2014 -- S 2240

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LC003955

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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 - FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Picard, and Cote

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-7-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-7 entitled "Foreign

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Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-7-1. Right to operate on foreign registration. -- (a) A nonresident owner, except as

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otherwise provided in sections §§31-7-2 and 31-7-3, owning any foreign vehicle of a type

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otherwise subject to registration pursuant to this title, may operate or permit the operation of that

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vehicle within this state without registering the vehicle in, or paying any fees to, this state subject

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to the condition that the vehicle at all times, when operated in this state, is duly registered in, and

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displays upon it, a valid registration card and registration plate or plates issued for that vehicle in

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the place of residence of that owner.

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      (b) Any foreign vehicle(s) parked or garaged overnight in this state for more than thirty

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(30) days in the aggregate in any one year which that is owned and/or operated by a resident of

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this state as defined in section §31-1-18 shall register the vehicle(s) and pay the same fee that is

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required with reference to like vehicle(s) owned by residents of this state. The state police and

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local police departments, upon observation of a foreign registered vehicle present within the state

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for thirty (30) days or more shall identify the owner of the vehicle and, if a Rhode Island resident,

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provide a notice containing a copy of this section to the owner and to the tax assessor in the city

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or town in which the vehicle is located.

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      (c) Any domiciled resident of this state who owns a vehicle which that is registered in

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another state shall file an annual report with the administrator of the division of motor vehicles of

 

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this state and with the tax assessor of the city or town in which the domiciled resident resides,

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stating the make, model, year, and validation of the vehicle and the reason for registering the

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vehicle in the foreign state. Failure to comply with the terms of this subsection shall be subject to

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a civil fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for every foreign vehicle. This provision

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shall not apply to military personnel assigned to duty outside of the state of Rhode Island and for

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a period of thirty (30) days after discharge.

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     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 - FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES

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     This act would require law enforcement to report the presence of foreign owned vehicles

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owned by Rhode Island residents to the tax assessor of the city or town in which the vehicle is

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located and to provide notice to the registered owner of the requirements of this section.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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