2026 -- S 3295

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LC006460

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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 -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY

     Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, Burke, and Patalano

     Date Introduced: May 15, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 24-12-37 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-12 entitled "Rhode

Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     24-12-37. Penalty for nonpayment of toll — Toll violators and toll evaders.

     (a) Legislative findings. The general assembly finds as follows:

     (1) That all users of any tolled projects should be required to timely pay for the use of such

projects;

     (2) That toll violators and toll evaders unfairly shift the financial burden of maintaining the

tolled projects to other project users; and

     (3) Rhode Island has a strong interest in ensuring that its transportation infrastructure is

adequately funded in a fair and equitable manner.

     (b) In each instance when a person fails or refuses to pay or prepay the required toll on a

tolled project, and is issued a violation for the same, the toll violator shall pay the toll amount within

fourteen (14) days of issuance of the violation.

     (c) Any toll violator who fails to pay the toll amount due within the fourteen-day (14)

period in subsection (b) shall immediately incur a forty-dollar ($40.00) administrative fee in

addition to the unpaid toll amount.

     (d) Any toll violator who fails to pay the administrative fee and unpaid toll as required by

subsection (c) within forty-five (45) days of the issuance of the original violation, shall incur a

thirty five-dollar ($35.00) administrative fee in addition to the forty dollar ($40.00) administrative

fee and the unpaid toll amount. The toll amount and administrative fees shall be paid to the

authority.

     (e) Toll evaders shall be responsible for any tolls and administrative fees applicable to toll

violators. Further, at the request of the authority, any toll evader shall also promptly receive a traffic

violation summons that shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island traffic tribunal,

which may suspend the toll evader’s driver’s license for up to six (6) months for the violations and

assess a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500), or both. All tolls, administrative fees, and fines

shall be payable to the authority.

     (f) If any unpaid toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines are not paid within ninety (90)

days of the issuance of the original violation, and the toll violator has incurred at least ten (10)

instances in which such toll violator has failed to pay any required toll amounts, administrative

fees, and fines, then the authority may report the person as a toll violator, or, if appropriate, as a

toll evader, to the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles, who then shall not permit that person

to renew his or her driver’s license and vehicle registration until any unpaid toll amounts,

administrative fees, and fines are paid to the authority. Upon the authority’s receipt of such payment

or a written repayment agreement between the person and the authority, the authority shall promptly

issue a verbal, written, or electric confirmation showing the amounts paid and a certification that

the person does not owe any amounts to the authority or has otherwise made satisfactory repayment

arrangements with the authority. In any such case, the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles shall

forthwith release any hold placed for this purpose on the person’s license renewal and vehicle

registration renewal. If a person who made satisfactory repayment arrangements with the authority

subsequently fails to honor and comply with such arrangements with the authority according to

their terms, the authority may re-report the person to the Rhode Island division of motor vehicles

which shall then prohibit that person from renewing their driver’s license and vehicle registration

until the originally unpaid toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines are paid to the authority. This

provision of this subsection shall not apply to any vehicle owned by a rental company as defined

in §31-34.1-1.

     (g) “Toll violator” means, for the purposes of this section, any person who uses any project

and fails to pay or prepay the required toll.

     (h) “Toll evader” means, for the purposes of this section, any person who uses a project,

fails or refuses to pay or prepay the required toll, and deliberately circumvents or proceeds around

or through a gate or other barrier on a project; and/or any toll violator who fails or refuses to pay

or prepay the required toll on a tolled project at least twenty (20) or more times, received at least

three (3) written notices from the authority (or its agent) regarding the non-payment of tolls, and is

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not a party to, or in current compliance with, a written repayment plan with the authority.

     (i) The authority may promulgate appropriate rules and regulations to ensure the proper

administration of the provisions of this section. Any person aggrieved by the authority’s assessment

of any administrative fees may request review of such assessment through the process established

by the authority, which shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42.

     (j) For the purposes of this section only, “person” means the registered owner, EZPass

account holder, driver, rentee, or lessee of a motor vehicle. In the case of a motor vehicle owned

by a rental company, "person" means the rentee or lessee of the vehicle at the time of the violation,

provided that the rental company complies with subsections (o) and (p) of this section.

     (k) This section shall apply retroactively to all persons who are toll evaders as of the

effective date of this act [October 1, 2016].

     (l) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to reduce or otherwise eliminate

any tolls, fines, or penalties a person owes to the authority based upon violations occurring prior to

the effective date of this act [October 1, 2016].

     (m) It is unlawful for any person or business, other than an authorized representative of the

authority, or any other duly authorized and existing toll or transportation agency, to sell, lease, rent,

or offer for sale, lease or rent, any tokens, tickets, passes, transponders, or other evidences of

payment issued for passage on any project. Any person or business who or that is found in violation

of this subsection shall be punished, for each offense, by a fine of not more than five hundred

dollars ($500).

     (n) If any provision of this section or its application to any person is deemed invalid, any

such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions of this section that may lawfully be given effect

without the invalid provision.

     (o) Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, a rental company, as

defined in § 31-34.1-1, that is the registered owner of a motor vehicle shall be entitled to establish

non-liability for toll violations, administrative fees, and fines by providing to the traffic tribunal a

copy of a written rental or lease agreement which shall be prima facie evidence that the lessee was

the operator of the vehicle.

     (p) The issuing authority shall provide to the owner of a rented or leased vehicle a notice,

in writing, of each toll violation in which a motor vehicle owned by the rental or leasing company

is involved, including the license number of the vehicle and the date and time of the toll violation.

Upon receipt of this notice the owner of a rented or leased vehicle shall inform the issuing authority,

within twenty (20) days, to the extent available, the operator’s name, home address, employer,

employer’s address, and local address, if any.

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     (q) The renter or lessee shall not be considered an agent of the owner if the owner is

engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles.

     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 HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY

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     This act would provide that motor vehicle rental companies be entitled to establish non-

liability for toll violations, administrative fees, and fines by providing a rental or lease agreement

to the traffic tribunal as prima facie evidence that a lessee was the vehicle operator.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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