2025 -- S 0679 AS AMENDED

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LC000963

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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: Senator Jacob Bissaillon

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     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:

     31-3-31.4. Registration of forestry vehicles -- Use of farm plates.

     (a) Forestry vehicles, equipped with rubber tires while being used in forestry and operated

on highways, shall be registered on a form furnished by the administrator of the division of motor

vehicles and shall be assigned a special number farm plate pursuant to the provisions of § 31-3-31

with a suitable symbol or letter indicating the usage of the forestry vehicle.

     (b) As used in this section:

     (1) "Forest land" shall have the same meaning as defined in § 2-27-2.

     (2) "Forest product operations" means any and all trade occupations involving the

harvesting, production, maintaining, and sale of forest products originating in the state including,

but not limited to:

     (i) Arboriculture and logging; and

     (ii) Kiln drying, operations of firewood, saw milling, lumber, pallets, biochar, mulch,

compost, biomass, wood chips, saw dust, timbers, posts, beams, shingles, and artisan tree carvings,

seasonal greens and berries.

     (3) "Forestry vehicle" means every vehicle which is designed for and used for forest

product operations purposes, and used by the owner of the vehicle or family member(s) or

employee(s) or designees of the owner, in the conduct of the owner's forestry product operations,

which use shall include the delivery of forest products produced by the forester but shall not include

commercial hire for non-forestry product operation uses including, but not limited to, hauling of

sand and gravel, and snow plowing, other than directly on the vehicle owner's forest land.

     (c) This section is only applicable to forest product operations with annual revenue of no

greater than two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000).

     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 establish sales and use tax exemptions for commercial forest product

operations with gross sales of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000). The exemption would be

provided at two (2) levels with the distinction being operations generating less than fifty thousand

dollars ($50,000) in average sales would be limited to an exemption on motor vehicles up to five

thousand dollars ($5,000) in value. Exempt would be machinery and equipment to include, but not

limited to: sawmills, tractors, forklifts, log skidders, chainsaws and power generators. Additionally,

the act would create a new motor vehicle registration for "forestry vehicles" and would provide that

all forestry product operations machinery, including motor vehicles with forestry registration plates

would be exempt from taxation. Municipalities would be allowed to tax forestry product operations

buildings at a rate that reflects the actual cost incurred by the municipality in providing services to

these buildings. Finally, this act would provide that forest product operations are permitted uses

within all zoning districts of a municipality except where prohibited for public health or safety

reasons or the protection of wildlife habitat.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC000963

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