2026 -- H 7048

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LC003131

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, O'Brien, Phillips, and Corvese

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2026

     Referred To: House Special Legislation

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-80 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration

of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-3-80. Reserve Forces 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 United States Reserve Forces of Rhode

Island 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 “US

Reserve Forces” and shall carry on it the titles (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and

Coast Guard) arranged on the left hand side of the plate from top to bottom in this order of

precedence, with numerals to the right of the titles and over the United States flag on the plate.

     (c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall issue the plate upon 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 United States Reserve

Forces shall be defined as currently serving or having retired under honorable conditions from any

of the Reserve Forces other than the Rhode Island Army or Air National Guard.

     (e) In a national state of emergency, any active member of the United States Reserve Forces

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.

     (f) No US Reserve Forces plates shall be issued until at least nine hundred (900) such plates

have been ordered.

     (g) A DD 214 showing "honorable discharge" shall be furnished to the division of motor

vehicles for issuance.

     (h)(1) Passenger vehicles shall be renewed every two (2) years, and the renewal month

shall be based on the first letter of a registered owner's last name, or the first letter of the name of

the company of which the vehicles are registered.

     (2) Commercial vehicles, as defined in subsection (a) of this section, shall be renewed

annually in March.

     (i) Upon the death of the veteran, the plates may be transferred to the holder's surviving

spouse for the spouse's lifetime unless or until the spouse remarries.

     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 raise the gross weight of a vehicle eligible for reserve forces plates from

eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) to twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) and have

the United States flag on the plates. The act would also spell out the requirements for proof of

honorable discharge to be furnished to the division of motor vehicles and the renewal month for

the passenger and commercial vehicles.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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