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 | |
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Introduced By: Senators Quezada, and Acosta | |
Date Introduced: February 12, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Commerce | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 39-14-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-14 entitled "Taxicabs |
2 | and Limited Public Motor Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 39-14-18. Proof of financial responsibility. |
4 | The owner of every taxicab or limited public motor vehicle shall, before operating or |
5 | continuing to operate a taxicab or limited public motor vehicle on the public highways of this state, |
6 | furnish to the division of public utilities and carriers, a certificate of insurance issued by an |
7 | insurance company authorized to transact business in this state, showing that the owner has a policy |
8 | insuring him or her against liability for injury to persons and damage to property that may be caused |
9 | by the operation of the taxicab or limited public motor vehicle, such policy to provide for indemnity |
10 | in the sum of not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) two hundred thousand dollars |
11 | ($200,000) combined, single limit, or two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) one hundred |
12 | thousand dollars ($100,000) per person, five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) three hundred |
13 | thousand dollars ($300,000) per accident bodily injury and one hundred thousand dollars |
14 | ($100,000) property damage split limit. |
15 | SECTION 2. Chapter 39-14 of the General Laws entitled "Taxicabs and Limited Public |
16 | Motor Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
17 | 39-14-27. Rules governing transportation of passengers via taxicabs. |
18 | The following provisions shall govern the operation of taxicabs used to transport |
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1 | passengers, notwithstanding any regulations to the contrary: |
2 | (1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no taxicab shall operate beyond an |
3 | odometer reading of three hundred thousand (300,000) miles or ten (10) years of service, whichever |
4 | is the first to occur. |
5 | (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no motor vehicle shall initially be |
6 | put in service as a taxicab if the vehicle is more than ten (10) years old. |
7 | (3) An exception may be granted to subsections (1) and (2) of this section in cases involving |
8 | vehicles in extraordinary condition. The certificate holder may petition the administrator of the |
9 | division of public utilities (the "administrator") for an exemption from the prohibitions provided in |
10 | subsections (1) and (2) of this section. In order to be granted an exemption, the petitioner shall |
11 | demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the administrator, that the vehicle to be used as a taxicab would |
12 | be as acceptable to the public as the newer taxicabs mandated under the rules and regulations of |
13 | the division of public utilities; that the vehicle has few, if any, of the interior and exterior wear |
14 | signs concomitant with vehicles of that older vintage; and that the vehicle appears and functions in |
15 | relatively "original" condition. |
16 | 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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1 | This act would amend requirements regarding how taxicabs can be placed into service. |
2 | This act would provide that taxicabs may stay and be used in service for up to three hundred |
3 | thousand (300,000) miles or ten (10) years, whichever comes first. These limits could be extended |
4 | if the administrator of the division of public utilities determined the vehicle was still in sufficiently |
5 | good condition. This act would also reduce the minimum level of insurance required for each |
6 | taxicab to two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) combined single limit or one hundred thousand |
7 | dollars ($100,000) per person, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) per accident. |
8 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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