2014 -- H 8262

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LC005750

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Lima, Lally, Gallison, Dickinson, and Fox

     Date Introduced: May 29, 2014

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     31-3-101. Special plate for Rhode Island colleges and universities. -- (a) The

administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available special motor

vehicle registration plates for passenger vehicles based upon the various nonprofit entities Brown

University, Bryant University, Community College of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales

University, New England Institute of Technology, Providence College, Rhode Island College,

Rhode Island School of Design, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University and/or the

University of Rhode Island for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile or

commercial vehicle having a gross weight of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) or less.

     (b) The special plate(s) shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to

the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the

registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be

removed from the vehicle and the registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the

vehicle, in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special

plate. The administrator shall be authorized to retain newly issued plate numbers, at his or her

discretion, for the purpose of conducting auctions of the right to use and display those numbers

under such terms and conditions as the administrator may permit. Auction proceeds shall be

apportioned and distributed to each respective institution whose plates have been issued, in the

discretion of the administrator, in accordance with such agreements as may be entered into those

entities holding ownership rights to the logos. The administrator is hereby authorized to enter into

agreements for the use of logos on Rhode Island registration plates.

     (c) The respective college and university motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as

regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed in conjunction with the division of motor

vehicles, with design approval by the Rhode Island State Police.

     (d) Each college or university plate shall be subject to a minimum prepaid order of at

least nine hundred (900) plates per institution. A college or university plate shall not be issued

unless the minimum order requirements are met by the requesting institution. The initial order

will be handled by each individual college or university and shall not be submitted to the division

of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order has been met and the proper paperwork

submitted to the division. Subsequent college or university plate orders will be handled by the

division of motor vehicles.

     (e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop application forms, prepayment

procedures and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

     (f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, college or

university plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.

     (g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty

dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00)

shall be distributed annually to the respective college or university as a nonprofit educational

institution based in Rhode Island.

     (h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration the respective college or

university.

     (i) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of college or university plates.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 make available motor vehicle registration plates for Rhode Island colleges

and universities.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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