Chapter 220

2005 -- S 0503 SUBSTITUTE A

Enacted 07/08/05

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

Introduced By: Senators Felag, Gallo, Connors, Badeau, and C Levesque

Date Introduced: February 10, 2005

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 31-3-17.4 and 31-3-46 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3

entitled "Registration of Vehicles" are hereby amended to read as follows:

31-3-17.4. Firefighter plates. -- (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is

empowered and authorized to make available to all active firefighters and retired firefighters a

special motor vehicle registration plate for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an

automobile or commercial vehicle having a gross weight of eight ten thousand five hundred

pounds (8,500 10,000 lbs.) or less.

      (b) The special motor vehicle registration plate shall carry on it the designation

"Firefighter" and a Maltese cross with the design provided by the Rhode Island Association of

Fire Chiefs.

      (c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall issue the plate upon

payment of a service charge of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and a transfer charge of five dollars

($5.00) for the plate, of which fifteen dollars ($15.00) shall be deposited to the division of motor

vehicles manufacturing account.

      (d) For the purpose of this section an active or retired member of any fire department

shall be defined as any person certified by the chief of the fire department as currently a member

of said department with at least one year active service or retired under honorable condition as a

firefighter.

      (e) In a state of emergency, any active member of a fire department driving a vehicle

bearing the special motor vehicle registration plate shall be authorized and empowered to travel

upon the highways of the state notwithstanding any driving ban imposed by the state or municipal

authority in accordance with their official duties.

31-3-46. P.O.W. plates. -- The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall issue

plates designated as "Ex-P.O.W." upon application on proper forms furnished by the

administrator of the division of motor vehicles to former prisoners of war (P.O.W.) of World

Wars I and II, the Korean conflict, and Vietnam conflict. The plates may be issued for any motor

vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile, or a commercial vehicle having a gross weight

of six ten thousand pounds (6,000 10,000 lbs) or less. The applicant shall not be required to pay a

registration fee or service charge for the plate. Upon the death of the holder of any P.O.W. plates,

the plates shall be transferred to his or her surviving spouse for the spouse's lifetime until he or

she remarries.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.     

=======

LC01749/SUB A

=======