Rhode Island 2025 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5050 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/15/2025

                     
 
 
 
2025 -- H 5050 
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LC000156 
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D 
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 
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A N   A C T 
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES 
Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Casey, J. Brien, Cruz, Alzate, Stewart, Voas, 
Giraldo, Messier, and Marszalkowski 
Date Introduced: January 15, 2025 
Referred To: House Special Legislation 
 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is 1 
hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 
31-3-130. Special plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc.     3 
(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available 4 
special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity Blackstone Valley Tourism 5 
Council, Inc. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit entity Blackstone Valley 6 
Tourism Council, Inc. and the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education 7 
Fund. 8 
(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the 9 
vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the 10 
registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be 11 
removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate 12 
for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate 13 
shall be in effect for the special plate. 14 
(c) The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. motor vehicle plates shall be the same 15 
size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Blackstone Valley Tourism 16 
Council, Inc. in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the 17 
Rhode Island state police.  18 
(d) The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. plates shall be subject to compliance with 19   
 
 
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§ 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate type (i.e., 1 
passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, 2 
Inc. plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order 3 
will be handled by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. and shall not be submitted to the 4 
division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper 5 
paper work submitted to the division. 6 
(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other 7 
procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.  8 
(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Blackstone Valley 9 
Tourism Council, Inc. plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.  10 
(g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty 11 
dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00) 12 
shall be distributed annually to the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. to provide funding for 13 
the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education Fund.  14 
(h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated 15 
to the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. 16 
(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Blackstone Valley 17 
Tourism Council, Inc. plates, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. must use any Rhode 18 
Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.  19 
(j) Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. will be required to submit an annual 20 
accounting report before such monies are distributed.  21 
(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, 22 
Inc. plates. 23 
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 24 
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EXPLANATION 
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
OF 
A N   A C T 
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES 
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This act would create a special license plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, 1 
Inc. that would support the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education Fund.  2 
This act would take effect upon passage. 3 
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LC000156 
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