2013 -- H 6262 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC02817/SUB A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Baldelli-Hunt, Bennett, Shekarchi, Casey, and Nunes

     Date Introduced: June 20, 2013

     Referred To: House Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-7-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-7 entitled "Foreign

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Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-7-1. Right to operate on foreign registration. -- (a) A nonresident owner, except as

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otherwise provided in sections 31-7-2 and 31-7-3, owning any foreign vehicle of a type otherwise

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subject to registration pursuant to this title, may operate or permit the operation of that vehicle

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within this state without registering the vehicle in, or paying any fees to, this state subject to the

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condition that the vehicle at all times when operated in this state is duly registered in, and

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displays upon it a valid registration card and registration plate or plates issued for that vehicle in

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the place of residence of that owner.

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      (b) Any foreign vehicle(s) parked or garaged overnight in this state for more than thirty

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(30) days in the aggregate in any one year which is owned and/or operated by a resident of this

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state as defined in section 31-1-18 shall register the vehicle(s) and pay the same fee that is

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required with reference to like vehicle(s) owned by residents of this state. The state police and

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local police departments, upon observation of foreign registered vehicle present within the state

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for thirty (30) days or more shall identify the owner of the vehicle and, if a Rhode Island resident,

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provide a notice containing a copy of this section to the owner, and to the tax assessor in the city

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or town in which the vehicle is located.

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      (c) Any domiciled resident of this state who owns a vehicle which is registered in

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another state shall file an annual report with the administrator of the division of motor vehicles of

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this state and with the tax assessor of the city or town in which the domiciled resident resides,

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stating the make, model, year, and validation of the vehicle and the reason for registering the

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vehicle in the foreign state. Failure to comply with the terms of this subsection shall be subject to

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a civil fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for every foreign vehicle. This provision

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shall not apply to military personnel assigned to duty outside of the state of Rhode Island and for

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a period of thirty (30) days after discharge.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02817/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLES

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     This act would require law enforcement to report the presence of foreign owned vehicles

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owned by Rhode Island residents to the tax assessor of the city or town in which the vehicle is

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located and to provide notice to the registered owner of the requirements of this section.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC02817/SUB A

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