It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-55 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 31-3-55. U.R.I. centennial plates. -- ADD} (a) The registrar of motor vehicles is hereby empowered and authorized to make available to every owner of a private passenger motor vehicle special registration plates recognizing the centennial of the University of Rhode Island. The special plates shall display upon them 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 for the period {DEL January 1, 1992 through December 31, 1994 DEL} {ADD January 1, 1995 through December 31, 1997 ADD} and no longer. The original registration plates for such vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and the registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle, in accordance with section 31-3-9 of the general laws. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special U.R.I. centennial plates.

(b) The color and design of the special plates shall be determined by the President of the University of Rhode Island with the concurrence of the registrar of motor vehicles. Application for the special plates shall be made with the University of Rhode Island {DEL foundation prior to October 1, 1993 DEL} {ADD Alumni Association ADD} . A service charge in the amount of forty dollars ($40.00) shall be required upon application, with twenty dollars ($20.00) of the service charge being retained by the {DEL foundation DEL} {ADD Alumni Association ADD} and twenty dollars ($20.00) being allocated to the registry of motor vehicles for its costs in manufacturing and distributing the special plates. {ADD However, if an applicant previously had been issued a URI Centennial plate, the above fees are waived. ADD}

(c) Upon the expiration of the special plates, the applicant may retain them in the applicant's own keeping provided the applicant does not display the plate upon the motor vehicle or any other form of transportation.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.