2023 -- H 5769

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LC001942

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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 -- PARKING FACILITIES AND

PRIVILEGES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Corvese, Azzinaro, O'Brien, Kennedy, Noret, Biah,
Costantino, and Lima

     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 31-28-7.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-28 entitled "Parking

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Facilities and Privileges" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-28-7.3. Disability parking enforcement program.

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     (a) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol

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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, governor's

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commission on disabilities, and the state operated colleges shall establish a disability parking

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enforcement enhancement programs no later than January 1, 2000. The program will be designed

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to improve enforcement of disability parking laws on state-owned property and in parking facilities

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serving space leased or owned by the state, including state departments, agencies, boards,

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commissions, and quasi-governmental corporations. Citations issued in conjunction with this

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program shall be submitted to the traffic tribunal or its successor entity for collection pursuant to

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§§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1 and the fines collected through shall be paid over to the state agency or

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college that issued the citation.

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     (b) The several cities and towns shall establish disability parking enforcement enhancement

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programs. Citations issued in conjunction with local enforcement programs shall be submitted to

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the municipal court, where established, or to the traffic tribunal or its successor entity. Fines

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collected through citations issued in accordance with local enforcement program specifications

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shall be paid over to the city or town or pursuant to §§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1.

 

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     (c) Disability parking enforcement enhancement plans.

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     (1) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol

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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state

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operated colleges shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the governor’s

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commission on disabilities.

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     (2) Cities and towns shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the

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governor’s commission on the disability.

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     (3) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plans shall describe the enforcement

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program which the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation,

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capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals,

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governor's commission on disabilities, the state operated colleges or the municipality intends to

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establish.

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     (4) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plan shall be reviewed by governor’s

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commission on disabilities within sixty (60) days of receipt and suggest improvements to the

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disability parking enforcement enhancement plans, that shall not be construed as required

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amendments.

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     (d) The types of disability parking enforcement enhancement programs which may be put

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in place in each municipality, and by the state police, department of environmental management,

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airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities

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and hospitals, governor's commission on disabilities, and the state operated colleges, may include,

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but shall not be limited to:

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     (1) Enforcement programs which utilize persons deputized for the purpose of the disability

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parking enforcement enhancement program. The disability parking enforcement deputies shall be

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required to complete a minimum of four (4) hours training in parking enforcement before being

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assigned to the program. Each municipality and the state police, department of environmental

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management, airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare,

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developmental disabilities and hospitals, governor's commission on disabilities, and the state

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operated colleges shall provide adequate training and shall assume all liability associated with

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disability parking enforcement.

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     (2) Enforcement programs which specifically designate paid and trained personnel as staff

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for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program. These personnel are not limited to

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on-duty police officers, but may also include officers to be paid overtime, auxiliary personnel,

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special forces, retired personnel, and other paid employee deemed by the responsible authority to

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be competent and qualified.

 

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     (e) Beginning January 1, 2024 and on each January 1 thereafter, cities and towns and the

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state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol police,

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department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state

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operated colleges shall be required to submit to the governor’s commission on disabilities an annual

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progress report chronicling the collections of fines, procedures used, convictions, and any problems

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or successes which result from the disability parking enforcement enhancement program.

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Following receipt of an annual program report, the governor’s commission on disabilities may

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suggest improvements to a disability parking enforcement enhancement program.

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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 -- PARKING FACILITIES AND

PRIVILEGES

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     This act would include the governor’s commission on disabilities in the decision making

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process for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program and require an annual report

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be submitted to the governor’s commission.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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