2019 -- H 5396

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LC001324

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Caldwell, Vella-Wilkinson, Williams, Azzinaro, and
Donovan

     Date Introduced: February 14, 2019

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-53 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration

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of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-3-53. Veterans' plates.

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     (a) The registrar of motor vehicles shall issue for any motor vehicle eligible for

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registration as an automobile, or for any motorcycle eligible for registration as a motorcycle, or

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for a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less,

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plates designated as "Veteran", "Purple Heart", and "Ex-POW" upon application on proper forms

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furnished by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to veterans.

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     (b) The special plate designated "Veteran" shall be designed as follows:

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

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Island" clearly visible at the top center of the plate and the word "Veteran" visible at the bottom

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center of the plate.

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

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     (3) On the top right corner will be a decal with the military branch of the service in which

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the Veteran served (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marines).

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     (4) For war veterans, a white decal with blue letters with the words "War Veteran" placed

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under the military branch decal on the right side of the plate above the validation sticker.

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

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each plate.

 

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

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

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

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plates shall continue to pay the appropriate commercial registration fee for those plates. The

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owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle having a gross weight

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

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

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vehicle is to be used for personal use only.

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     (f)(1) For the purposes of this section, a "veteran" shall be defined as any person who has

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served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. The term "veteran" shall also

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include members of the National Guard and Reserves: (i) Called to active duty authorized by the

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President of the United States or the Secretary of Defense; or (ii) Who have twenty (20) years of

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service with a letter and record of separation of service.

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     (2) For the purposes of this section, "War Veteran" shall be defined as any veteran of any

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conflict or undeclared war who has earned a campaign ribbon or expeditionary medal for service

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in either a declared or undeclared war as noted on the war veteran's DD-214. Upon the death of

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the holder of any veteran plates, the plates shall be transferred to the surviving spouse for the

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spouse's lifetime until he or she remarries.

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     (g) The "veteran" or "war veteran" described in subdivisions (f)(1)(i) or (ii) and (f)(2)

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must have been honorably discharged from the armed forces of this nation in order to receive

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plates pursuant to this section and, for purposes of this section, a medical discharge or a general

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discharge shall be deemed an honorable discharge.

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     (h) Veterans who have served in multiple conflicts are entitled to be issued veterans'

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plates equal to the number of conflicts he or she served in; provided, the plates are limited to the

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number of vehicles owned by the veteran.

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     (i) A person shall be eligible for a veterans' plate if his or her deceased spouse was

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eligible for a veterans' plate, notwithstanding the fact that the eligible, deceased spouse died prior

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to the enactment of this section in 1988.

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     (j)(1) In addition to the decals listed in subsection (b) of this section, the applicant may

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request that an additional decal be affixed on the top left corner indicating that the applicant is a

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recipient of the following military honor;

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     (i) Congressional Medal of Honor;

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     (ii) Distinguished Flying Cross;

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     (iii) Navy/Army/Air Force Cross;

 

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     (iv) Silver Star medal; and

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     (v) Bronze Star medal.

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     (2) When making the request for such a decal, the applicant shall submit to the registrar a

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copy of the military order awarding the medal or a DD 214 documenting issuance of the medal.

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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 - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

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     This act would authorize the issuance of veteran plates with decals affixed to the top left

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corner for veterans who are recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying

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Cross, Silver Star and Bronze medal.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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