2023 -- H 5699

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LC001143

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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 MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- THE MATTHEW O'GARA ACT OF

2022

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Noret, Casimiro, Corvese, Finkelman, O'Brien, Serpa,
Vella-Wilkinson, Shanley, Baginski, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: February 17, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Matthew O'Gara Act of

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2022."

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-26-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-26 entitled "Accidents

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and Accident Reports" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-26-1. Duty to stop in accidents resulting in personal injury Duty to stop in accidents

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resulting in personal injury -- The Matthew O'Gara Act of 2022.

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     (a) The driver of any vehicle knowingly involved in an accident resulting in injury to,

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serious bodily injury to, or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of

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the accident or as close to it as possible, but shall then immediately return to and in every event

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shall remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of § 31-26-

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3. A stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.

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     (b) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under

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circumstances which result in injury to any person shall upon conviction be punished by a

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mandatory loss of license for at least one year and not more than five (5) years and imprisonment

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for not less than eighteen (18) months and not more than five (5) years, and/or fined plus a fine of

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up to five thousand dollars ($5,000).

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     (c)(1) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under

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circumstances which result in serious bodily injury to any person shall upon conviction be punished

 

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as follows:

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     (i) Every person convicted of a first violation shall be punished by imprisonment for not

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less than one year eighteen (18) months and for not more than ten (10) years and by a fine of not

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less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). The

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sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person to any unit of the adult correctional

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institutions. Additionally, the license of the person shall be revoked for a period of up to at least

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two (2) years and not more than ten (10) years. The license privilege shall not be reinstated until

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evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no

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grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue a license and until the person gives proof of

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financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.

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     (ii) For a second or subsequent conviction under this subsection within a five (5) year

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period, a person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than

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fifteen (15) years and by a fine of not less than three thousand dollars ($3,000) nor more than ten

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thousand dollars ($10,000). The sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person

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to any unit of the adult correctional institutions. Additionally, the license of the person shall be

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revoked for a period of up to at least four (4) years and not more than fifteen (15) years. The license

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privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of

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motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue a license

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and until the person gives proof of financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.

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     (2) As used in this subsection, “serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a

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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment

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of the function of any bodily member or organ.

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     (d) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under

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circumstances which result in the death of any person, shall upon conviction be punished pursuant

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to the provisions of this subsection as follows:

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     (1) Every person convicted of a first violation of this subsection shall be punished by

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imprisonment in the state prison for not less than two (2) five (5) years and for not more than fifteen

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(15) years, in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge,

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by a fine of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) ten thousand dollars ($10,000) nor more

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than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), and his or her license to

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operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked for a period of three (3) not less than five (5) years and

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not more than fifteen (15) years. The license privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence

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satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist

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which would authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the person gives proof of financial

 

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responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.

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     (2) Every person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this subsection within a

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five (5) year period shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than five (5)

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years and for not more than twenty (20) years, in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in

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the discretion of the sentencing judge, by a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) nor

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more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and his or her license to operate a motor vehicle shall

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be revoked for a period of not less than five (5) years and may be permanently revoked. The If less

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than a permanent revocation is imposed the license privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence

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satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist

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which would authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the person gives proof of financial

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responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.

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     (e) This section shall apply in its entirety to any driver of a motor vehicle knowingly

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involved in an accident with a pedestrian or a person riding a bicycle.

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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 -- THE MATTHEW O'GARA ACT OF

2022

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     This act would increase the penalties for a first offense of leaving the scene of an accident

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resulting in death to a minimum five (5) years in incarceration, a minimum of ten thousand dollars

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($10,000) and a minimum license revocation of five (5) years.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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