2023 -- H 5767 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC001982/SUB A

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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 -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Baginski, Finkelman, and Solomon

     Date Introduced: February 21, 2023

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-3-3. Application for registration.

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     (a) Every owner of a vehicle subject to registration under this chapter shall apply to the

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division of motor vehicles for the registration of it using the appropriate form or forms furnished

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by the division of motor vehicles. Every application shall bear the signature of the owner written

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with pen and ink and the signature shall be acknowledged by the owner before a person authorized

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to administer oaths or as authorized in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and the

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application shall contain:

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     (1)(a) The name, city or town of bona fide residence, actual residence address and mail

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address of the owner as appearing on the owner’s motor vehicle operator’s license or state

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identification card issued pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8 of title 3, or business address of

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the owner if a firm, association, or if a corporation, the name of the city or town in which the vehicle

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is physically and primarily housed. For purposes of this section “physically and primarily housed”

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is defined as that city or town in which the vehicle is housed for a period or periods of time greater

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than in any other city or town in the state of Rhode Island. The division of motor vehicles may

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substitute other indicators of residence when necessary.

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     (2)(b) A description of the vehicle, including, insofar as this specified data may exist with

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respect to a given vehicle, the make, model, type of body, the number of cylinders, the serial number

 

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of the vehicle, and the engine or other number of the vehicle. In the event a vehicle is designed,

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constructed, converted, or rebuilt for the transportation of property, the application shall include a

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statement of its capacity in terms of maximum gross vehicle weight rating as authorized by the

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manufacturer of the chassis or the complete vehicle.

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     (3)(c) A statement whether liability insurance is carried on the vehicle, and, if there is

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liability insurance, the name of the carrier, policy number, and effective dates of the policy.

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     (4)(d) Any further information as may reasonably be required by the division of motor

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vehicles to enable it to determine whether the vehicle is lawfully entitled to registration.

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     (5)(e) The exact mileage reading from the motor vehicle on the date of application.

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     (b) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall prescribe and/or approve a

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limited power-of-attorney form, which may be used in connection with applications for vehicle

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registrations in satisfaction of the provision of subsection (a) of this section.

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     (c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules and

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regulations in order to effectuate the purpose and requirements of using a limited power of attorney

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form to register a vehicle. The rules and regulations shall require that the limited power of attorney

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form includes an attestation of the owner of the vehicle granting another identified person

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permission to register the vehicle on behalf of the owner. The limited power of attorney shall be

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witnessed and executed before a notary public an identify the information described in subsections

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(a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.

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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 require the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to prescribe or

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approve power-of-attorney forms to be used in connection with vehicle registrations.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2024.

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