It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 31-25-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-25 entitled "Size, Weight and Load Limits" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 31-25-16. Authorized weight shown in registration -- Exceeding limit. -- ADD} (a) The registrar shall insert in the registration card issued for a vehicle the gross weight for which it is registered, and if it is a truck tractor to be used for propelling semi-trailers he or she shall separately insert the total permissible gross weight of the truck tractor and semi-trailers to be propelled by it. It shall be unlawful for any carrier to operate or permit to be operated any vehicle or combination of vehicles of a gross weight in excess of that registered by the registrar or permitted by the registrar or in excess of the limitations set forth in this chapter. For the purposes of this section the term "carrier" shall mean and include any company or person who furthers their commercial or private enterprise by use of the vehicle.

(b) Penalties for violations of this section will be calculated on the registered or permitted weight in comparison to the actual weight {ADD . ADD} {DEL , and shall be heard and adjudicated at the administrative adjudication court of the department of transportation. DEL}

(1) The overweight penalties for vehicles with ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) gross vehicle weight or less shall be forty dollars ($40.00) per thousand pounds overweight or portion thereof.

(2) The overweight penalties for vehicles exceeding ten thousand pounds (10,000 lbs.) gross vehicle weight shall be eighty dollars ($80.00) per thousand pounds overweight or portion thereof.

(3) The overweight penalty for vehicles being operated in excess of one hundred four thousand, eight hundred pounds (104,800 lbs.) gross vehicle weight shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000) in addition to the penalties enumerated in subsection (b)(2) hereof.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.