2026 -- H 8333

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LC005031

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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 Diaz, Felix, Batista, Perez, Giraldo, Slater, Solomon,
Alzate, Stewart, and O'Brien

     Date Introduced: March 20, 2026

     Referred To: House Special Legislation

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     31-3-132. Special plate for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.

     (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available

special motor vehicle registration plates for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award

Committee. The plates shall be designed to reference the Dominican Independence Heritage Award

Committee.

     (b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the

vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the

registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be

removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate

for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate

shall be in effect for the special plate.

     (c) The Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee motor vehicle plates shall

be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Dominican

Independence Heritage Award Committee in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with

the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.

     (d) The Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee plates shall be subject to

compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate

type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Dominican Independence

Heritage Award Committee plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are

met. The initial order will be handled by the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee

and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum

order(s) have been met and the proper paperwork submitted to the division.

     (e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other

procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

     (f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Dominican

Independence Heritage Award Committee plates shall be subject to a forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance

surcharge.

     (g) The forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty

dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00)

shall be distributed annually to the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee to provide

funding for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.

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

to the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.

     (i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Dominican Independence

Heritage Award Committee plates, the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee must

use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable

organizations.

     (j) Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee will be required to submit an

annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.

     (k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Dominican Independence Heritage

Award Committee plates.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after 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 empower the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor

vehicle registration plates for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee of Rhode

Island.

     This act would take effect six (6) months after passage.

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