2018 -- H 8149

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LC005291

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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 - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Morin, Phillips, and Casey

     Date Introduced: May 02, 2018

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration

of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-3-2. Vehicles subject to registration.

     Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, pole trailer, motorized camper, tent trailer,

travel trailer, pick-up coach, and pick-up camper, owned by a resident of this state when operated

or drawn upon a highway within this state for a period total of thirty (30) days within any three

hundred sixty-five (365) day period, shall be subject to the registration provisions of chapters 3 --

9 of this title except:

     (a) Any vehicle operated upon a highway in conformance with the provisions of the

chapters relating to manufacturers, transporters, dealers, lien holders, or nonresidents;

     (b) Any vehicle that is operated upon a highway only for the purpose of crossing the

highway but not along the highway from one property to another;

     (c) Any farm vehicle, whether or not of a type otherwise subject to registration under this

chapter, that is only incidentally operated upon a highway. For purposes of this title, the phrase

"incidentally operated upon a highway" shall mean the operation upon a highway of a slow-

moving motor vehicle that is designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing

plows, mowing machines, and other implements of husbandry, between agricultural operations

owned or managed by the owner of the motor vehicle. Unless the incidental operation is only for

purposes of crossing the highway but not traveling along it, the farm vehicle engaged in the

incidental operation shall display a "Slow Moving Vehicle" emblem in a manner that complies

with requirements established by the division of motor vehicles;

     (d) Any special mobile equipment as defined in § 31-1-9;

     (e) Any vehicle that is propelled exclusively by electric power obtained from overhead

trolley wires, though not operated upon rails.

     (f) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, in addition to any penalties

provided pursuant to this chapter, be subject to an enhanced penalty of five hundred dollars

($500), of which two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) shall be allocated to the local law

enforcement agency where the violation occurred.

     (g) The administrator of the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles shall be authorized

to establish an auto registration fraud hotline to receive complaints relative to Rhode Island

residents with out-of-state motor vehicle registrations.

     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 provide for a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500), of which two

hundred and fifty dollars ($250) shall be allocated to the local law enforcement agency where the

violation occurred, for any Rhode Island resident who fails to register their motor vehicle in the

state of Rhode Island. In addition, this act would establish the auto registration fraud hotline to

file complaints relative to Rhode Island residents who fail to register their motor vehicle in the

state of Rhode Island.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005291

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