholder who submits the name and telephone number of an emergency contact

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shall have the opportunity to revise or update the emergency contact information at any time.

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     (c) Once implemented, the administrator shall be responsible for establishing and

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maintaining a standardized and automated statewide registry capable of storing and distributing

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emergency contact information to law enforcement officials. The administrator shall strive to

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ensure that the information contained in the Internet registry is updated as appropriate in a timely

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and efficient manner.

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     (d) Information in the registry shall be accessible only by law enforcement officials and

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employees of the division of motor vehicles that are designated by the administrator. Any

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emergency contact information submitted to the division of motor vehicles shall not be

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considered a public record pursuant to chapter 38-2-1 et seq.

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     (e) For the purposes of this section, “emergency contact person” or “emergency contact”

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means a person, eighteen (18) years of age or older, who the holder of any Rhode Island driver's

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license or non-driver identification card designated to be contacted by law enforcement personnel

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when the licensee or card holder is rendered unable to communicate due to a motor vehicle

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accident resulting in the serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of the licensee or card

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holder.  An “emergency contact person” or “emergency contact” may or may not be the next-of-

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kin of the licensee or cardholder; except that if the licensee or cardholder is under the age of

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eighteen (18) and is not emancipated, the emergency contact person shall be the parent or

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guardian of that licensee or cardholder.

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     31-10-33.2. Emergency contact information. – When a motor vehicle accident results

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in the serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of a driver or any passenger, the law

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enforcement officer investigating the motor vehicle accident shall attempt to locate an emergency

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contact person by accessing the emergency contact database established pursuant to section 31-

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10-33.1. That law enforcement officer shall, when practicable, expeditiously notify the

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emergency contact of any person involved in the motor vehicle accident and inform the

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emergency contact of the hospital or other location at which the driver or passenger may be

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receiving medical treatment.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall be implemented no later

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than January 1, 2013.

     

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LC01741

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- NEXT-OF-KIN ACCIDENT

IDENTIFICATION

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     This act would establish a “next-of-kin” program with the state division of motor vehicles

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which allows any holder of a Rhode Island driver’s license or working identification card to

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voluntary submit, via Internet, the name and telephone number of up to three (3) of his or her

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emergency contact persons to the division of motor vehicles. It would provide access to this

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information to law enforcement officials, especially when a motor vehicle accident results in the

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serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of a driver or passenger.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would be implemented no later than January

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1, 2013.

     

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LC01741

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H7600