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5 | 5 | | 2025 -- H 5145 |
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6 | 6 | | ======== |
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7 | 7 | | LC000635 |
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8 | 8 | | ======== |
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9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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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 AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE |
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16 | 16 | | PROVISIONS |
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17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Bennett, Solomon, Marszalkowski, Potter, |
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18 | 18 | | Kennedy, Ackerman, Diaz, Chippendale, and Craven |
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19 | 19 | | Date Introduced: January 22, 2025 |
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20 | 20 | | Referred To: House Finance |
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21 | 21 | | |
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22 | 22 | | |
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23 | 23 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. Sections 31-1-3 and 31-1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-1 entitled 1 |
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25 | 25 | | "Definitions and General Code Provisions" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2 |
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26 | 26 | | 31-1-3. Types of vehicles. 3 |
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27 | 27 | | (a)(1) “Antique motor car” means any motor vehicle that is more than twenty-five (25) 4 |
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28 | 28 | | years old. Unless fully inspected and meeting inspection requirements, the vehicle may be 5 |
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29 | 29 | | maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public 6 |
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30 | 30 | | interest. The vehicle may also be used for limited enjoyment and purposes other than the previously 7 |
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31 | 31 | | mentioned activities, but may not be used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods 8 |
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32 | 32 | | over any public highway. 9 |
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33 | 33 | | (2) After the vehicle has met the requirements of state inspection, a registration plate may 10 |
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34 | 34 | | 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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35 | 35 | | and other states, and may, in addition to the registration plate, retain the designation “antique” and 12 |
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36 | 36 | | display an “antique plate.” 13 |
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37 | 37 | | (3) For any vehicle that is more than twenty-five (25) years old, the division of motor 14 |
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38 | 38 | | vehicles may also issue or approve, subject to rules and regulations that may be promulgated by 15 |
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39 | 39 | | the administrator, a “year of manufacture plate” for the vehicle that is an exact replica plate 16 |
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40 | 40 | | designating the exact year of manufacture of the vehicle. The year of manufacture plate, as 17 |
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41 | 41 | | authorized by this subsection, need only be attached to the rear of the vehicle. 18 |
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42 | 42 | | |
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43 | 43 | | |
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44 | 44 | | LC000635 - Page 2 of 8 |
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45 | 45 | | (b)(1) “Antique motorcycle” means any motorcycle that is more than twenty-five (25) 1 |
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46 | 46 | | years old. Unless fully inspected and meeting inspection requirements, the vehicle shall be 2 |
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47 | 47 | | maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, and other functions of public 3 |
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48 | 48 | | interest. The vehicle may also be used for limited enjoyment and purposes other than the previously 4 |
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49 | 49 | | mentioned activities, but may not be used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods 5 |
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50 | 50 | | over any public highway; and 6 |
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51 | 51 | | (2) After the vehicle has met the requirements of state inspection, a registration plate may 7 |
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52 | 52 | | be issued to it, on payment of the standard fee, and the vehicle may be operated on the highways 8 |
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53 | 53 | | of this and other states, and may, in addition to the registration plate, retain the designation 9 |
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54 | 54 | | “antique” and display an “antique plate.” 10 |
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55 | 55 | | (c) “Authorized emergency vehicle” means vehicles of the fire department (fire patrol); 11 |
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56 | 56 | | police vehicles; vehicles of the department of corrections while in the performance of official 12 |
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57 | 57 | | duties; vehicles used by the state bomb squad within the office of state fire marshal; vehicles of 13 |
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58 | 58 | | municipal departments or public service corporations designated or authorized by the administrator 14 |
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59 | 59 | | as ambulances and emergency vehicles; and privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer 15 |
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60 | 60 | | firefighters or privately owned motor vehicles of volunteer ambulance drivers or attendants, as 16 |
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61 | 61 | | authorized by the department chief or commander and permitted by the Rhode Island Association 17 |
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62 | 62 | | of Fire Chiefs and Rhode Island Association of Police Chiefs Joint Committee for Volunteer 18 |
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63 | 63 | | Warning Light Permits. 19 |
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64 | 64 | | (d) “Automobile” means, for registration purposes, every motor vehicle carrying 20 |
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65 | 65 | | passengers other than for hire., to include trucks that have a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand 21 |
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66 | 66 | | pounds (8,000 lbs.) or less. 22 |
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67 | 67 | | (e) “Bicycle” means every vehicle having two (2) tandem wheels, except scooters and 23 |
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68 | 68 | | similar devices, propelled exclusively by human power, and upon which a person may ride. 24 |
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69 | 69 | | (f) “Camping recreational vehicle” means a vehicular type camping unit, certified by the 25 |
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70 | 70 | | manufacturer as complying with ANSI A119.2 Standards, designed primarily as temporary living 26 |
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71 | 71 | | quarters for recreation that has either its own motor power or is mounted on, or towed by, another 27 |
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72 | 72 | | vehicle. The basic units are tent trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, motorized campers, travel trailers, and 28 |
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73 | 73 | | pick-up campers. 29 |
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74 | 74 | | (g) “Electric motorized bicycle”, also called an “electric bicycle”, as defined in § 31-19.7-30 |
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75 | 75 | | 1, means a two-wheel (2) vehicle that may be propelled by human power or electric motor power, 31 |
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76 | 76 | | or by both, with an electric motor rated not more than two (2) (S.A.E.) horsepower, that is capable 32 |
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77 | 77 | | of a maximum speed of not more than twenty-eight miles per hour (28 m.p.h.). 33 |
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78 | 78 | | (h) “Electric personal assistive mobility device” (“EPAMD”) is a self-balancing, non-34 |
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79 | 79 | | |
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80 | 80 | | |
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81 | 81 | | LC000635 - Page 3 of 8 |
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82 | 82 | | tandem two-wheeled (2) device, designed to transport only one person, with an electric propulsion 1 |
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83 | 83 | | system that limits the maximum speed of the device to fifteen miles per hour (15 m.p.h.). 2 |
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84 | 84 | | (i) “Fifth-wheel trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle, not exceeding four hundred (400) 3 |
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85 | 85 | | square feet in area, designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle that contains a towing mechanism 4 |
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86 | 86 | | that is mounted above or forward of the tow vehicle’s rear axle and that is eligible to be registered 5 |
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87 | 87 | | for highway use. 6 |
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88 | 88 | | (j) “Hearse” means every motor vehicle used for transporting human corpses. A hearse 7 |
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89 | 89 | | shall be considered an automobile for registration purposes. 8 |
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90 | 90 | | (k) “Jitney or bus” means: (1) A “public bus” that includes every motor vehicle, trailer, 9 |
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91 | 91 | | semi-trailer, tractor trailer, or tractor trailer combination, used for the transportation of passengers 10 |
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92 | 92 | | for hire, and operated wholly or in part upon any street or highway as a means of transportation 11 |
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93 | 93 | | similar to that afforded by a street railway company, by indiscriminately receiving or discharging 12 |
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94 | 94 | | passengers, or running on a regular route or over any portion of one, or between fixed termini; or 13 |
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95 | 95 | | (2) A “private bus” that includes every motor vehicle other than a public bus or passenger van 14 |
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96 | 96 | | designed for carrying more than ten (10) passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and 15 |
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97 | 97 | | every motor vehicle other than a taxicab designed and used for the transportation of persons for 16 |
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98 | 98 | | compensation. 17 |
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99 | 99 | | (l) “Kei car” or “Kei truck” means every motor vehicle of the keijidōsha class of imported 18 |
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100 | 100 | | vehicles, including, but not limited to, mini-trucks, microvans, and Kei cars imported pursuant to 19 |
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101 | 101 | | 49 U.S.C. § 30112(b)(9), having four (4) wheels, an engine displacement of six hundred sixty cubic 20 |
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102 | 102 | | centimeters (660 cc) or less, an overall length of one hundred thirty inches (130″) or less, an overall 21 |
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103 | 103 | | height of seventy-eight inches (78″) or less, and an overall width of sixty inches (60″) or less. 22 |
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104 | 104 | | (m) “Low-speed motor vehicle” or “low-speed vehicle” means a motor vehicle defined in 23 |
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105 | 105 | | 49 C.F.R. § 571.3 as a vehicle that is four (4) wheeled, whose speed attainable in one mile is more 24 |
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106 | 106 | | than twenty miles per hour (20 m.p.h.) and not more than twenty-five miles per hour (25 m.p.h.) 25 |
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107 | 107 | | on a paved level surface, is electric, and whose gross vehicle weight rating is less than three 26 |
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108 | 108 | | thousand pounds (3,000 lbs.). All low-speed motor vehicles shall comply with the standards 27 |
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109 | 109 | | established in 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and pursuant thereto, shall be equipped with 28 |
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110 | 110 | | headlamps, front and rear turn signal lamps, tail lamps, stop lamps, an exterior mirror mounted on 29 |
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111 | 111 | | the driver’s side of the vehicle and either an exterior mirror mounted on the passenger’s side of the 30 |
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112 | 112 | | vehicle or an interior mirror, a parking brake, a windshield that conforms to the federal standards 31 |
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113 | 113 | | on glazing materials, a vehicle identification number that conforms to the requirements of 49 C.F.R. 32 |
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114 | 114 | | pt. 565 for such numbers, a Type 1 or Type 2 seat belt assembly conforming to 49 C.F.R. § 571.209, 33 |
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115 | 115 | | installed at each designated seating position, and reflex reflectors; provided, that one reflector is 34 |
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116 | 116 | | |
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117 | 117 | | |
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118 | 118 | | LC000635 - Page 4 of 8 |
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119 | 119 | | red on each side as far to the rear as practicable and one reflector is red on the rear. A low-speed 1 |
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120 | 120 | | motor vehicle that meets the requirements of 49 C.F.R. § 571.500, as amended, and is equipped as 2 |
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121 | 121 | | herein provided, may be registered in this state, subject to inspection and insurance requirements. 3 |
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122 | 122 | | (n) “Motorcycle” means only those motor vehicles having not more than three (3) wheels 4 |
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123 | 123 | | in contact with the ground and a saddle on which the driver sits astride, except bicycles with helper 5 |
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124 | 124 | | motors as defined in subsection (p) of this section. 6 |
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125 | 125 | | (o) “Motor-driven cycle” means every motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with a 7 |
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126 | 126 | | motor of no greater than five (5) horsepower, except bicycles with helper motors as defined in 8 |
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127 | 127 | | subsection (p) of this section. 9 |
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128 | 128 | | (p) “Motorized bicycles” means two-wheel (2) vehicles that may be propelled by human 10 |
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129 | 129 | | power or helper power, or by both, with a motor rated not more than four and nine-tenths (4.9) 11 |
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130 | 130 | | horsepower and not greater than fifty cubic centimeters (50 cc), that are capable of a maximum 12 |
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131 | 131 | | speed of not more than thirty miles per hour (30 m.p.h.). 13 |
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132 | 132 | | (q) “Motorized camper”: A camping recreational vehicle, built on, or permanently attached 14 |
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133 | 133 | | to, a self-propelled motor vehicle chassis cab or van that is an integral part of the completed vehicle. 15 |
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134 | 134 | | (r) “Motorized tricycles” means tricycles that may be propelled by human power or helper 16 |
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135 | 135 | | motor, or by both, with a motor rated no more than 1.5 brake horsepower that is capable of a 17 |
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136 | 136 | | maximum speed of not more than thirty miles per hour (30 m.p.h.). 18 |
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137 | 137 | | (s) “Motorized wheelchair” means any self-propelled vehicle, designed for, and used by, a 19 |
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138 | 138 | | person with a disability that is incapable of speed in excess of eight miles per hour (8 m.p.h.). 20 |
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139 | 139 | | (t) “Motor scooter” means a motor-driven cycle with a motor rated not more than four and 21 |
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140 | 140 | | nine-tenths (4.9) horsepower and not greater than fifty cubic centimeters (50 cc) that is capable of 22 |
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141 | 141 | | a maximum speed of not more than thirty miles per hour (30 m.p.h.). 23 |
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142 | 142 | | (u) “Motor vehicle” means every vehicle that is self-propelled or propelled by electric 24 |
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143 | 143 | | power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except vehicles moved 25 |
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144 | 144 | | exclusively by human power, an EPAMD and electric motorized bicycles as defined in subsection 26 |
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145 | 145 | | (g) of this section, and motorized wheelchairs. 27 |
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146 | 146 | | (v) “Motor vehicle for hire” means every motor vehicle other than jitneys, public buses, 28 |
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147 | 147 | | hearses, and motor vehicles used chiefly in connection with the conduct of funerals, to transport 29 |
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148 | 148 | | persons for compensation in any form, or motor vehicles rented for transporting persons either with 30 |
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149 | 149 | | or without furnishing an operator. 31 |
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150 | 150 | | (w) “Natural gas vehicle” means a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by 32 |
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151 | 151 | | natural gas. 33 |
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152 | 152 | | (x) “Park trailer”: A camping recreational vehicle that is eligible to be registered for 34 |
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153 | 153 | | |
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154 | 154 | | |
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155 | 155 | | LC000635 - Page 5 of 8 |
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156 | 156 | | highway use and meets the following criteria: (1) Built on a single chassis mounted on wheels; and 1 |
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157 | 157 | | (2) Certified by the manufacturer as complying with ANSI A119.5. 2 |
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158 | 158 | | (y) “Passenger van” means every motor vehicle capable of carrying ten (10) to fourteen 3 |
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159 | 159 | | (14) passengers plus an operator and used for personal use or on a not-for-hire basis. Passenger 4 |
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160 | 160 | | vans may be used for vanpools, transporting passengers to and from work locations, provided that 5 |
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161 | 161 | | the operator receives no remuneration other than free use of the vehicle. 6 |
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162 | 162 | | (z) “Pedal carriage” (also known as “quadricycles”) means a nonmotorized bicycle with 7 |
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163 | 163 | | four (4) or more wheels operated by one or more persons for the purpose of, or capable of, 8 |
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164 | 164 | | transporting additional passengers in seats or on a platform made a part of or otherwise attached to 9 |
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165 | 165 | | the pedal carriage. The term shall not include a bicycle with trainer or beginner wheels affixed to 10 |
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166 | 166 | | it, nor shall it include a wheelchair or other vehicle with the purpose of operation by or for the 11 |
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167 | 167 | | transportation of a person with a disability, nor shall it include a tricycle built for a child or an adult 12 |
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168 | 168 | | with a seat for only one operator and no passenger. 13 |
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169 | 169 | | (aa) “Pick-up camper”: A camping recreational vehicle consisting of a roof, floor, and sides 14 |
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170 | 170 | | designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the back of a pick-up truck. 15 |
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171 | 171 | | (bb) “Rickshaw” (also known as “pedi cab”) means a nonmotorized bicycle with three (3) 16 |
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172 | 172 | | wheels operated by one person for the purpose of, or capable of, transporting additional passengers 17 |
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173 | 173 | | in seats or on a platform made a part of, or otherwise attached to, the rickshaw. This definition shall 18 |
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174 | 174 | | not include a bicycle built for two (2) where the operators are seated one behind the other, nor shall 19 |
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175 | 175 | | it include the operation of a bicycle with trainer or beginner wheels affixed thereto, nor shall it 20 |
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176 | 176 | | include a wheelchair or other vehicle with the purpose of operation by or for the transportation of 21 |
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177 | 177 | | a person with a disability. 22 |
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178 | 178 | | (cc) “School bus” means every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency, 23 |
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179 | 179 | | when operated for the transportation of children to or from school; or privately owned, when 24 |
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180 | 180 | | operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from school. 25 |
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181 | 181 | | (dd) “Suburban vehicle” means every motor vehicle with a convertible or interchangeable 26 |
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182 | 182 | | body or with removable seats, usable for both passenger and delivery purposes, and including motor 27 |
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183 | 183 | | vehicles commonly known as station or depot wagons or any vehicle into which access can be 28 |
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184 | 184 | | gained through the rear by means of a hatch or trunk and where the rear seats can be folded down 29 |
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185 | 185 | | to permit the carrying of articles as well as passengers. 30 |
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186 | 186 | | (ee) “Tent trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle that is mounted on wheels and 31 |
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187 | 187 | | constructed with collapsible partial side walls that fold for towing by another vehicle and unfold 32 |
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188 | 188 | | for use and that is eligible to be registered for highway use. 33 |
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189 | 189 | | (ff) “Trackless trolley coach” means every motor vehicle that is propelled by electric power 34 |
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190 | 190 | | |
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191 | 191 | | |
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192 | 192 | | LC000635 - Page 6 of 8 |
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193 | 193 | | obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated on rails. 1 |
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194 | 194 | | (gg) “Travel trailer”: A towable recreational vehicle, not exceeding three hundred twenty 2 |
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195 | 195 | | square feet (320 sq. ft.) in area, designed to be towed by a motorized vehicle containing a towing 3 |
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196 | 196 | | mechanism that is mounted behind the tow vehicle’s bumper and that is eligible to be registered 4 |
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197 | 197 | | for highway use. 5 |
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198 | 198 | | (hh) “Vehicle” means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may 6 |
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199 | 199 | | be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or 7 |
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200 | 200 | | tracks. 8 |
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201 | 201 | | 31-1-4. Trucks and tractors. 9 |
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202 | 202 | | (a) “Covered heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicle” means a vehicle that is transporting a 10 |
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203 | 203 | | disabled vehicle from the place where the vehicle became disabled to the nearest appropriate repair 11 |
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204 | 204 | | facility; and, provided the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight that is equal to or exceeds the gross 12 |
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205 | 205 | | vehicle weight of the disabled vehicle being transported. 13 |
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206 | 206 | | (b) “Farm tractor” means every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a farm 14 |
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207 | 207 | | implement, for drawing plows, mowing machines, and other implements of husbandry or farm 15 |
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208 | 208 | | vehicles. 16 |
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209 | 209 | | (c) “Tow cars and tow trucks” means every motor vehicle ordinarily used for the purpose 17 |
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210 | 210 | | of towing or removing motor vehicles or assisting disabled motor vehicles. 18 |
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211 | 211 | | (d)(1) “Trailer transporter towing unit” means a power unit that is not used to carry property 19 |
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212 | 212 | | when operating in a towaway trailer transporter combination. 20 |
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213 | 213 | | (2) “Towaway trailer transporter combination” means a combination of vehicles consisting 21 |
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214 | 214 | | of a trailer transporter towing unit and two (2) trailers or semitrailers: 22 |
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215 | 215 | | (i) With a total weight that does not exceed twenty-six thousand pounds (26,000 lbs.); and 23 |
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216 | 216 | | (ii) In which the trailers or semitrailers carry no property and constitute inventory property 24 |
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217 | 217 | | of a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer of the trailers or semitrailers. 25 |
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218 | 218 | | (e) “Truck” means every motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the 26 |
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219 | 219 | | transportation of property. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall determine, in 27 |
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220 | 220 | | case of doubt, if a motor vehicle is subject to registration as a truck. Provided however, any truck 28 |
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221 | 221 | | with a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand pounds (8,000 lbs.) or less may be registered as an 29 |
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222 | 222 | | automobile and issued passenger plates. 30 |
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223 | 223 | | (f) “Truck tractor” means a non-cargo-carrying power unit that operates in combination 31 |
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224 | 224 | | with a semi-trailer or trailer, except that a truck tractor and a semi-trailer or trailer engaged in the 32 |
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225 | 225 | | transportation of automobiles may transport motor vehicles on part of the power unit. 33 |
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227 | 227 | | |
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228 | 228 | | LC000635 - Page 7 of 8 |
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229 | 229 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1 |
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231 | 231 | | LC000635 |
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235 | 235 | | LC000635 - Page 8 of 8 |
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236 | 236 | | EXPLANATION |
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237 | 237 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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238 | 238 | | OF |
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239 | 239 | | A N A C T |
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240 | 240 | | RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE |
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241 | 241 | | PROVISIONS |
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242 | 242 | | *** |
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243 | 243 | | This act would allow for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand pounds (8,000 1 |
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244 | 244 | | lbs.) or less to have passenger registration license plates. 2 |
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245 | 245 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 3 |
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247 | 247 | | LC000635 |
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