2017 -- S 0348 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'

LICENSES

     Introduced By: Senators DaPonte, Cote, Crowley, Picard, and Lombardo

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-10-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10 entitled "Operators'

and Chauffeurs' Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-10-2. Persons exempt from licensing requirements.

     The following persons are exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter:

     (1) Any employee of the United States government while operating a motor vehicle

owned by or leased to the United States government and being operated on official business;

     (2) A nonresident who is at least sixteen (16) years of age and who has in his or her their

immediate possession a valid operator's license issued to him or her them in his or her their home

state or country may operate a motor vehicle in this state only as an operator;

     (3) Any individual over the age of eighteen (18) years who has in their immediate

possession a valid operator's license issued to them in their country may operate a motor vehicle

in this state only as an operator for the term and in accordance with the methods provided for

pursuant to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, Chapter V, art. 24, September 19, 1949

without further examination.

     (4) Any individual who holds an active work or study Visa validly issued by the United

States Citizenship and Immigration Services, who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who

has in their immediate possession a valid operator's license issued to them in their country may

operate a motor vehicle in this state only as provided for pursuant to the Geneva Convention on

Road Traffic, Chapter V, art. 24, September 19, 1949 without further examination; provided,

however, that upon expiration of the term set forth in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic,

said individual may only operate a motor vehicle in this state upon completion of an application

provided by the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles and only for the unexpired term of the

issued Visa.

     (5) Any individual who holds a Green Card validly issued by the United States

Citizenship and Immigration Services, who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who has in

their immediate possession a valid operator's license issued to them in their country may operate a

motor vehicle in this state pursuant to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, Chapter V, art.

24, September 19, 1949 without further examination; provided, however, that upon expiration of

the term set forth in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, said individual may only operate a

motor vehicle in this state upon completion of an application provided by the Rhode Island

division of motor vehicles and only for the unexpired term of the issued Green Card.

     (3)(6) A nonresident who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who has in his or her

their immediate possession a valid chauffeur's license issued to him or her them in his or her their

home state or country may operate a motor vehicle in this state either as an operator or chauffeur.

Subject to the age limits applicable to chauffeurs in this state, that license shall be accepted as a

chauffeur class I license. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a nonresident must submit an

application for a chauffeur class I license which must be approved before a nonresident may be

employed as a chauffeur in this state;

     (4)(7) Any nonresident who is at least eighteen (18) years of age, whose home state or

country does not require the licensing of operators, may operate a motor vehicle as an operator

only, for a period of not more than ninety (90) days in any calendar year, if the motor vehicle so

operated is duly registered in the home state or country of that nonresident;

     (5)(8) Any operator of any traction engine, road roller, farm tractor, crane, power shovel,

well-borer, and any other road and building construction machinery and equipment, other than a

truck used for the transportation of materials.

     (9) The department of motor vehicles is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to

carry out the purposes of this section.

     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 -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'

LICENSES

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     This act would exempt individuals validly licensed in their country and holding a validly

issued study or work Visa from the State's licensing requirements in accordance with the Geneva

Convention on Road Traffic.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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