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2013 -- H 5254 | |
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LC00813 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- NEXT-OF-KIN ACCIDENT | |
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IDENTIFICATION | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Baldelli-Hunt, Costantino, Marcello, DeSimone, and Palumbo | |
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Date Introduced: February 05, 2013 | |
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Referred To: House Judiciary | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 31-10 of the General Laws entitled "Operators' and Chauffeurs' |
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Licenses" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections: |
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31-10-33.1. Next-of-kin identification registry program. – (a) By January 1, 2015, the |
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administrator of the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles shall develop and implement an |
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Internet next-of-kin registry program. Under the program, the holder of any Rhode Island driver's |
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license or non-driver identification card shall have the opportunity to voluntarily submit, via the |
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Internet, the name and telephone number of three (3) emergency contacts to the division of motor |
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vehicles. |
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(b) In implementing this program, the administrator shall establish a process whereby the |
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holder of any driver's license or non-driver identification card may electronically sign onto the |
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division of motor vehicles’ website using his or her driver's license number or non-driver |
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identification card number. The licensee or cardholder may then submit the name and telephone |
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number of up to three (3) emergency contacts to the division of motor vehicles’ official website. |
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A licensee or cardholder who submits the name and telephone number of an emergency contact |
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shall have the opportunity to revise or update the emergency contact information at any time. |
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(c) Once implemented, the administrator shall be responsible for establishing and |
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maintaining a standardized and automated statewide registry capable of storing and distributing |
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emergency contact information to law enforcement officials. The administrator shall strive to |
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ensure that the information contained in the Internet registry is updated as appropriate in a timely |
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and efficient manner. |
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(d) Information in the registry shall be accessible only by law enforcement officials and |
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employees of the division of motor vehicles that are designated by the administrator. Any |
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emergency contact information submitted to the division of motor vehicles shall not be |
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considered a public record pursuant to chapter 38-2-1 et seq. |
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(e) For the purposes of this section, “emergency contact person” or “emergency contact” |
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means a person, eighteen (18) years of age or older, who the holder of any Rhode Island driver's |
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license or non-driver identification card designated to be contacted by law enforcement personnel |
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when the licensee or card holder is rendered unable to communicate due to a motor vehicle |
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accident resulting in the serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of the licensee or card |
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holder. An “emergency contact person” or “emergency contact” may or may not be the next-of- |
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kin of the licensee or cardholder; except that if the licensee or cardholder is under the age of |
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eighteen (18) and is not emancipated, the emergency contact person shall be the parent or |
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guardian of that licensee or cardholder. |
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31-10-33.2. Emergency contact information. – When a motor vehicle accident results |
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in the serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of a driver or any passenger, the law |
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enforcement officer investigating the motor vehicle accident shall attempt to locate an emergency |
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contact person by accessing the emergency contact database established pursuant to section 31- |
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10-33.1. That law enforcement officer shall, when practicable, expeditiously notify the |
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emergency contact of any person involved in the motor vehicle accident and inform the |
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emergency contact of the hospital or other location at which the driver or passenger may be |
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receiving medical treatment. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall be implemented no later |
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than January 1, 2014. |
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LC00813 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- NEXT-OF-KIN ACCIDENT | |
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IDENTIFICATION | |
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*** | |
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This act would establish a “next-of-kin” program with the state division of motor vehicles |
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which allows any holder of a Rhode Island driver’s license or non-driver identification card to |
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voluntary submit, via Internet, the name and telephone number of up to three (3) of his or her |
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emergency contact persons to the division of motor vehicles. It would provide access to this |
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information to law enforcement officials, especially when a motor vehicle accident results in the |
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serious bodily injury, death, or incapacitation of a driver or passenger. |
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This act would take effect upon passage and would be implemented no later than January |
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1, 2014. |
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LC00813 | |
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