Chapter 248
2017 -- S 0540 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 07/19/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- GOLD STAR FAMILIES

Introduced By: Senators Lynch Prata, and Gallo
Date Introduced: March 09, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-111 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled
"Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     31-3-111. Gold Star Parents Gold Star Families.
     (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is authorized and directed to issue
a special registration plate for the motor vehicles of all eligible members of a Gold Star Parents
Family.
     (b) For the purpose of this section, "Gold Star Parents Family" means a person who has
lost a son or a daughter as a result of service with the armed forces of the United States of
America eligible to receive a gold star lapel button as defined in 10 U.S.C. ยง1126; provided, the
death was determined to be in the line of duty.
     (c) The special plate designated "Gold Star Parent" shall be designed as follows: Gold
Star Family motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates, and shall
be designed by Gold Star Family members who are Rhode Island residents in conjunction with
the division of motor vehicles, with design approval by the Rhode Island state police.
     (1) Letters and numbers shall be blue in a white background with the words "Rhode
Island" clearly visible at the top center of the plate.
     (2) The background will be a red, white, and blue waving American Flag.
     (3) The top right corner is to bear the identification "Gold Star Parent".
     (d) The applicant shall not be required to pay a service charge or a transfer charge for
each plate.
     (e) The applicant shall be entitled to a plate for each vehicle owned by the applicant Only
one set of "Gold Star Family" plates shall be issued to an eligible family member and only after
satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.
     (f) The owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle and
having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less who is issued Gold Star
Parent Family plates shall continue to pay the appropriate commercial registration fee for those
plates. The owner of a motor vehicle eligible for registration as a commercial vehicle having a
gross weight of six thousand three hundred pounds (6,300 lbs.), but not more than twelve
thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.), shall sign an affidavit at the time of application for said plates
stating that the vehicle is to be used for personal use only.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC001768/SUB A
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