2017 -- S 0540 SUBSTITUTE A

========

LC001768/SUB A

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- GOLD STAR FAMILIES

     Introduced By: Senators Lynch Prata, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: March 09, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     (Office of Veterans Affairs)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-111 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled

"Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-3-111. Gold Star Parents Gold Star Families.

     (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is authorized and directed to issue

a special registration plate for the motor vehicles of all eligible members of a Gold Star Parents

Family.

     (b) For the purpose of this section, "Gold Star Parents Family" means a person who has

lost a son or a daughter as a result of service with the armed forces of the United States of

America eligible to receive a gold star lapel button as defined in 10 U.S.C. §1126; provided, the

death was determined to be in the line of duty.

     (c) The special plate designated "Gold Star Parent" shall be designed as follows: Gold

Star Family motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates, and shall

be designed by Gold Star Family members who are Rhode Island residents in conjunction with

the division of motor vehicles, with design approval by the Rhode Island state police.

     (1) Letters and numbers shall be blue in a white background with the words "Rhode

Island" clearly visible at the top center of the plate.

     (2) The background will be a red, white, and blue waving American Flag.

     (3) The top right corner is to bear the identification "Gold Star Parent".

     (d) The applicant shall not be required to pay a service charge or a transfer charge for

each plate.

     (e) The applicant shall be entitled to a plate for each vehicle owned by the applicant Only

one set of "Gold Star Family" plates shall be issued to an eligible family member and only after

satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.

     (f) The owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle and

having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less who is issued Gold Star

Parent Family plates shall continue to pay the appropriate commercial registration fee for those

plates. The owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle having a

gross weight of six thousand three hundred pounds (6,300 lbs.), but not more than twelve

thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.), shall sign an affidavit at the time of application for said plates

stating that the vehicle is to be used for personal use only.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001768/SUB A

========

LC001768/SUB A - Page 2 of 2

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- GOLD STAR FAMILIES

***

     This act would expand eligibility for a special license plate for Gold Star Families.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001768/SUB A

========

LC001768/SUB A - Page 3 of 2