2015 -- H 6217

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LC002709

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES

GENERALLY

     Introduced By: Representatives Nardolillo, McNamara, Williams, Shekarchi, and

     Date Introduced: May 20, 2015

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-23-41 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-23 entitled

"Equipment and Accessories Generally" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-23-41. Safety belts in public service vehicles. -- (a) Every jitney, bus, private bus,

school bus, and trackless trolley coach, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with a

driver's seat safety belt device sufficiently anchored and attached and so constructed, designed,

and installed as to support a loop-load strength of not less than five thousand pounds (5,000 lbs.)

and a buckle or closing device which shall be of a construction and design that it can be released

with one hand with a pull of less than forty-five pounds (45 lbs.). Every person when driving any

vehicle of this kind shall use and have his or her body anchored by the seat safety belt. Violation

of this section shall constitute a civil violation.

     (b) Effective August 1, 2015, every school bus purchased for use in the state shall be

equipped with safety belts for the operator and each passenger seat.

     (c) Effective August 1, 2015, any person who is an operator of or passenger in a school

bus shall wear a seat belt assembly as defined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 209

while the vehicle is in operation on any of the roadways, streets, or highways of this state.

Provided, that in no event shall failure to wear a child passenger restraint system or regular seat

belt be considered as contributory or comparative negligence, nor the failure to wear said child

passenger restraint system, regular seat belt, or shoulder harness be admissible as evidence in the

trial of any civil action.

     (d) If any person is deemed to be in violation of subsection (c) of this section, the

operator of the school bus shall be fined thirty dollars ($30.00) for each offense.

     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 -- EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES

GENERALLY

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     This act would require that effective August 1, 2015, all school buses purchased for use

in the state be equipped with seat belt assemblies for each passenger and operator seat, and would

further require mandatory safety belt use by the school bus operator and each passenger.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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