2018 -- S 2804

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LC004584

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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 -- MOTOR VEHICLE REPARATIONS

ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Morgan, Paolino, and Raptakis

     Date Introduced: April 05, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-47-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-47 entitled "Motor

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Vehicle Reparations Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-47-8. Revocation of registrations -- Drivers' licenses and nonresident privileges.

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     (a) (1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles, upon receipt of evidence as

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provided for in § 31-47-17, that financial security for any motor vehicle registered in this state is

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no longer in effect, may within seven (7) days revoke the registration of the vehicle, except as

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provided in subsection (j) of this section.

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     (2) The motor vehicle shall not be registered or reregistered in the name of the person, or

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in any other name where the administrator of the division of motor vehicles has reasonable

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grounds to believe that the registration or re-registration will have the effect of defeating the

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purposes of this chapter, and no other motor vehicle shall be registered in the name of the person

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for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of the revocation.

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     (b) (1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles, upon receipt of evidence that

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the owner of a motor vehicle registered in this state has operated or permitted a motor vehicle to

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be operated upon the public highways of this or any other state while financial security was not in

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effect with respect to the vehicle, may revoke the registration of the vehicle and the driver's

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license, if any, of the owner.

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     (2) The motor vehicle shall not be registered in the name of the person or in any other

 

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name where the administrator of the division of motor vehicles has reasonable grounds to believe

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that the registration will have the effect of defeating the purpose of this chapter, and no other

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motor vehicle shall be registered in the name of the person, nor any driver's license issued to the

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person, for a period of three (3) months from the date of the revocation.

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     (c) (1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles, upon receipt of evidence that a

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person, other than the owner, has operated upon the public highways of this state a motor vehicle

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registered in this state with knowledge that financial security was not in effect with respect to the

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vehicle, may revoke the driver's license of the person, or if he or she is a nonresident, the

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nonresident driving privileges of the person.

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     (2) No new driver's license may be issued, or nonresident driving privilege restored to the

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person for a period of one to three (3) months from the date of the revocation.

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     (3) This subsection shall not apply to any person who at the time of operation of the

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motor vehicle, had in effect an operator's policy of liability insurance with respect to his or her

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operation of the vehicle.

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     (d) (1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles, upon receipt of evidence that

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the owner of a motor vehicle not registered in this state has operated or permitted a motor vehicle

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to be operated upon the public highways of this state while financial security was not in effect

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with respect to the vehicle, may revoke the person's privilege to operate any motor vehicle in this

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state and the privilege of the operation within this state of any motor vehicle owned by him or

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her.

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     (2) The nonresident privilege may not be restored for a period of one to three (3) months

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from the date of the revocation.

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     (e) (1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles, upon receipt of evidence that a

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nonresident, other than the owner of the vehicle, has operated upon the public highways of this

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state a motor vehicle not registered in this state, with knowledge that financial security was not in

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effect with respect to the vehicle, may revoke the nonresident's privilege to operate any motor

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vehicle in this state.

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     (2) The nonresident privilege may not be restored for a period of one to three (3) months

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from the date of the revocation.

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     (3) This subsection shall not apply to any person who at the time of operation of the

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motor vehicle had in effect an operator's policy of liability insurance with respect to his or her

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operation of the motor vehicle.

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     (f) Notice of revocation pursuant to this section may be given to the owner of a vehicle

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registered in this state or to a driver licensed in this state, by mailing the notice to the owner or

 

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licensee at the address contained in the certificate of registration for the vehicle owned by the

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person or to the address contained in his or her driving license. The suspension shall be effective

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upon receipt of notice and the one to three (3) month period of suspension shall commence upon

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receipt of the license, registration, and registration plates by the division.

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     (g) Failure of the owner or licensee to deliver a certificate of registration, number plates,

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or driver's license to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles after revocation of it or as

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otherwise provided in this chapter, may cause the suspension to be continued for an additional

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period equal to the number of days between the suspension date and the actual date of

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compliance.

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     (h) An operator's policy of liability insurance, as used in this section, shall mean a policy

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issued by an insurance carrier duly authorized to transact business in this state which shall insure

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the person named in it as insured, against loss from the liability imposed upon him or her by law

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for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death

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of any person and injury to or destruction of property arising out of the use by him or her, of any

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motor vehicle not owned by him or her, subject to the same minimum provisions and approval

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required by this chapter, with respect to an owner's policy of liability insurance. With respect to a

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nonresident the policy may also be issued by a nonadmitted insurance carrier provided the

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requirements of this chapter, with respect to issuance of an owner's policy of liability insurance

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by the carrier, have been met.

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     (i) (1) If a motor vehicle has been involved in an accident, and its registration or the

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driver's license of its operator, or both, have been revoked pursuant to this section, then neither

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that vehicle nor any other motor vehicle shall be registered or reregistered in the name of its

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owner or of any other person legally responsible for its use, nor shall any driver's license be

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issued to the owner, person, or operator until three (3) months have passed since the date of the

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revocation and, as the case may be, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles has

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received the evidence required by subdivision (3) of this subsection.

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     (2) If a motor vehicle not registered in this state is involved in any accident in this state

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and the privilege of its operation within the state has been revoked, then neither its owner, any

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person legally responsible for its, use, nor its operator, shall exercise the privilege of the operation

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within this state of any motor vehicle until three (3) months have passed since the date of the

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revocation and, as the case may be, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles has

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received the evidence as required in subdivision (3) of this subsection.

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     (3) The evidence referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be evidence

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satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles:

 

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     (i) That no cause of action based upon the accident against the owner, person legally

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responsible, or operator has been commenced within a period of one year from the date of the

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accident or a release has been given to the owner, person, or operator; or

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     (ii) That no judgment arising out of the cause of action for amounts within the limits

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stated in § 31-47-2(13)(i)(A) against the owner, person, or operator remains unsatisfied.

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     (j)(1) The registration of any motor vehicle being restored, repaired, rebuilt or otherwise

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incapable of highway operation, or used on a seasonal basis, and which is not operated within this

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or any other state, shall not be subject to revocation of registration for failure to comply with the

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financial security requirements of chapter 47 of title 31, or for failure to comply with the

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mechanically fit and safe requirement in § 31-8-4 during the period of its registration; provided,

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the motor vehicle plates are removed from the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle shall comply

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with all provisions of title 31 prior to re-affixing the vehicle plates to the vehicle or operating the

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vehicle within this state or any other state and prior to any renewal of the registration. Any person

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who violates the provisions of this subsection for failure to remove the motor vehicle plates from

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a motor vehicle, without financial security in effect and/or failure to comply with the

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mechanically fit and safe requirement in § 31-8-4, shall be subject to a fine up to one hundred

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fifty dollars ($150).

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     (2) An operator of a motor vehicle described in subsection (j)(1) of this section who fails

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to remove the registration plates and operates the vehicle upon the public highways of this or any

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other state shall be subject to the suspension or revocation of registration provisions of § 31-8-4.

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     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 -- MOTOR VEHICLE REPARATIONS

ACT

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     This act would provide that uninsured and/or uninspected motor vehicles which are not

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being operated within this state or any other state may avoid suspension or revocation of the

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vehicle registration in effect during the period of its registration if the vehicle plates are removed

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from the vehicle. Failure to remove the plates shall result in a fine of up to one hundred fifty

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dollars ($150).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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