| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE |
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| 16 | 16 | | PROVISIONS |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Ciccone, Sosnowski, de la Cruz, Felag, and Raptakis |
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| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: February 16, 2023 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: Senate Judiciary |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Section 31-1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-1 entitled "Definitions and 1 |
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| 24 | 24 | | General Code Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2 |
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| 25 | 25 | | 31-1-3. Types of vehicles. 3 |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a)(1) “Antique motor car” means any motor vehicle that is more than twenty-five (25) 4 |
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| 27 | 27 | | years old. Unless fully inspected and meeting inspection requirements, the vehicle may be 5 |
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| 28 | 28 | | maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public 6 |
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| 29 | 29 | | interest. The vehicle may also be used for limited enjoyment and purposes other than the previously 7 |
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| 30 | 30 | | mentioned activities, but may not be used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods 8 |
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| 31 | 31 | | over any public highway. 9 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) After the vehicle has met the requirements of state inspection, a registration plate may 10 |
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| 33 | 33 | | be issued to it on payment of the standard fee. The vehicle may be operated on the highways of this 11 |
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| 34 | 34 | | and other states, and may, in addition to the registration plate, retain the designation “antique” and 12 |
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| 35 | 35 | | display an “antique plate.” 13 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) For any vehicle that is more than twenty-five (25) years old, the division of motor 14 |
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| 37 | 37 | | vehicles may also issue or approve, subject to rules and regulations that may be promulgated by 15 |
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| 38 | 38 | | the administrator, a “year of manufacture plate” for the vehicle that is an exact replica plate 16 |
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| 39 | 39 | | designating the exact year of manufacture of the vehicle. The year of manufacture plate, as 17 |
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| 40 | 40 | | authorized by this subsection, need only be attached to the rear of the vehicle. 18 |
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| 41 | 41 | | |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | (b)(1) “Antique motorcycle” means any motorcycle that is more than twenty-five (25) 1 |
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| 45 | 45 | | years old. Unless fully inspected and meeting inspection requirements, the vehicle shall be 2 |
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| 46 | 46 | | maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public 3 |
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| 47 | 47 | | interest. The vehicle may also be used for limited enjoyment and purposes other than the previously 4 |
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| 48 | 48 | | mentioned activities, but may not be used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods 5 |
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| 49 | 49 | | over any public highway; and 6 |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) After the vehicle has met the requirements of state inspection, a registration plate may 7 |
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| 51 | 51 | | be issued to it, on payment of the standard fee, and the vehicle may be operated on the highways 8 |
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| 52 | 52 | | of this and other states, and may, in addition to the registration plate, retain the designation 9 |
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| 53 | 53 | | “antique” and display an “antique plate.” 10 |
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| 54 | 54 | | (c) “Authorized emergency vehicle” means vehicles of the fire department (fire patrol); 11 |
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| 55 | 55 | | police vehicles; vehicles of the department of corrections while in the performance of official 12 |
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| 56 | 56 | | duties; vehicles used by the state bomb squad within the office of state fire marshal; vehicles of 13 |
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| 57 | 57 | | municipal departments or public service corporations designated or authorized by the administrator 14 |
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| 58 | 58 | | as ambulances and emergency vehicles; and privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer 15 |
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| 59 | 59 | | firefighters or privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer ambulance drivers or attendants, as 16 |
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| 60 | 60 | | authorized by the department chief or commander and permitted by the Rhode Island Association 17 |
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| 61 | 61 | | of Fire Chiefs and Rhode Island Association of Police Chiefs Joint Committee for Volunteer 18 |
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| 62 | 62 | | Warning Light Permits. 19 |
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| 63 | 63 | | (d) “Automobile” means, for registration purposes, every motor vehicle carrying 20 |
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| 64 | 64 | | passengers other than for hire. 21 |
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| 65 | 65 | | (e) “Bicycle” means every vehicle having two (2) tandem wheels, except scooters and 22 |
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| 66 | 66 | | similar devices, propelled exclusively by human power, and upon which a person may ride. 23 |
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| 67 | 67 | | (f) “Camping recreational vehicle” means a vehicular type camping unit, certified by the 24 |
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| 68 | 68 | | manufacturer as complying with ANSI A119.2 Standards, designed primarily as temporary living 25 |
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| 69 | 69 | | quarters for recreation that has either its own motor power or is mounted on, or towed by, another 26 |
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| 70 | 70 | | vehicle. The basic units are tent trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, motorized campers, travel trailers, and 27 |
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| 71 | 71 | | pick-up campers. 28 |
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| 72 | 72 | | (g) “Electric motorized bicycle” means a motorized bicycle that may be propelled by 29 |
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| 73 | 73 | | human power or electric motor power, or by both, with an electric motor rated not more than two 30 |
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| 74 | 74 | | (2) (S.A.E.) horsepower, that is capable of a maximum speed of not more than twenty-five (25) 31 |
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| 75 | 75 | | miles per hour. 32 |
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| 76 | 76 | | (h) “Electric personal assistive mobility device” (“EPAMD”) is a self-balancing, non-33 |
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| 77 | 77 | | tandem two-wheeled (2) device, designed to transport only one person, with an electric propulsion 34 |
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| 78 | 78 | | |
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| 79 | 79 | | |
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| 81 | 81 | | system that limits the maximum speed of the device to fifteen (15) miles per hour. 1 |
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| 82 | 82 | | (i) “Fifth-wheel trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle, not exceeding four hundred (400) 2 |
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| 83 | 83 | | square feet in area, designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism 3 |
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| 84 | 84 | | that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle’s rear axle and that is eligible to be registered 4 |
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| 85 | 85 | | for highway use. 5 |
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| 86 | 86 | | (j) “Hearse” means every motor vehicle used for transporting human corpses. A hearse 6 |
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| 87 | 87 | | shall be considered an automobile for registration purposes. 7 |
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| 88 | 88 | | (k) “Jitney or bus” means: (1) A “public bus” that includes every motor vehicle, trailer, 8 |
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| 89 | 89 | | semi-trailer, tractor trailer, or tractor trailer combination, used for the transportation of passengers 9 |
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| 90 | 90 | | for hire, and operated wholly or in part upon any street or highway as a means of transportation 10 |
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| 91 | 91 | | similar to that afforded by a street railway company, by indiscriminately receiving or discharging 11 |
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| 92 | 92 | | passengers, or running on a regular route or over any portion of one, or between fixed termini; or 12 |
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| 93 | 93 | | (2) A “private bus” that includes every motor vehicle other than a public bus or passenger van 13 |
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| 94 | 94 | | designed for carrying more than ten (10) passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and 14 |
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| 95 | 95 | | every motor vehicle other than a taxicab designed and used for the transportation of persons for 15 |
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| 96 | 96 | | compensation. 16 |
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| 97 | 97 | | (l) ''Low-speed motor vehicle'' or ''low-speed vehicle'', means a motor vehicle defined in 17 |
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| 98 | 98 | | 49 C.F.R. § 571.3 as a vehicle that is four (4) wheeled, whose speed attainable in one mile is more 18 |
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| 99 | 99 | | than twenty miles per hour (20 mph) and not more than twenty-five miles per hour (25 mph) on a 19 |
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| 100 | | - | paved level surface, is electric, and whose gross vehicle weight rating is less than three thousand 20 |
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| 101 | | - | pounds (3,000 lbs.). All low-speed motor vehicles shall comply with the standards established in 21 |
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| 102 | | - | 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and pursuant thereto, shall be equipped with headlamps, front 22 |
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| 103 | | - | and rear turn signal lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, an exterior mirror mounted on the driver's side 23 |
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| 104 | | - | of the vehicle and either an exterior mirror mounted on the passenger's side of the vehicle or an 24 |
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| 105 | | - | interior mirror, a parking brake, a windshield that conforms to the federal standards on glazing 25 |
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| 106 | | - | materials, a vehicle identification number that conforms to the requirements of 49 C.F.R. pt. 565 26 |
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| 107 | | - | for such numbers, a Type 1 or Type 2 seat belt assembly conforming to 49 C.F.R. § 571.209, 27 |
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| 108 | | - | installed at each designated seating position and reflex reflectors; provided, that one reflector is red 28 |
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| 109 | | - | on each side as far to the rear as practicable and one reflector is red on the rear. A low-speed motor 29 |
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| 110 | | - | vehicle that meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and is equipped as herein 30 |
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| 111 | | - | provided, may be registered in this state, subject to inspection and insurance requirements. 31 |
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| 100 | + | paved level surface and whose gross vehicle weight rating is less than three thousand pounds (3,000 20 |
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| 101 | + | lbs.). All low-speed motor vehicles shall comply with the standards established in 49 C.F.R. § 21 |
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| 102 | + | 571.500, as amended, and pursuant thereto, shall be equipped with headlamps, front and rear turn 22 |
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| 103 | + | signal lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, an exterior mirror mounted on the driver's side of the vehicle 23 |
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| 104 | + | and either an exterior mirror mounted on the passenger's side of the vehicle or an interior mirror, a 24 |
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| 105 | + | parking brake, a windshield that conforms to the federal standards on glazing materials, a vehicle 25 |
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| 106 | + | identification number that conforms to the requirements of 49 C.F.R. pt. 565 for such numbers, a 26 |
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| 107 | + | Type 1 or Type 2 seat belt assembly conforming to 49 C.F.R. § 571.209, installed at each designated 27 |
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| 108 | + | seating position and reflex reflectors; provided, that one reflector is red on each side as far to the 28 |
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| 109 | + | rear as practicable and one reflector is red on the rear. A low-speed motor vehicle that meets the 29 |
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| 110 | + | requirements of 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and is equipped as herein provided, may be 30 |
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| 111 | + | registered in this state, subject to inspection and insurance requirements. 31 |
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| 118 | 118 | | (m)(n) “Motor-driven cycle” means every motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with 1 |
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| 119 | 119 | | a motor of no greater than five (5) horsepower, except bicycles with helper motors as defined in 2 |
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| 120 | 120 | | subsection (n) of this section. 3 |
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| 121 | 121 | | (n)(o) “Motorized bicycles” means two-wheel (2) vehicles that may be propelled by human 4 |
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| 122 | 122 | | power or helper power, or by both, with a motor rated not more than four and nine-tenths (4.9) 5 |
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| 123 | 123 | | horsepower and not greater than fifty (50) cubic centimeters, that are capable of a maximum speed 6 |
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| 124 | 124 | | of not more than thirty (30) miles per hour. 7 |
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| 125 | 125 | | (o)(p) “Motorized camper”: A camping recreational vehicle, built on, or permanently 8 |
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| 126 | 126 | | attached to, a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis cab or van that is an integral part of the completed 9 |
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| 127 | 127 | | vehicle. 10 |
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| 128 | 128 | | (p)(q) “Motorized tricycles” means tricycles that may be propelled by human power or 11 |
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| 129 | 129 | | helper motor, or by both, with a motor rated no more than 1.5 brake horsepower that is capable of 12 |
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| 130 | 130 | | a maximum speed of not more than thirty (30) miles per hour. 13 |
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| 131 | 131 | | (q)(r) “Motorized wheelchair” means any self-propelled vehicle, designed for, and used 14 |
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| 132 | 132 | | by, a person with a disability that is incapable of speed in excess of eight (8) miles per hour. 15 |
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| 133 | 133 | | (r)(s) “Motor scooter” means a motor-driven cycle with a motor rated not more than four 16 |
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| 134 | 134 | | and nine-tenths (4.9) horsepower and not greater than fifty (50) cubic centimeters that is capable 17 |
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| 135 | 135 | | of a maximum speed of not more than thirty (30) miles per hour. 18 |
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| 136 | 136 | | (s)(t) “Motor vehicle” means every vehicle that is self-propelled or propelled by electric 19 |
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| 137 | 137 | | power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except vehicles moved 20 |
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| 138 | 138 | | exclusively by human power, an EPAMD and electric motorized bicycles as defined in subsection 21 |
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| 139 | 139 | | (g) of this section, and motorized wheelchairs. 22 |
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| 140 | 140 | | (t)(u) “Motor vehicle for hire” means every motor vehicle other than jitneys, public buses, 23 |
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| 141 | 141 | | hearses, and motor vehicles used chiefly in connection with the conduct of funerals, to transport 24 |
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| 142 | 142 | | persons for compensation in any form, or motor vehicles rented for transporting persons either with 25 |
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| 143 | 143 | | or without furnishing an operator. 26 |
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| 144 | 144 | | (u)(v) “Natural gas vehicle” means a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by 27 |
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| 145 | 145 | | natural gas. 28 |
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| 146 | 146 | | (v)(w) “Park trailer”: A camping recreational vehicle that is eligible to be registered for 29 |
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| 147 | 147 | | highway use and meets the following criteria: (1) Built on a single chassis mounted on wheels; and 30 |
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| 148 | 148 | | (2) Certified by the manufacturer as complying with ANSI A119.5. 31 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (w)(x) “Passenger van” means every motor vehicle capable of carrying ten (10) to fourteen 32 |
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| 150 | 150 | | (14) passengers plus an operator and used for personal use or on a not-for-hire basis. Passenger 33 |
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| 151 | 151 | | vans may be used for vanpools, transporting passengers to and from work locations, provided that 34 |
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| 152 | 152 | | |
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| 153 | 153 | | |
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| 155 | 155 | | the operator receives no remuneration other than free use of the vehicle. 1 |
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| 156 | 156 | | (x)(y) “Pedal carriage” (also known as “quadricycles”) means a nonmotorized bicycle with 2 |
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| 157 | 157 | | four (4) or more wheels operated by one or more persons for the purpose of, or capable of, 3 |
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| 158 | 158 | | transporting additional passengers in seats or on a platform made a part of or otherwise attached to 4 |
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| 159 | 159 | | the pedal carriage. The term shall not include a bicycle with trainer or beginner wheels affixed to 5 |
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| 160 | 160 | | it, nor shall it include a wheelchair or other vehicle with the purpose of operation by or for the 6 |
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| 161 | 161 | | transportation of a person with a disability, nor shall it include a tricycle built for a child or an adult 7 |
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| 162 | 162 | | with a seat for only one operator and no passenger. 8 |
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| 163 | 163 | | (y)(z) “Pick-up camper”: A camping recreational vehicle consisting of a roof, floor, and 9 |
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| 164 | 164 | | sides designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the back of a pick-up truck. 10 |
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| 165 | 165 | | (z)(aa) “Rickshaw” (also known as “pedi cab”) means a nonmotorized bicycle with three 11 |
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| 166 | 166 | | (3) wheels operated by one person for the purpose of, or capable of, transporting additional 12 |
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| 167 | 167 | | passengers in seats or on a platform made a part of, or otherwise attached to, the rickshaw. This 13 |
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| 168 | 168 | | definition shall not include a bicycle built for two (2) where the operators are seated one behind the 14 |
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| 169 | 169 | | other, nor shall it include the operation of a bicycle with trainer or beginner wheels affixed thereto, 15 |
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| 170 | 170 | | nor shall it include a wheelchair or other vehicle with the purpose of operation by or for the 16 |
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| 171 | 171 | | transportation of a person with a disability. 17 |
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| 172 | 172 | | (aa)(bb) “School bus” means every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental 18 |
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| 173 | 173 | | agency, when operated for the transportation of children to or from school; or privately owned, 19 |
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| 174 | 174 | | when operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from school. 20 |
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| 175 | 175 | | (bb)(cc) “Suburban vehicle” means every motor vehicle with a convertible or 21 |
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| 176 | 176 | | interchangeable body or with removable seats, usable for both passenger and delivery purposes, 22 |
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| 177 | 177 | | and including motor vehicles commonly known as station or depot wagons or any vehicle into 23 |
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| 178 | 178 | | which access can be gained through the rear by means of a hatch or trunk and where the rear seats 24 |
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| 179 | 179 | | can be folded down to permit the carrying of articles as well as passengers. 25 |
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| 180 | 180 | | (cc)(dd) “Tent trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle that is mounted on wheels and 26 |
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| 181 | 181 | | constructed with collapsible partial side walls that fold for towing by another vehicle and unfold 27 |
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| 182 | 182 | | for use and that is eligible to be registered for highway use. 28 |
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| 183 | 183 | | (dd)(ee) “Trackless trolley coach” means every motor vehicle that is propelled by electric 29 |
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| 184 | 184 | | power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated on rails. 30 |
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| 185 | 185 | | (ee)(ff) “Travel trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle, not exceeding three hundred 31 |
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| 186 | 186 | | twenty square feet (320 sq. ft.) in area, designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle containing a 32 |
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| 187 | 187 | | towing mechanism that is mounted behind the tow vehicle’s bumper and that is eligible to be 33 |
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| 188 | 188 | | registered for highway use. 34 |
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| 189 | 189 | | |
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| 190 | 190 | | |
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| 192 | 192 | | (ff)(gg) “Vehicle” means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or 1 |
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| 193 | 193 | | may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices used exclusively upon stationary rails 2 |
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| 194 | 194 | | or tracks. 3 |
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| 195 | 195 | | SECTION 2. Section 31-3-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of 4 |
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| 196 | 196 | | Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows: 5 |
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| 197 | 197 | | 31-3-2. Vehicles subject to registration. 6 |
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| 198 | 198 | | Every motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer, pole trailer, motorized camper, tent trailer, travel 7 |
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| 199 | 199 | | trailer, pick-up coach, and pick-up camper, owned by a resident of this state when operated or 8 |
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| 200 | 200 | | drawn upon a highway within this state for a period of thirty (30) days, shall be subject to the 9 |
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| 201 | 201 | | registration provisions of chapters 3 — 9 of this title except: 10 |
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| 202 | 202 | | (a) Any vehicle operated upon a highway in conformance with the provisions of the 11 |
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| 203 | 203 | | chapters relating to manufacturers, transporters, dealers, lien holders, or nonresidents; 12 |
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| 204 | 204 | | (b) Any vehicle that is operated upon a highway only for the purpose of crossing the 13 |
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| 205 | 205 | | highway but not along the highway from one property to another; 14 |
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| 206 | 206 | | (c) Any farm vehicle, whether or not of a type otherwise subject to registration under this 15 |
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| 207 | 207 | | chapter, that is only incidentally operated upon a highway. For purposes of this title, the phrase 16 |
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| 208 | 208 | | “incidentally operated upon a highway” shall mean the operation upon a highway of a slow-moving 17 |
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| 209 | 209 | | motor vehicle that is designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows, mowing 18 |
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| 210 | 210 | | machines, and other implements of husbandry, between agricultural operations owned or managed 19 |
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| 211 | 211 | | by the owner of the motor vehicle. Unless the incidental operation is only for purposes of crossing 20 |
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| 212 | 212 | | the highway but not traveling along it, the farm vehicle engaged in the incidental operation shall 21 |
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| 213 | 213 | | display a “Slow Moving Vehicle” emblem in a manner that complies with requirements established 22 |
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| 214 | 214 | | by the division of motor vehicles; 23 |
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| 215 | 215 | | (d) Any special mobile equipment as defined in § 31-1-9; 24 |
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| 216 | 216 | | (e) Any vehicle that is propelled exclusively by electric power obtained from overhead 25 |
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| 217 | 217 | | trolley wires, though not operated upon rails; 26 |
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| 218 | 218 | | (f) Any low-speed motor vehicle or low speed vehicle as defined in § 31-1-3. 27 |
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| 219 | 219 | | SECTION 3. The title of Chapter 31-10.1 of the General Laws entitled "Special License 28 |
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| 220 | 220 | | for Motorcycles, Motor Scooters, and Other Motor Driven Cycles" is hereby amended to read as 29 |
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| 221 | 221 | | follows: 30 |
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| 222 | 222 | | CHAPTER 31-10.1 31 |
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| 223 | 223 | | Special License for Motorcycles, Motor Scooters, and Other Motor Driven Cycles 32 |
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| 224 | 224 | | CHAPTER 31-10.1 33 |
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| 225 | 225 | | SPECIAL LICENSES FOR MOTORCYCLES, MOTOR SCOOTERS, LOW -SPEED 34 |
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| 226 | 226 | | |
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| 227 | 227 | | |
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| 229 | 229 | | VEHICLES AND OTHER MOTOR DRIVEN CYCLES 1 |
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| 230 | 230 | | SECTION 4. Section 31-10.1-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10.1 entitled "Special 2 |
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| 231 | 231 | | License for Motorcycles, Motor Scooters, and Other Motor Driven Cycles" is hereby amended to 3 |
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| 232 | 232 | | read as follows: 4 |
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| 233 | 233 | | 31-10.1-7. Inspection. 5 |
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| 234 | 234 | | Every motorcycle, motor scooter, low-speed vehicle, or motor driven cycle shall be 6 |
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| 235 | 235 | | inspected in accordance with the law providing for inspection of motor vehicles and shall display 7 |
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| 236 | 236 | | a certificate of inspection as provided in chapter 38 of this title. Inspection standards for the motor 8 |
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| 237 | 237 | | vehicles shall be established by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles. Inspection 9 |
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| 238 | 238 | | stations shall be specially licensed to inspect motorcycles, motor scooters, and motor-driven cycles. 10 |
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| 239 | 239 | | Certificates of inspection for these vehicles shall be clearly distinguishable from those issued to 11 |
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| 240 | 240 | | other motor vehicles. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4. 12 |
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| 241 | 241 | | SECTION 5. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES" 13 |
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| 242 | 242 | | is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 14 |
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| 243 | 243 | | CHAPTER 19.6 15 |
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| 244 | 244 | | LOW-SPEED VEHICLES 16 |
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| 245 | 245 | | 31-19.6-1. Low-speed vehicles. 17 |
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| 246 | 246 | | (a) Except as otherwise provided in chapters 19.4 and 19.5 of title 31, a low-speed motor 18 |
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| 247 | 247 | | vehicle or low-speed vehicle shall not be operated upon any public way unless such vehicle is 19 |
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| 248 | 248 | | registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, displays the registration number as 20 |
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| 249 | 249 | | provided in § 31-3-10 and displays a slow-moving vehicle emblem on the rear of the vehicle as 21 |
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| 250 | 250 | | required by § 31-10.1-7. Low-speed vehicles shall be subject to inspection as required by chapter 22 |
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| 251 | 251 | | 38 of title 31. The registrar may issue registration plates displaying the “Slow Moving Vehicle” 23 |
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| 252 | 252 | | emblem for a low-speed vehicle upon the same terms and conditions applicable to registrants of 24 |
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| 253 | 253 | | other motor vehicles and may issue a special parking identification placard bearing the same 25 |
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| 254 | 254 | | designation upon the same terms and conditions applicable to persons seeking a placard for a motor 26 |
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| 255 | 255 | | vehicle. Every person lawfully operating a low-speed motor vehicle shall have the right to use the 27 |
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| 256 | 256 | | public highways in the state, except low-speed vehicles shall be prohibited from operation on 28 |
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| 257 | 257 | | limited access highways, as defined in § 31-1-23, state highways, as defined in § 31-1-23, or 29 |
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| 258 | 258 | | through highways as defined in § 31-1-23 or on any public highway or roadway with a speed limit 30 |
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| 259 | 259 | | of more than thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph). 31 |
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| 260 | 260 | | (b) Low-speed vehicles shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the state and 32 |
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| 261 | 261 | | the provisions of this section. 33 |
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| 262 | 262 | | (c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit a low-speed 34 |
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| 263 | 263 | | |
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| 264 | 264 | | |
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| 266 | 266 | | motor vehicle from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be 1 |
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| 267 | 267 | | crossed has a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph) and forty-five miles 2 |
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| 268 | 268 | | per hour (45 mph), provided the public highway the low-speed vehicle is traveling on and the public 3 |
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| 269 | 269 | | highway the low-speed vehicle is crossing the intersection toward both have a speed limit no higher 4 |
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| 270 | 270 | | than thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph) and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals or stop 5 |
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| 271 | 271 | | signs. 6 |
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| 272 | 272 | | (d) A municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of low-speed vehicles on a 7 |
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| 273 | 273 | | laned roadway or local highway or a portion of a highway within its jurisdiction and under its 8 |
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| 274 | 274 | | control, regardless of posted speeds, where it finds that use of the highway or a particular portion 9 |
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| 275 | 275 | | of the highway by low-speed motor vehicles would represent an unreasonable risk of death or 10 |
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| 276 | 276 | | serious injury to occupants of low-speed vehicles as a result of general traffic conditions which 11 |
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| 277 | 277 | | shall include, but not be limited to, excessive speeds of other vehicles, traffic volumes, use of the 12 |
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| 278 | 278 | | highway by heavy trucks or other large vehicles or if the established speed limit on the highway 13 |
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| 279 | 279 | | increases above thirty-five miles per hour (35 mph) per hour beyond the point where a low-speed 14 |
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| 280 | 280 | | vehicle could safely exit the highway. The municipality shall post signs where necessary to provide 15 |
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| 281 | 281 | | notice to the public of such prohibited access. 16 |
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| 282 | | - | (e) Low speed vehicles operated on Prudence Island, in the town of Portsmouth, pursuant 17 |
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| 283 | | - | to the provisions of chapter 19.4 of title 31, are exempt from the provisions of this chapter. 18 |
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| 284 | | - | SECTION 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 19 |
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| 282 | + | (e) A low-speed vehicle shall not be operated by a person under sixteen (16) years of age 17 |
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| 283 | + | nor by any person not possessing a valid driver's license, except that a person who is at least sixteen 18 |
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| 284 | + | (16) years of age who possesses a valid learner's permit may operate a low-speed vehicle on those 19 |
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| 285 | + | highways, or portions of highways, where such operation is lawful, if accompanied by an operator 20 |
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| 286 | + | duly licensed by the state of residence who is twenty-one (21) years of age or over, who has had at 21 |
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| 287 | + | least one year of driving experience and who is occupying a seat beside the driver. The holder of a 22 |
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| 288 | + | temporary operator's permit shall be subject to the same license restrictions applicable to that 23 |
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| 289 | + | license classification in the operation of a low-speed vehicle as if the license holder were operating 24 |
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| 290 | + | any other motor vehicle. 25 |
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| 291 | + | SECTION 6. This act shall take effect upon passage. 26 |
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