2025 -- S 1148

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LC003013

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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 -- NOISE LIMITS FOR MOTOR

VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Senator Valarie J. Lawson

     Date Introduced: June 11, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-45-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-45 entitled "Noise Limits

for Motor Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-45-5. Motor vehicle radios, stereos and audio systems.

     (a) It shall be unlawful for any motor vehicle with a radio, stereo or audio system to produce

sound which exceeds those limits specified in this chapter. Police cars, ambulances and fire engines

shall not be subject to this section. Local cities and towns may, at their discretion, issue temporary

exemption by special permit upon a showing of good cause. Violations of this section are subject

to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

     (b) Any municipality may, by ordinance, authorize a law enforcement officer, at the time

of issuing a citation for a violation of this section or a local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise,

to impound any radio, electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device used in

the commission of the violation if the person charged with such violation is the owner of the radio,

electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device.

     (c) The ordinance shall provide for a post-impoundment hearing which shall be initiated

by a municipality attorney and held between the time of impoundment and not more than fourteen

(14) days afterwards, at which any defense may be asserted, during which time the sound-producing

device shall remain in the custody of the applicable law enforcement agency. The ordinance may

provide for impoundment of a vehicle for not more than five (5) working days pending disposition

of the violation hearing to permit the municipality or its authorized agent to remove the radio,

electric sound amplification device or other sound-producing device if the vehicle is owned by the

person charged with the violation and the sound-producing device may not be easily removed from

the vehicle at the site of the alleged violation. Upon removal of the sound-producing device, an

impounded vehicle shall be returned to its rightful owner.

     (d) The ordinance promulgated pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section

may provide for recovery by the municipality of the cost of impounding the sound-producing

device and, if a vehicle is impounded, the cost of impounding the vehicle and removing the sound-

producing device. The ordinance promulgated pursuant to the provisions subsection (b) of this

section shall provide that, upon final disposition of the citation for the violation of this section or a

local ordinance prohibiting excessive noise, and payment of any fines and cost imposed, the sound-

producing device shall be returned to its rightful owner.

     (e) The municipality may dispose of any impounded sound-producing device or, following

the procedure for an abandoned vehicle under §§ 31-22-14, 31-22-15, 31-22-17 and 31-22-18, any

impounded vehicle which has remained unclaimed for a period of ninety (90) days after final

disposition of the violation hearing.

     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 -- NOISE LIMITS FOR MOTOR

VEHICLES

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     This act would authorize municipalities to enforce noise violations and provide for the

impoundment of radio or other sound-producing equipment until resolution of the noise violation

hearing.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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