2022 -- H 7835

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LC005155

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ELECTRONIC VEHICLE RECOVERY

SERVICE ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Tobon, and Barros

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES"

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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 2.2

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ELECTRONIC VEHICLE RECOVERY SERVICE ACT

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     31-2.2-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Electronic Vehicle Recovery Service

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Act."

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     31-2.2-2. Electronic vehicle recovery service.

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     (a) For the purposes of this chapter, "electronic vehicle recovery service" means any

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aftermarket or factory installed vehicle tracking system that allows a vehicle, with the knowledge

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and consent of the owner, to be tracked by law enforcement, the purpose of which is to recover the

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vehicles in the event of theft.

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     (b) Upon the filing of a report of a stolen motor vehicle, and submission of an affidavit

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from the owner of the vehicle requesting that the law enforcement agency contact the provider of

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the vehicle's electronic recovery service, the service provider, upon receipt of notice from the law

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enforcement agency, shall activate the vehicle's electronic recovery service in order that the law

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enforcement agency may use the electronic vehicle recovery service to attempt to recover the

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vehicle.

 

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     (c) If a vehicle is equipped with an electronic recovery system that has not been activated

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at the time it is stolen, an electronic vehicle recovery service provider may, at the request of the

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owner, activate the system upon payment by the vehicle owner to the provider of the standard

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periodic subscription fee charged by the system provider.

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     (d) Nothing in this section prohibits an electronic vehicle recovery service provider from

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establishing protocols by which the provider can voluntarily activate the electronic vehicle recovery

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service at the request of the owner.

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     (e) All electronic vehicle recovery service providers registered to do business in this state,

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or submitting to the jurisdiction thereof, and all resellers of electronic vehicle recovery services

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shall submit their emergency contact information to the Rhode Island division of public safety's E-

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911 unit in order to facilitate requests from law enforcement agencies in accordance with the

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provisions of this chapter. This contact information must be submitted annually, on or before June

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1 of each year or immediately upon any change in said contact information.

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     (f) The Rhode Island division of public safety's E-911 unit shall maintain a database

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containing emergency contact information for all service providers registered to do business in this

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state, and shall make the information immediately available to all public safety and law

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enforcement agencies upon request.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ELECTRONIC VEHICLE RECOVERY

SERVICE ACT

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     This act would require that vehicle owners with electronic vehicle recovery systems in their

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vehicles submit an affidavit attesting to the theft of their motor vehicle prior to law enforcement

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contacting the recovery service provider for assistance in locating the vehicle.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005155

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