2026 -- S 2998

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LC005655

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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 HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE

ROADS

     Introduced By: Senators Dimitri, Famiglietti, Thompson, Patalano, Urso, Raptakis,
Ciccone, Tikoian, LaMountain, and DiMario

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 24-8 of the General Laws entitled "Construction and Maintenance of

State Roads" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     24-8-4.3. Traffic control – Use of crash truck - Cameras.

     (a) Effective January 1, 2027, all contractors performing work on any project for the Rhode

Island department of transportation (RIDOT), Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority (RITBA)

or any other road or bridge work in this state, shall have in place a traffic monitoring plan, which

shall be filed with RIDOT and/or RITBA as part of any bid or contract relative to the contract or

work being performed. As part of the traffic control plan, a contractor shall have on site a crash

truck/attenuator truck as referred to in § 24-8-4.2 which shall include traffic monitoring cameras.

The crash truck/attenuator truck shall be in place and the camera operational during any time in

which construction of maintenance work is being undertaken on any state highway and/or interstate

connector.

     (b) The crash truck/attenuator truck shall be equipped with at least one camera facing

oncoming traffic if the work being performed is on a divided highway and, if not a divided highway,

a camera facing in both directions of any roadway on which the work is being performed.

     (c) In the event any motor vehicle accident occurs at the work site and any state employee

or construction worker is injured or killed while engaged in the road work, a copy of all videos

generated from the cameras shall be provided to the Rhode Island state police and the department

of attorney general for purposes of identifying the operator of the vehicle, determining the cause of

the accident and shall be used in the course of any investigation and the prosecution of any person

determined to be at fault, whether through negligence, recklessness or deliberate conduct.

     (d)(1) Every person/contractor convicted of a first violation of this section shall be guilty

of a misdemeanor and subject to imprisonment for not more than one year and/or a fine of not less

than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000);

     (2) Every person/contractor convicted of a second violation within a five (5) year period,

shall be guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for not more than two (2) years and/or a

fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000);

     (3) Every person/contractor convicted of a third or subsequent violation within a five (5)

year period, shall be guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years

and/or a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).

     (e) Every person/contractor who violates the provisions of this section may be barred from

contracting with the state and/or performing any construction or maintenance work on any RIDOT,

RITBA or other road or bridge work in this state for a period of up to five (5) years.

     (f) Nothing contained in subsections (c) or (d) of this section shall limit the civil liability

of any person or contractor for violations of this section.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE

ROADS

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     This act would require that any contractor performing any construction or maintenance for

RIDOT, RITBA or any other construction on any state roads have in place an attenuator truck/crash

truck with an operational camera. Violators may be punished criminally and be barred from

performing work on any state project for up to 5 years.

     This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

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LC005655

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