2026 -- H 8333 SUBSTITUTE A

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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 and Heritage Award

Committee of RI.

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

special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence

and Heritage Award Committee of RI. The plates shall be designed to reference the Dominican

Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.

     (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 and Heritage Award Committee of RI motor vehicle

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

Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI in conjunction with the division of motor

vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.

     (d) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI 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 and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall not be issued unless the minimum

order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Dominican Independence and

Heritage Award Committee of RI 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, the Dominican

Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI 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 and Heritage Award Committee of RI

to provide funding for the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.

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

to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.

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

Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates, the Dominican Independence and

Heritage Award Committee of RI must use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit

of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.

     (j) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI will be required to

submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.

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

Heritage Award Committee of RI 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 not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence and Heritage

Award Committee of RI.

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

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