Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5229 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 5229
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7	7	LC000507
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SPECIAL LICENSE FOR
16	16	MOTORCYCLES, MOTOR S COOTERS AND OTHER MO TOR-DRIVEN CYCLES
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Perez, Cardillo, and Fellela
18	18	Date Introduced: January 25, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Judiciary
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 31-10.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10.1 entitled "Special 1
24	24	License for Motorcycles, Motor Scooters, and Other Motor Driven Cycles" is hereby amended to 2
25	25	read as follows: 3
26	26	31-10.1-4. Required equipment. 4
27	27	Operators of motorcycles, motor scooters, and motor-driven cycles shall use eye protection 5
28	28	of a type approved by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles when operating their 6
29	29	vehicles on streets and highways. Every motorcycle, motor scooter, and motor-driven cycle shall 7
30	30	be equipped with a rear view mirror. Any operator under the age of twenty-one (21) of a 8
31	31	motorcycle, motor scooter or motor-driven cycle shall wear a helmet of a type approved by the 9
32	32	administrator of motor vehicles. In addition, all new operators, regardless of age, shall be required, 10
33	33	for a period of one year from the date of issuance of the first license pursuant to § 31-10.1-1, to 11
34	34	wear a helmet of a type approved by said administrator. Any person deemed in violation of this 12
35	35	provision shall be subject to the fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4, which shall be paid in accordance 13
36	36	with the provisions of chapter 41.1 of this title. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles 14
37	37	is authorized to set forth rules and regulations governing the use of other equipment on those 15
38	38	vehicles. All fines collected under this section shall be deposited in a general restricted receipt 16
39	39	account for the use of the Rhode Island governor’s office on highway safety in order to promote 17
40	40	educational and informational programs encouraging helmet use. 18
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC000507 - Page 2 of 9
44	44	SECTION 2. Section 31-41.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-41.1 entitled 1
45	45	"Adjudication of Traffic Offenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
46	46	31-41.1-4. Schedule of violations. 3
47	47	(a) The penalties for violations of the enumerated sections, listed in numerical order, 4
48	48	correspond to the fines described. However, those offenses for which punishments may vary 5
49	49	according to the severity of the offense, or punishment that requires the violator to perform a 6
50	50	service, shall be heard and decided by the traffic tribunal or municipal court. The following 7
51	51	violations may be handled administratively through the method prescribed in this chapter. This list 8
52	52	is not exclusive and jurisdiction may be conferred on the traffic tribunal with regard to other 9
53	53	violations. 10
54	54	VIOLATIONS SCHEDULE 11
55	55	Section of Total 12
56	56	General 13
57	57	Laws Fine 14
58	58	15
59	59	8-8.2-2 DOT, DEM, or other agency and department violations $85.00 16
60	60	24-10-17 Soliciting rides in motor vehicles 85.00 17
61	61	24-10-18 Backing up prohibited 85.00 18
62	62	24-10-19 Advertising motor vehicle for sale on state highways 100.00 19
63	63	24-10-20 Park and ride lots 85.00 20
64	64	24-12-37 Nonpayment of toll 100.00 21
65	65	31-3-12 Visibility of plates 85.00 22
66	66	31-3-18 Display of plates 85.00 23
67	67	31-3-32 Driving with expired registration 85.00 24
68	68	31-3-34 Failure to notify division of change of address 85.00 25
69	69	31-3-35 Notice of change of name 85.00 26
70	70	31-3-40 Temporary plates – dealer issued 85.00 27
71	71	31-4-3 Temporary registration – twenty-day (20) bill of sale 85.00 28
72	72	31-10-10 Rules as to armed forces license 85.00 29
73	73	31-10-30 Driving on expired license 85.00 30
74	74	31-10-32 Notice of change of address 85.00 31
75	75	31-10.1-4 No motorcycle helmet (operator) 85.00 100.00 32
76	76	31-10.1-5 Motorcycle handlebar violation 85.00 33
77	77	31-10.1-6 No motorcycle helmet (passenger) 85.00 100.00 34
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79	79
80	80	LC000507 - Page 3 of 9
81	81	31-10.1-7 Inspection of motorcycle required 85.00 1
82	82	31-12-12 Local motor vehicle ordinance 85.00 2
83	83	31-13-4 Obedience to devices 85.00 3
84	84	31-13-6(3)(i) Eluding traffic light 85.00 4
85	85	31-13-9 Flashing signals 85.00 5
86	86	31-13-11 Injury to signs or devices 85.00 6
87	87	31-14-1 Reasonable and prudent speed 95.00 7
88	88	31-14-3 Condition requiring reduced speed 95.00 8
89	89	31-14-9 Below minimum speed 95.00 9
90	90	31-14-12 Speed limit on bridges and structures 95.00 10
91	91	31-15-1 Leaving lane of travel 85.00 11
92	92	31-15-2 Slow traffic to right 85.00 12
93	93	31-15-3 Operator left of center 85.00 13
94	94	31-15-4 Overtaking on left 85.00 14
95	95	31-15-5(a) Overtaking on right 85.00 15
96	96	31-15-6 Clearance for overtaking 85.00 16
97	97	31-15-7 Places where overtaking prohibited 85.00 17
98	98	31-15-8 No passing zone 85.00 18
99	99	31-15-9 One way highways 85.00 19
100	100	31-15-10 Rotary traffic islands 85.00 20
101	101	31-15-11 Laned roadway violation 85.00 21
102	102	31-15-12 Following too closely 85.00 22
103	103	31-15-12.1 Entering intersection 100.00 23
104	104	31-15-13 Crossing center section of divided highway 85.00 24
105	105	31-15-14 Entering or leaving limited access roadways 85.00 25
106	106	31-15-16 Use of emergency break-down lane for travel 85.00 26
107	107	31-15-17 Crossing bicycle lane 85.00 27
108	108	31-15-18 Unsafe passing of person operating a bicycle 85.00 28
109	109	31-16-1 Care in starting from stop 85.00 29
110	110	31-16-2 Manner of turning at intersection 85.00 30
111	111	31-16-4 U turn where prohibited 85.00 31
112	112	31-16-5 Turn signal required 85.00 32
113	113	31-16-6 Time of signaling turn 85.00 33
114	114	31-16-7 Failure to give stop signal 85.00 34
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116	116
117	117	LC000507 - Page 4 of 9
118	118	31-16-8 Method of giving signals 85.00 1
119	119	31-16.1-3 Diesel vehicle idling rules first offense not to exceed 100.00 2
120	120	second and subsequent offense not to exceed 500.00 3
121	121	31-17-1 Failure to yield right of way 85.00 4
122	122	31-17-2 Vehicle turning left 85.00 5
123	123	31-17-3 Yield right of way (intersection) 85.00 6
124	124	31-17-4 Obedience to stop signs 85.00 7
125	125	31-17-5 Entering from private road or driveway 85.00 8
126	126	31-17-8 Vehicle within right of way, rotary 85.00 9
127	127	31-17-9 Yielding to bicycles on bicycle lane 85.00 10
128	128	31-18-3 Right of way in crosswalks first violation 85.00 11
129	129	second violation or any subsequent violation $100.00 12
130	130	31-18-5 Crossing other than at crosswalks 85.00 13
131	131	31-18-8 Due care by drivers 85.00 14
132	132	31-18-12 Hitchhiking 85.00 15
133	133	31-18-18 Right of way on sidewalks 85.00 16
134	134	31-19-3 Traffic laws applied to bicycles 85.00 17
135	135	31-19-20 Sale of new bicycles 85.00 18
136	136	31-19-21 Sale of used bicycles 85.00 19
137	137	31-19.1-2 Operating motorized bicycle on an interstate highway 85.00 20
138	138	31-19.2-2 Operating motorized tricycle on an interstate highway 85.00 21
139	139	31-20-1 Failure to stop at railroad crossing 85.00 22
140	140	31-20-2 Driving through railroad gate 85.00 23
141	141	31-20-9 Obedience to stop sign 85.00 24
142	142	31-21-4 Places where parking or stopping prohibited 85.00 25
143	143	31-21-14 Opening of vehicle doors 85.00 26
144	144	31-21-18 Electric vehicle charging station restriction 85.00 27
145	145	31-22-2 Improper backing up 85.00 28
146	146	31-22-4 Overloading vehicle 85.00 29
147	147	31-22-5 Violation of safety zone 85.00 30
148	148	31-22-6 Coasting 85.00 31
149	149	31-22-7 Following fire apparatus 85.00 32
150	150	31-22-8 Crossing fire hose 85.00 33
151	151	31-22-9 Throwing debris on highway – snow removal 85.00 34
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153	153
154	154	LC000507 - Page 5 of 9
155	155	31-22-11.5 Improper use of school bus – not to exceed five hundred dollars 1
156	156	($500) 2
157	157	for each day of improper use 3
158	158	31-22-22(a) No child restraint 85.00 4
159	159	31-22-22(a) Child restraint/seat belt but not in any rear seating position 85.00 5
160	160	31-22-22(b), (f) No seat belt – passenger 40.00 6
161	161	31-22-22(g) No seat belt – operator 40.00 7
162	162	31-22-23 Tow trucks – proper identification 275.00 8
163	163	31-22-24 Operation of interior lights 85.00 9
164	164	31-23-1(b)(2) U.S. department of transportation motor carrier safety rules 10
165	165	and regulations Not less than $85.00 11
166	166	or more than $500.00 12
167	167	31-23-1(e)(6) Removal of an “out of service vehicle” sticker 125.00 13
168	168	31-23-1(e)(7) Operation of an “out of service vehicle” 100.00 14
169	169	31-23-2(b) Installation or adjustment of unsafe or prohibited parts, 15
170	170	equipment, or accessories: 16
171	171	(first offense) 250.00 17
172	172	(second offense) 500.00 18
173	173	(third and subsequent offenses) 1,000.00 19
174	174	31-23-4 Brake equipment required 85.00 20
175	175	31-23-8 Horn required 85.00 21
176	176	31-23-10 Sirens prohibited 85.00 22
177	177	31-23-13 Muffler required 85.00 23
178	178	31-23-13.1 Altering height or operating a motor vehicle with an 24
179	179	altered height 85.00 25
180	180	31-23-14 Prevention of excessive fumes or smoke 85.00 26
181	181	31-23-16 Windshield and window stickers (visibility) 85.00 27
182	182	31-23-17 Windshield wipers 85.00 28
183	183	31-23-19 Metal tires prohibited 85.00 29
184	184	31-23-20 Protuberances on tires 85.00 30
185	185	31-23-26 Fenders and wheel flaps required 85.00 31
186	186	31-23-27 Rear wheel flaps on buses, trucks, and trailers 85.00 32
187	187	31-23-29 Flares or red flag required over four thousand pounds 33
188	188	(4,000 lbs.) 85.00 34
189	189
190	190
191	191	LC000507 - Page 6 of 9
192	192	31-23-40 Approved types of seat belt requirements 85.00 1
193	193	31-23-42.1 Special mirror – school bus 85.00 2
194	194	31-23-43 Chocks required (1 pair) – over four thousand pounds 3
195	195	(4,000 lbs.) 85.00 4
196	196	31-23-45 Tire treads – defective tires 85.00 5
197	197	31-23-47 Slow moving emblem required 85.00 6
198	198	31-23-49 Transportation of gasoline – passenger vehicle 85.00 7
199	199	31-23-51 Operating bike or motor vehicle wearing ear phones 8
200	200	(first offense) 85.00 9
201	201	second offense 95.00 10
202	202	for the third and each subsequent offense 140.00 11
203	203	31-24-1 through 31-24-54 Times when lights required 85.00 12
204	204	31-25-9 Leaking load 85.00 13
205	205	31-25-11 Connections between coupled vehicles 85.00 14
206	206	31-25-12 Towing chain, twelve-inch (12") square flag required 85.00 15
207	207	31-25-12.1 Tow truck – use of lanes 16
208	208	(first offense) 85.00 17
209	209	second offense 95.00 18
210	210	for the third and each subsequent offense 100.00 19
211	211	31-25-17 Identification of trucks and truck-tractors 20
212	212	(first offense) 85.00 21
213	213	(second offense) 95.00 22
214	214	for the third and subsequent offenses 125.00 23
215	215	31-25-24 Carrying and inspection of excess load limit 350.00 24
216	216	31-27-2.3 Refusal to take preliminary breath test 85.00 25
217	217	31-28-7(d) Wrongful use of handicapped parking placard 500.00 26
218	218	31-28-7(f) Handicapped parking space violation: 27
219	219	First offense 100.00 28
220	220	Second offense 175.00 29
221	221	Third offense and subsequent offenses 325.00 30
222	222	31-28-7.1(e) Wrongful use of institutional handicapped parking 31
223	223	placard 125.00 32
224	224	31-33-2 Failure to file accident report 85.00 33
225	225	31-34-2 Proof of insurance – motor vehicle rental 85.00 34
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227	227
228	228	LC000507 - Page 7 of 9
229	229	31-34-3 Operation by person other than lessee 85.00 1
230	230	31-36.1-17 No fuel tax stamp (out-of-state) 85.00 2
231	231	and not exceeding ($100) for subsequent offense 3
232	232	31-38-3 No inspection sticker 85.00 4
233	233	31-38-4 Violation of inspection laws 85.00 5
234	234	31-41.3-15 Automated school zone speed enforcement system 50.00 6
235	235	31-47.2-6 Heavy-duty vehicle emission inspections: 7
236	236	First offense 125.00 8
237	237	Second offense 525.00 9
238	238	Third and subsequent offenses 1,025.00 10
239	239	37-15-7 Littering not less than 55.00, 11
240	240	not more than five hundred dollars ($500) 12
241	241	39-12-26 Public carriers violation 300.00 13
242	242	SPEEDING Fine 14
243	243	(A) One to ten miles per hour (1-10 m.p.h.) in excess of posted speed limit $ 95.00 15
244	244	(B) Eleven miles per hour (11 m.p.h.) in excess of posted speed limit with 205.00 minimum 16
245	245	a fine of ten dollars ($10.00) per mile in excess of speed limit shall be 17
246	246	assessed. 18
247	247	19
248	248	(b) In addition to any other penalties provided by law, a judge may impose the following 20
249	249	penalties for speeding: 21
250	250	(1) For speeds up to and including ten miles per hour (10 m.p.h.) over the posted speed 22
251	251	limit on public highways, a fine as provided for in subsection (a) of this section for the first offense; 23
252	252	ten dollars ($10.00) per mile for each mile in excess of the speed limit for the second offense if 24
253	253	within twelve (12) months of the first offense; and fifteen dollars ($15.00) per mile for each mile 25
254	254	in excess of the speed limit for the third and any subsequent offense if within twelve (12) months 26
255	255	of the first offense. In addition, the license may be suspended up to thirty (30) days. 27
256	256	(2) For speeds in excess of ten miles per hour (10 m.p.h.) over the posted speed limit on 28
257	257	public highways, a mandatory fine of ten dollars ($10.00) for each mile over the speed limit for the 29
258	258	first offense; fifteen dollars ($15.00) per mile for each mile in excess of the speed limit for the 30
259	259	second offense if within twelve (12) months of the first offense; and twenty dollars ($20.00) per 31
260	260	mile for each mile in excess of the speed limit for the third and subsequent offense if within twelve 32
261	261	(12) months of the first offense. In addition, the license may be suspended up to sixty (60) days. 33
262	262	(c) Except for a technology surcharge assessed in accordance with § 8-15-11, any person 34
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265	265	LC000507 - Page 8 of 9
266	266	charged with a violation who pays the fine administratively pursuant to this chapter shall not be 1
267	267	subject to any additional costs or assessments, including, but not limited to, the hearing fee 2
268	268	established in § 8-18-4. 3
269	269	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 4
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271	271	LC000507
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274	274
275	275	LC000507 - Page 9 of 9
276	276	EXPLANATION
277	277	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
278	278	OF
279	279	A N A C T
280	280	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SPECIAL LICENSE FOR
281	281	MOTORCYCLES, MOTOR S COOTERS AND OTHER MO TOR-DRIVEN CYCLES
282	282	***
283	283	This act would require any operator of a motorcycle, motor scooter or motor-driven cycle 1
284	284	to wear a helmet. Violations would be punished by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100) and would 2
285	285	increase the fines for failure of a passenger to wear a helmet to one hundred dollars ($100). 3
286	286	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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288	288	LC000507
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