2026 -- S 2176

========

LC003635

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Senator Alana DiMario

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     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 Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers.

     (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 Friends of the Historic

Narragansett Towers. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit entity Friends of

the Historic Narragansett Towers.

     (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 Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers motor vehicle plates shall be the same

size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Friends of the Historic Narragansett

Towers in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode

Island state police.

     (d) The Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers 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 Friends of the Historic Narragansett

Towers plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order

will be handled by the Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers 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, Friends of the

Historic Narragansett Towers 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 Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers to host cultural and

performing arts programs to raise public awareness and support for preservation and use of the

Towers in Rhode Island.

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

to the Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers.

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

Historic Narragansett Towers plates, the Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers must use any

Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.

     (j) The Friends of the Historic Narragansett Towers 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 Friends of the Historic

Narragansett Towers plates.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC003635

========

LC003635 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

***

     This act would create a special motor vehicle registration plate for the Friends of the

Historic Narragansett Towers.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC003635

========

LC003635 - Page 3 of 3