2026 -- S 2055

========

LC003492

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND

REFLECTORS

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Patalano, Appollonio, Famiglietti, Tikoian, and
Ciccone

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-24-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-24 entitled "Lighting

Equipment and Reflectors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-24-31. Flashing lights — Forward viewing or rotary beam lights.

     (a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus,

snow-removal equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn. However,

the requirements of § 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is equipped with lamps

at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing white or amber lights,

and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously flashing red lights, all of

which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500′).

     (b) Forward viewing or rotating beam lights may be installed on and shall be restricted to

the following categories of vehicles, and these lights shall be of color designated:

     (1) Emergency response vehicles of any fire, rescue, or ambulance department, fire chiefs,

assistant fire chiefs, deputy chiefs, captains; any privately owned vehicle of any authorized

volunteer member of a fire, rescue, or ambulance department; emergency management agency

directors, assistant directors, assistant medical examiners and/or forensic pathologists of the office

of state medical examiners; rescue vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the department of

environmental management and the office of the state fire marshal; school buses; hospital

emergency response vehicles; vehicles owned and operated by the Rhode Island Disaster Medical

Assistance Team, Inc. and/or its affiliates or subsidiary organizations; and two (2) American Red

Cross disaster vehicles: Red, white and/or alternating flashing white;

     (2) Wrecker trucks, service station trucks, state and town safety and maintenance vehicles;

snowplows and tractors; light company trucks, telephone company trucks, water company trucks,

oil company trucks, and other utilities’ trucks; vehicles of television, radio and press photographers;

newspaper motor route carriers; rural mail carriers; all motor-propelled vehicles owned by the

Northern Rhode Island REACT (radio emergency associated citizens team); all motor-propelled

vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of transportation when on

official state business; and vehicles marking the beginning and end of funeral processions: Amber,

provided, however, that wrecker and transportation vehicles operated pursuant to a public utilities

commission license, and roadside assistance vehicles of any type operated for that purpose by the

American Automobile Association shall be permitted to use flashing amber lights at the front and

rear of the vehicle, to be activated only in the course of providing assistance to or transportation for

a disabled vehicle. A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the issuance of a flashing

lights permit to every vehicle identified in this subsection, with the exception of flashing lights

permits issued to state, town or fire district safety and maintenance vehicles, which shall not be

charged a fee.

     (3) Police units, state and local: Center rotating beam lights: Blue or red; Outboard mounted

lights: Blue or red.

     (4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC003492

========

LC003492 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND

REFLECTORS

***

     This act would allow vehicles owned and operated by the Rhode Island Disaster Medical

Assistance Team, Inc. and/or its affiliates or subsidiaries to operate with forward facing red and

white emergency lights.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC003492

========

LC003492 - Page 3 of 3