2026 -- H 8094 | |
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LC005622 | |
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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 -- MISCELLANEOUS RULES | |
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Introduced By: Representative Matthew S. Dawson | |
Date Introduced: February 27, 2026 | |
Referred To: House Judiciary | |
(Attorney General) | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 31-22-22.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-22 entitled |
2 | "Miscellaneous Rules" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 31-22-22.1. Child passenger protection — Warnings of hazard and risk. |
4 | (a) All law enforcement officers in this state are authorized to may provide a verbal warning |
5 | to any person who shall be is deemed to have left a child under the age of seven (7) unattended in |
6 | a motor vehicle. The warning shall apprise inform the offending person of the dangers of this |
7 | practice including, but not limited to, the risk of kidnapping and/or abduction, and the dangers |
8 | which may result from the accumulation of excessive temperatures within the motor vehicle. |
9 | (b) No fine or sanction shall be imposed for a violation of this section, other than a verbal |
10 | warning, and no record of any kind shall be maintained of the warning. Nothing in this section shall |
11 | preclude prosecution under any applicable criminal law for acts arising from leaving a child |
12 | unattended in a motor vehicle that constitute a criminal offense. A violation of this section may |
13 | result in criminal penalties consistent with such laws. |
14 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC005622 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MISCELLANEOUS RULES | |
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1 | This act would restore law enforcement discretion, allowing officers to issue a verbal |
2 | warning when appropriate or pursue misdemeanor or felony charges in more egregious cases where |
3 | a child is left unattended in a motor vehicle. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC005622 | |
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