law23053

Chapter 053

2023 -- H 5265
Enacted 06/12/2023

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Solomon, Serpa, Casimiro, Corvese, Casey, Vella-Wilkinson, and Abney

Date Introduced: January 27, 2023

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 31-3-46, 31-3-48, 31-3-48.1, 31-3-48.2 and 31-3-62 of the General

Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" are hereby amended to read as follows:

31-3-46. P.O.W. plates.

The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall issue plates designated as “Ex-

P.O.W.” upon application on proper forms furnished by the administrator of the division of motor

vehicles to former prisoners of war (P.O.W.) of World Wars I and II, the Korean conflict, and

Vietnam conflict. The plates may be issued for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an

automobile, or a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs)

twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less. The applicant shall not be required to pay a

registration fee or service charge for the plate. Upon the death of the holder of any P.O.W. plates,

the plates shall be transferred to his or her the holder’s surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime

until he or she the spouse remarries.

31-3-48. Plates for recipients of Purple Heart.

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available to

recipients of the Purple Heart Medal up to two (2) sets of special motor vehicle registration plates

for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile or commercial vehicle having a

gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, indicating the owner as a recipient of

the Purple Heart.

(b) The plate shall contain the words “combat wounded” across the top of the plate and

shall have an insignia for the Purple Heart and be followed by the letters “P H”, followed by a

numeral or numerals. The Purple Heart insignia may be reproduced on the plate in the color purple.

to his or her the holder’s surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime until he or she the spouse

remarries.

(d) The applicant is not required to pay a registration fee or service charge for the plates.

(e) Upon the death of the holder of any Purple Heart plates, if there is no surviving spouse,

a family member of the recipient may retain one of the special motor vehicle registration plates in

his or her the family member’s own keeping, provided he or she the family member does not

display the plate upon any motor vehicle or any other form of transportation owned or operated by

the family member. The other Purple Heart plate must be returned to the division of motor vehicles.

(f) Any violation of the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall be deemed a civil

violation, and any person displaying a special motor vehicle registration plate upon any vehicle

shall, upon conviction, be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. Each day in which

the special motor vehicle registration plate is displayed upon any vehicle shall be a separate offense

punishable by the same penalty.

31-3-48.1. Plates for recipients of Distinguished Service Cross.

(a) The administrator of motor vehicles is empowered to make available to recipients of

the United States Army Distinguished Service Cross medal a special motor vehicle registration

plate for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile or commercial vehicle having

a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, indicating the owner as a recipient

of the distinguished service cross Distinguished Service Cross. The applicant shall be required to

pay a registration fee and a transfer charge of five dollars ($5.00) for the plate.

(b) The plate shall contain the words “Distinguished Service Cross” across the top of the

plate, shall bear an insignia for the distinguished service cross, and then a numeral or numerals.

be transferred to the surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime or until remarriage.

31-3-48.2. Plates for recipients of the Bronze Star Medal.

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available to

recipients of the United States Bronze Star Medal a special motor vehicle registration plate for any

motor vehicle eligible for registration as an automobile or commercial vehicle having a gross

weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, indicating the owner as a recipient of the

Bronze Star Medal. The applicant shall be required to pay a registration fee and a transfer charge

of five dollars ($5.00) for the plate.

(b) The plate shall contain the words “Bronze Star Medal” across the top of the plate, shall

bear an insignia for the Bronze Star Medal, and then a numeral or numerals.

transferred to the surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime or until remarriage.

31-3-62. National guard Guard plates.

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered and authorized to

make available to all active and retired members of the Rhode Island army Army and air national

guard Air National Guard a special motor vehicle registration plate for any motor vehicle eligible

for registration as an automobile or a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of eight thousand-

five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less.

(b) The special motor vehicle registration plate shall carry on it the designation “National

Guard” and shall also carry on it an emblem on the left-hand side of the plate to be designed and

provided by the office of the adjutant general, with the numerals to the right of it.

payment of a service charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) and a transfer charge of five dollars ($5.00)

for the plate. All revenues shall be deposited as general revenues.

(d) For the purposes of this section an active or retired member of the Rhode Island army

Army and air national guard Air National Guard shall be defined as any person certified by the

adjutant general as currently serving or having retired under honorable conditions in either the

Rhode Island army Army or air national guard Air National Guard.

(e) In a state of emergency, any active member of the army Army or air national guard Air

National Guard driving a vehicle bearing the special motor vehicle registration plate shall be

authorized and empowered to travel upon the highways of the state notwithstanding any driving

ban imposed by any state or municipal authority.

SECTION 2. Section 31-6-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-6 entitled "Registration

Fees" is hereby amended to read as follows:

31-6-8. Disabled veterans.

(a) Any veteran who has been honorably discharged from the service of the armed forces

or the merchant marine Merchant Marine of the United States in any of the wars or campaigns in

which the United States has been engaged and who, while engaged in these wars or campaigns or

as a result of engagement in these wars or campaigns, by reason of amputation, has lost one or both

of his or her the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or who, by reason of other permanent injury,

has lost the use of one or both of his or her the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or to whom

has been granted a motor vehicle under chapter 870-2D, United States Public Laws 663, enacted

1946, 79th Congress, or has suitable documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

to establish that the veteran:

(1) Has a combined service connected disability rating of one hundred percent (100%); or

(2) Is considered “individually unemployable” due to his or her the veteran’s service-

connected disability, shall be exempt from the payment of any fee for the annual registration of and

a license to operate that motor vehicle.

(b) The administrator for the division of motor vehicles shall issue to an eligible veteran

for use on an automobile, or on a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of six thousand three

hundred pounds (6,300 lbs.) twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, registration plates

designated “Disabled Veteran.” Upon the death of the holder of “Disabled Veteran” plates, the

plates may be transferred to his or her the veteran’s surviving spouse for his or her the spouse’s

lifetime or until he or she the spouse remarries. Only one set of “Disabled Veteran” plates shall

be issued to an eligible veteran and only after certification of eligibility from the Veterans’

Administration or other satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000833

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