2015 -- S 0071 SUBSTITUTE B

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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 -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Senator V. Susan Sosnowski

     Date Introduced: January 13, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-48 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration

of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-3-48. Plates for recipients of Purple Heart. -- (a) The administrator of the division

of motor vehicles is empowered to make available to recipients of the Purple Heart Medal a

special motor vehicle registration plate indicating the owner as a recipient of the Purple Heart.

      (b) The plate shall contain the words "combat wounded" across the top of the plate and

shall have an insignia for the Purple Heart and be followed by the letters "P H", followed by a

numeral or numerals. The Purple Heart insignia may be reproduced on the plate in the color

purple.

      (c) Upon the death of the holder of any purple heart plates, the plates shall be transferred

to his or her surviving spouse for the spouse's lifetime until he or she remarries.

      (d) The applicant is not required to pay a registration fee or service charge for the plates.

     (e) Upon the death of the holder of any purple heart plates, if there is no surviving

spouse, a family member of the recipient may retain one of the special motor vehicle registration

plates in his or her own keeping, provided he or she does not display the plate upon any motor

vehicle or any other form of transportation owned or operated by the family member. The other

purple heart plate must be returned to the division of motor vehicles.

     (f) Any violation of the provisions of subsection (e) of this section, shall be deemed a

civil violation, and any person displaying a special motor vehicle registration plate upon any

vehicle shall, upon conviction, be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. Each day in

which the special motor vehicle registration plate is displayed upon any vehicle shall be a

separate offense punishable by the same penalty.

     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 entitle a surviving relative to retain a purple heart plate upon the death of

the widowed holder as a keepsake only, with the other purple heart plate to be returned to the

division of motor vehicles. Any display of the plate upon any other motor vehicle shall be a civil

violation punishable by a fine of five hundred dollar ($500) per day.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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