2025 -- H 5050

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LC000156

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Casey, J. Brien, Cruz, Alzate, Stewart, Voas,
Giraldo, Messier, and Marszalkowski

     Date Introduced: January 15, 2025

     Referred To: House Special Legislation

     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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     31-3-130. Special plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc.

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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 Blackstone Valley Tourism

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Council, Inc. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit entity Blackstone Valley

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Tourism Council, Inc. and the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education

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Fund.

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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 Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. motor vehicle plates shall be the same

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size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Blackstone Valley Tourism

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Council, Inc. 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 Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. plates shall be subject to compliance with

 

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§ 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate type (i.e.,

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passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council,

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

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will be handled by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. and shall not be submitted to the

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

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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, Blackstone Valley

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Tourism Council, Inc. 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 Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. to provide funding for

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the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education Fund.

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

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to the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc.

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     (i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Blackstone Valley

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Tourism Council, Inc. plates, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. 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) Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. 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 Blackstone Valley Tourism Council,

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Inc. plates.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon 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 create a special license plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council,

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Inc. that would support the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education Fund.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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