2019 -- S 0901

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LC002671

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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 VEHICLES - INSPECTIONS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Morgan, Algiere, Paolino, de la Cruz, and Rogers

     Date Introduced: May 22, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-3.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3.1 entitled

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"Certificates of Title and Security Interests" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-3.1-4. Application for first certificate of title.

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     (a) The application for the first certificate of title of a vehicle in this state shall be made

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by the owner to the division of motor vehicles on the form it prescribes and shall contain:

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     (1) The name, residence, and mailing address of the owner;

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     (2) A description of the vehicle including, so far as the following data exists: its make,

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model, identifying number, type of body, the number of cylinders, and whether new or used;

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     (3) The date of purchase by applicant, the name and address of the person from whom the

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vehicle was acquired, and the names and addresses of any lienholders in the order of their priority

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and the dates of their security agreements; and

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     (4) Any further information the division reasonably requires to identify the vehicle and to

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enable it to determine whether the owner is entitled to a certificate of title, and the existence or

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nonexistence of security interests in the vehicle.

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     (b) If the application refers to a vehicle purchased from a dealer, it shall contain the name

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and address of any lienholder holding a security interest created or reserved at the time of the sale

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and the date of this security agreement and be signed by the dealer as well as the owner, and the

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dealer or buyer shall promptly mail or deliver the application to the division. The buyer shall also

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complete a security lien statement as provided in § 31-3.1-19.

 

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     (c) If the application refers to a vehicle last previously registered in another state or

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country, the application shall contain or be accompanied by:

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     (1) Any certificate of title issued by the other state or country;

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     (2) Any other information and documents the division reasonably requires to establish the

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ownership of the vehicle and the existence or nonexistence of security interest in it; and

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     (3) The certificate of a person authorized by law that the identifying number of the

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vehicle has been inspected and found to conform to the description given in the application, or

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any other proof of the identity of the vehicle the division reasonably requires.

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     (d) Chiefs of police, their designees, who shall be employees of the police department, or,

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in an emergency, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles or his or her designee shall

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conduct the inspection of the vehicle identifying number, and certify, on forms provided by the

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division, that it has been found to conform to the description given in the application or any other

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form of the identity of the vehicle the division reasonably requires. An inspection and

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certification fee of ten dollars ($10.00) shall be assessed against the applicant by the city or town

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whose police conduct the inspection. The inspection by the chiefs of police, or their designees,

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who shall be employees of the police department, shall be conducted at the local city or town

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police station, at a municipally owned building, or at a licensed new motor vehicle dealership.

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This provision eliminates the responsibility for the inspection to be performed by division

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personnel.

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     (1) Upon inspection of the vehicle identifying number as provided for in this section,

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each vehicle identification number shall be submitted for a National Crime Information Center

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(NCIC) check, and the results, sometimes called the "NCIC check number", shall be attached to

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the TR-5 form provided by the division or to any other form consistent with this provision that

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the division might reasonably require.

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     (e) No person, partnership, or corporation shall charge a fee in excess of ten dollars

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($10.00) for obtaining a certificate of title for a motor vehicle.

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     (f) In the town of Exeter, the town sergeant, or designees, who shall also be employees of

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the Exeter town sergeant's office, are authorized to conduct the inspection required by this

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section.

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     SECTION 2. Section 31-23.2-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-23.2 entitled

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"Tampering with Odometers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-23.2-10. Division of motor vehicles -- Odometer inspection.

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     (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws, the division of motor

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vehicles shall require the inspection by a member of a city or town police department, of the

 

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odometer of every motor vehicle purchased from a seller from outside the state of Rhode Island,

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prior to issuing a certificate of title in accordance with the provisions of § 31-23.2-6.

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     (b) For each vehicle inspected, the local police department may collect a fee of ten dollars

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($10.00).

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     (c) In the town of Exeter, the town sergeant, or designees, who shall also be employees of

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the Exeter town sergeant's office, are authorized to conduct the inspection required by this

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section.

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     SECTION 3. 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 VEHICLES - INSPECTIONS

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     This act would authorize the Exeter town sergeant or designees to conduct division of

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motor vehicles vehicle identifying number and odometer inspections.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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