law19075

Chapter 075

2019 -- S 0625 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
Enacted 06/28/2019

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - RHODE ISLAND UNIFORM COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE ACT

Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

Date Introduced: March 14, 2019

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 31-10.3-19, 31-10.3-20, 31-10.3-23 and 31-10.3-30 of the General

Laws in Chapter 31-10.3 entitled "Rhode Island Uniform Commercial Driver's License Act" are

hereby amended to read as follows:

31-10.3-19. Examination of applicants.

(a) The department shall examine every applicant for a commercial license or learner's

permit. The examination shall include: (1) a A test of the applicant's eyesight to be administered

according to standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations; (2) his His or her ability to

read English in understanding highway signs regulating, warning, and directing traffic; (3) his

His or her knowledge of the traffic laws of this state; and (4) shall Shall include an actual

demonstration of ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in the operation of a motor

vehicle or combination of vehicles of the type covered by the license classification, endorsement,

or restrictions which the applicant is seeking. Each applicant shall successfully complete the skills

test in the following order:

(1) Pre-trip inspection;

(2) Basic vehicle controls skills; and

(3) On-road skills.

If an applicant fails one segment of the skills test, the applicant cannot continue to the

next segment of the test; however, scores for the passed segments of the skills test shall remain

valid and an applicant will not be required to retake the segments previously passed prior to

expiration of the commercial learner's permit. The examination may also include any further

physical and mental examinations that the department deems necessary to determine the

applicant's fitness to safely operate a motor vehicle upon the highways.

(b) A nonresident, who establishes residence in the state of Rhode Island and makes

application for a Rhode Island commercial license, shall not be required to demonstrate his or her

ability to operate a motor vehicle, unless the examiner has reason to believe such a demonstration

is needed; provided, that the nonresident surrenders a valid commercial license that was issued

under the requirements of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (see now 49 U.S.C.

§ 31101 et seq.); may be as amended from time to time by another state.

third-party testing for the skills tests required for commercial driver's licenses in accordance with

49 CFR Part 383, as it may be revised from time to time.

31-10.3-20. Fees.

The fees charged for commercial licenses, endorsements, classifications, restrictions, and

required examinations shall be as follows:

(1) For every commercial operator's first license, thirty dollars ($30.00);

(2) For every renewal of a commercial license, fifty dollars ($50.00);

(3) For every duplicate commercial license, ten dollars ($10.00);

(4) For every duplicate commercial instruction learner's permit, ten dollars ($10.00);

(5) For any change of:

(i) Classification(s), ten dollars ($10.00);

(ii) Endorsement(s), ten dollars ($10.00);

(iii) Restriction(s), ten dollars ($10.00);

(6) For every written and/or oral examination, ten dollars ($10.00);

(7) The Rhode Island board of education shall establish fees that are deemed necessary

for the Community College of Rhode Island to administer the skill test, not to exceed one

hundred dollars ($100);

(8) For every commercial learner's permit, sixty dollars ($60.00). Class P (learner's

permit) first license, thirty dollars ($30.00); and

(9) For every renewal of a commercial Class P (learner's permit) license, thirty dollars

($30.00).

31-10.3-23. Expiration of licenses.

Every commercial license issued by the department shall expire on the licensee's birth

date in the fifth year following the initial issuance, excluding commercial learner's permits Class

P (learner's permit) licenses which shall expire one year hundred eighty (180) days from the date

of initial issuance, and excluding a first issuance which shall expire on the licensee's birth date in

the second year following initial issuance.

31-10.3-30. Commercial driver's license required.

(a) Except when operating under a commercial instruction learner's permit and

accompanied by the holder of a commercial license valid for the vehicle being operated, no

person shall operate a commercial motor vehicle unless the person has been issued a valid

commercial driver's license containing the endorsements, classifications, or restrictions applicable

to the type of vehicle being operated.

(b) No person shall be issued a commercial driver's license until he or she has passed a

written and driving test for the operation of a commercial motor vehicle which that complies

with the minimum federal standards in 49 C.F.R. Part 383, as revised from time to time, and has

satisfied all other federal requirements as well as any other requirements imposed by state law

subject to the provisions of § 31-10.3-19(a). The tests shall be prescribed and conducted by the

department or a third party designated by the department.

operate, commercial motor vehicles and who is domiciled in this state.

(d) A commercial license shall not be issued to a person during a period in which that

person is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle or while that person's license is

suspended, revoked, cancelled, or otherwise withdrawn in any state or province of Canada; nor

shall a commercial driver's license be issued to a person who has a license issued by any other

state unless the person first surrenders the commercial driver's license issued by the other state,

which license shall be returned to the issuing state for cancellation.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2020.

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