2024 -- S 2240

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, DiMario, F. Lombardi, Felag, and Gu

     Date Introduced: January 24, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     31-3-127. Special plate for the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation.

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

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special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity Commercial Fisheries Research

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Foundation. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit entity Commercial Fisheries

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Research Foundation.

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     (b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the

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vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the

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registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be

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removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate

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for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate

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shall be in effect for the special plate.

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     (c) The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation motor vehicle plates shall be the same

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size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Commercial Fisheries Research

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Foundation in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the

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Rhode Island state police.

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     (d) The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation plates shall be subject to a compliance

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with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum pre-paid order of plates per plate type (i.e.

 

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passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Commercial Fisheries Research

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Foundation plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial

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order will be handled by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and shall not be submitted

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to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the

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proper paper work submitted to the division.

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     (e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other

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procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

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     (f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Commercial

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Fisheries Research Foundation plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.

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     (g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty

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dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00)

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shall be distributed annually to the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation to conduct

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collaborative fisheries research and education projects to advance the achievement of sustainable

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fisheries.

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     (h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated

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to the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation.

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     (i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Commercial Fisheries

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Research Foundation plates, the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation must use any Rhode

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Island sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island based charitable organizations.

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     (j) Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation will be required to submit an annual

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accounting report before such monies are distributed.

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     (k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Commercial Fisheries Research

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Foundation plates.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

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     This act would authorize the division of motor vehicles to issue special license plates in

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recognition of The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation.

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     This act would take effect six (6) months after passage.

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