2018 -- H 7737

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LC004701

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

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

LICENSES

     Introduced By: Representatives Kennedy, Edwards, McNamara, O`Grady, and Marshall

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2018

     Referred To: House 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 in his or her home state or

country them in another state of the United States 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 a foreign 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 validly issued work or study Visa or is in the

process of renewing a work or study Visa, 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 a foreign 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, and during the pendency of renewal proceedings for the Visa.

     (5) Any individual who holds a permanent resident card or is in the process of renewing a

permanent resident card, 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 a foreign 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 form to be created specifically for

this purpose and provided by the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles and only for the

unexpired term of the issued permanent resident card and during the pendency of renewal

proceedings for the permanent resident card;

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

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

residence in the United States or whose 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 United States

or a 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; and

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

carry out the purposes of this section, including the creation of whatever application form(s) may

be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC004701

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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 allow adults eighteen (18) years and above with valid foreign country

driver's licenses to operate vehicles in the state of Rhode Island in accordance with the Geneva

Convention on Road Traffic. The act would also allow sixteen (16) year olds with valid licenses

in the United States to operate vehicles in this state.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004701

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