It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

31-3-5. Grounds for refusal of registration -- The division of motor vehicles shall refuse registration or any transfer of registration upon any of the following grounds:

(a) That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement or that the applicant has failed to furnish required information or reasonable additional information requested by the registry or that the applicant is not entitled to the issuance of registration of the vehicle under chapters 3 -- 9, inclusive, of this title.

(b) That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated upon the highways.

(c) That the registry has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle is a stolen or embezzled vehicle or that the granting of registration would constitute a fraud against the rightful owner.

(d) That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked for any reason as provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state.

(e) That the vehicle has been reported by any city or town to the registry as having unpaid fines in the aggregate amount of two hundred dollars ($200) or more; provided, the registration shall be issued upon presentation of proof of payment of the outstanding fines owed to the cities or towns reporting the unpaid fines. The sum of two hundred dollars ($200) shall represent the aggregate value of the sum of the fines on the face of the ticket(s) and shall not include interest, penalties, or any other monetary amount which may be imposed for failure to pay the ticket(s) or summons(es) by a specified date. Before the registry shall deny a registration to any person pursuant to this subsection, it shall have first received a five dollar ($5.00) fee for each request from the city or town requesting the denial of registration, which fee may be added to the aggregate value of the sum of the fines.

(f) That the vehicle does not comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to section 23-23-5(18), entitled "Air Pollution".

(g) That the vehicle does not comply with the provisions of chapter 47.1 of this title and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(h) That a commercial motor vehicle is being operated by a commercial motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce by a federal agency with authority to do so under federal law.

SECTION 2. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Motor and Other Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

31-3-69. Registration suspension based on federal determination. -- The Division of Motor Vehicles is authorized to suspend the registration of a commercial motor vehicle if the commercial motor vehicle is being operated by a commercial motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce by a federal agency with authority to do so under federal law.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.