2024 -- S 2264

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LC004907

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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 PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TAXICABS AND LIMITED

PUBLIC MOTOR VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Quezada, and Acosta

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-14-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-14 entitled "Taxicabs

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and Limited Public Motor Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-14-18. Proof of financial responsibility.

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     The owner of every taxicab or limited public motor vehicle shall, before operating or

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continuing to operate a taxicab or limited public motor vehicle on the public highways of this state,

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furnish to the division of public utilities and carriers, a certificate of insurance issued by an

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insurance company authorized to transact business in this state, showing that the owner has a policy

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insuring him or her against liability for injury to persons and damage to property that may be caused

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by the operation of the taxicab or limited public motor vehicle, such policy to provide for indemnity

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in the sum of not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) two hundred thousand dollars

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($200,000) combined, single limit, or two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) one hundred

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thousand dollars ($100,000) per person, five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) three hundred

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thousand dollars ($300,000) per accident bodily injury and one hundred thousand dollars

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($100,000) property damage split limit.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 39-14 of the General Laws entitled "Taxicabs and Limited Public

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Motor Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     39-14-27. Rules governing transportation of passengers via taxicabs.

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     The following provisions shall govern the operation of taxicabs used to transport

 

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passengers, notwithstanding any regulations to the contrary:

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     (1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no taxicab shall operate beyond an

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odometer reading of three hundred thousand (300,000) miles or ten (10) years of service, whichever

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is the first to occur.

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     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no motor vehicle shall initially be

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put in service as a taxicab if the vehicle is more than ten (10) years old.

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     (3) An exception may be granted to subsections (1) and (2) of this section in cases involving

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vehicles in extraordinary condition. The certificate holder may petition the administrator of the

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division of public utilities (the "administrator") for an exemption from the prohibitions provided in

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subsections (1) and (2) of this section. In order to be granted an exemption, the petitioner shall

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demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the administrator, that the vehicle to be used as a taxicab would

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be as acceptable to the public as the newer taxicabs mandated under the rules and regulations of

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the division of public utilities; that the vehicle has few, if any, of the interior and exterior wear

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signs concomitant with vehicles of that older vintage; and that the vehicle appears and functions in

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relatively "original" condition.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC004907

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TAXICABS AND LIMITED

PUBLIC MOTOR VEHICLES

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     This act would amend requirements regarding how taxicabs can be placed into service.

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This act would provide that taxicabs may stay and be used in service for up to three hundred

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thousand (300,000) miles or ten (10) years, whichever comes first. These limits could be extended

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if the administrator of the division of public utilities determined the vehicle was still in sufficiently

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good condition. This act would also reduce the minimum level of insurance required for each

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taxicab to two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) combined single limit or one hundred thousand

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dollars ($100,000) per person, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) per accident.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004907

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