2023 -- H 5464

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LC001406

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Finkelman, Noret, Dawson, Caldwell, O'Brien, Abney,
Carson, and Cortvriend

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2023

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     (RI Bridge and Turnpike Authority)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 24-12-37 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-12 entitled "Rhode

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Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     24-12-37. Penalty for nonpayment of toll — Toll violators and toll evaders.

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     (a) Legislative findings. The general assembly finds as follows:

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     (1) That all users of any tolled projects should be required to timely pay for the use of such

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projects;

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     (2) That toll violators and toll evaders unfairly shift the financial burden of maintaining the

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tolled projects to other project users; and

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     (3) Rhode Island has a strong interest in ensuring that its transportation infrastructure is

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adequately funded in a fair and equitable manner.

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     (b) In each instance when a person fails or refuses to pay or prepay the required toll on a

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tolled project, and is issued a violation for the same, the toll violator shall pay the toll amount within

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fourteen (14) thirty (30) days of issuance of the violation.

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     (c) Any toll violator who fails to pay the toll amount due within the fourteen-day (14) thirty

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(30) day period in subsection (b) shall immediately incur a forty-dollar ($40.00) administrative fee

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in addition to the unpaid toll amount.

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     (d) Any toll violator who fails to pay the administrative fee and unpaid toll as required by

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subsection (c) within forty-five (45) days of the issuance of the original violation, shall incur a

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thirty five-dollar ($35.00) administrative fee in addition to the forty dollar ($40.00) administrative

 

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fee and the unpaid toll amount. The toll amount and administrative fees shall be paid to the

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authority.

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     (e) Toll evaders shall be responsible for any tolls and administrative fees applicable to toll

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violators. Further, at the request of the authority, any toll evader shall also promptly receive a traffic

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violation summons that shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island traffic tribunal,

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which may suspend the toll evader’s driver’s license for up to six (6) months for the violations and

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assess a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500), or both. All tolls, administrative fees, and fines

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shall be payable to the authority.

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     (f) If any unpaid toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines are not paid within ninety (90)

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days of the issuance of the original violation, and the toll violator has incurred at least ten (10)

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instances in which such toll violator has failed to pay any required toll amounts, administrative

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fees, and fines, then the authority may report the person as a toll violator, or, if appropriate, as a

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toll evader, to the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles, who then shall not permit that person

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to renew his or her driver’s license and vehicle registration until any unpaid toll amounts,

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administrative fees, and fines are paid to the authority. Upon the authority’s receipt of such payment

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or a written repayment agreement between the person and the authority, the authority shall promptly

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issue a verbal, written, or electric confirmation showing the amounts paid and a certification that

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the person does not owe any amounts to the authority or has otherwise made satisfactory repayment

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arrangements with the authority. In any such case, the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles shall

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forthwith release any hold placed for this purpose on the person’s license renewal and vehicle

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registration renewal. If a person who made satisfactory repayment arrangements with the authority

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subsequently fails to honor and comply with such arrangements with the authority according to

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their terms, the authority may re-report the person to the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles

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which shall then prohibit that person from renewing their driver’s license and vehicle registration

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until the originally unpaid toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines are paid to the authority.

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     (g) “Toll violator” means, for the purposes of this section, any person who uses any project

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and fails to pay or prepay the required toll.

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     (h) “Toll evader” means, for the purposes of this section, any person who uses a project,

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fails or refuses to pay or prepay the required toll, and deliberately circumvents or proceeds around

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or through a gate or other barrier on a project; and/or any toll violator who fails or refuses to pay

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or prepay the required toll on a tolled project at least twenty (20) or more times, received at least

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three (3) written notices from the authority (or its agent) regarding the non-payment of tolls, and is

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not a party to, or in current compliance with, a written repayment plan with the authority.

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     (i) The authority may promulgate appropriate rules and regulations to ensure the proper

 

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administration of the provisions of this section. Any person aggrieved by the authority’s assessment

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of any administrative fees may request review of such assessment through the process established

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by the authority, which shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42.

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     (j) For the purposes of this section only, “person” means the registered owner, EZPass

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account holder, driver, rentee, or lessee of a motor vehicle.

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     (k) This section shall apply retroactively to all persons who are toll evaders as of the

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effective date of this act [October 1, 2016].

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     (l) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to reduce or otherwise eliminate

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any tolls, fines, or penalties a person owes to the authority based upon violations occurring prior to

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the effective date of this act [October 1, 2016].

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     (m) It is unlawful for any person or business, other than an authorized representative of the

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authority, or any other duly authorized and existing toll or transportation agency, to sell, lease, rent,

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or offer for sale, lease or rent, any tokens, tickets, passes, transponders, or other evidences of

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payment issued for passage on any project. Any person or business who or that is found in violation

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of this subsection shall be punished, for each offense, by a fine of not more than five hundred

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dollars ($500).

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     (n) If any provision of this section or its application to any person is deemed invalid, any

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such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions of this section that may lawfully be given effect

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without the invalid provision.

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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 HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY

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     This act would extend the time for payment of toll violations from fourteen (14) days to

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thirty (30) days from the issuance of the violation.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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