2025 -- S 0298
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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 -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENS ES
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Tikoian, Sosnowski, McKenney, Burke, Appollonio,
Patalano, Thompson, Felag, and Britto
Date Introduced: February 13, 2025
Referred To: Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 31-27-1, 31-27-1.1, 31-27-2.2 and 31-27-2.6 of the General Laws 1
in Chapter 31-27 entitled "Motor Vehicle Offenses" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2
31-27-1. Driving so as to endanger, resulting in death. 3
(a) When the death of any person ensues as a proximate result of an injury received by the 4
operation of any vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others, including violations of § 31-5
27-22, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of “driving so as to endanger, resulting in 6
death”. 7
(b) Any person charged with the commission of this offense shall upon conviction be 8
imprisoned for not more than ten (10) twenty (20) years and have his or her license to operate a 9
motor vehicle suspended for no more than five (5) years. 10
31-27-1.1. Driving so as to endanger, resulting in serious personal injury. 11
(a) When the serious bodily injury of any person ensues as a proximate result of the 12
operation of any vehicle in reckless disregard of the safety of others, including violations of § 31-13
27-22, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of “driving so as to endanger, resulting in 14
serious bodily injury”. 15
(b) “Serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or 16
causes serious permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any 17
bodily member or organ. 18
(c) Any person charged with a violation of this section shall upon conviction be imprisoned 19
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for not more than five (5) ten (10) years and have his or her license to operate a motor vehicle 1
suspended for no more than three (3) years. 2
31-27-2.2. Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, resulting in death. 3
(a) When the death of any person other than the operator ensues as a proximate result of an 4
injury received by the operation of any vehicle, the operator of which is under the influence of any 5
intoxicating liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter 28 of title 21, or any 6
combination of these, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of “driving under the 7
influence of liquor or drugs, resulting in death”. 8
(b) Any person charged with the commission of the offense set forth in subsection (a) of 9
this section shall, upon conviction, be punished as follows: 10
(1)(i) Every person convicted of a first violation shall be punished by By imprisonment in 11
the state prison for not less than five (5) years and for not more than fifteen (15) thirty (30) years, 12
in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge, by a fine 13
of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) twenty 14
thousand dollars ($20,000) and his or her license to operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked for a 15
period of five (5) to ten (10) years. The license privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence 16
satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist 17
which would authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the person gives proof of financial 18
responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title. 19
(ii)(2) In addition, the person convicted may be required to successfully complete alcohol 20
or drug treatment in a program of their choice, at their own expense, as authorized by a judge of 21
the superior court, and may successfully complete the program before any license to operate a 22
motor vehicle is renewed. 23
(2) Every person convicted of a second or subsequent violation within a five (5) year period 24
in this state or any other state, provided the out-of-state conviction was based on the same blood-25
alcohol concentration as set forth in § 31-27-2 shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison 26
for not less than ten (10) years and for not more than twenty (20) years, in any unit of the adult 27
correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge, by a fine of not less than ten 28
thousand dollars ($10,000) nor more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and his or her license 29
to operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked for a period of five (5) years. In addition, the person 30
convicted may be required to successfully complete alcohol or drug treatment, at their own expense, 31
in a program established by the director of the department of corrections. The license privilege shall 32
not be reinstated whether the convictions occurred in this or any other state until evidence 33
satisfactory to the superior court, following a hearing establishes that no grounds exist which would 34
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authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the person gives proof of financial responsibility 1
pursuant to chapter 32 of this title. 2
31-27-2.6. Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, resulting in serious bodily 3
injury. 4
(a) When serious bodily injury of any person other than the operator is caused by the 5
operation of any motor vehicle, the operator of which is under the influence of any intoxicating 6
liquor, toluene, or any controlled substance as defined in chapter 28 of title 21 or any combination 7
of these, the person so operating the vehicle shall be guilty of driving under the influence of liquor 8
or drugs, resulting in serious bodily injury. 9
(b) As used in this section, “serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a 10
substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment 11
of the function of any bodily member or organ. 12
(c) Any person charged with the commission of the offense set forth in subsection (a) of 13
this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year and for 14
not more than ten (10) twenty (20) years and by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) 15
nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) ten thousand dollars ($10,000). The sentencing judge 16
shall have the discretion to sentence the person to any unit of the adult correctional institutions. 17
The license of the person may be revoked for a period of up to two (2) three (3) to five (5) years. 18
The license privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the 19
division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue 20
a license and until the person gives proof of financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this 21
title. In addition, the person convicted may be required to successfully complete alcohol or drug 22
treatment, at their own expense, in a program established by the director of the department of 23
corrections. 24
(d) For a second or subsequent conviction under this section within a five (5) year period, 25
a person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than fifteen 26
(15) years and by a fine of not less than three thousand dollars ($3,000) nor more than ten thousand 27
dollars ($10,000). The sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person to any unit 28
of the adult correctional institutions. In addition, the person convicted may be required to 29
successfully complete alcohol or drug treatment, at their own expense, in a program established by 30
the director of the department of corrections. The license of the person may be revoked for a period 31
of up to four (4) years. The license privilege shall not thereafter be reinstated until evidence 32
satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist 33
which would authorize refusal to issue a license and until the person gives proof of financial 34
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responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title. 1
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 2
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENS ES
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This act would increase the sentences, fines or both for § 31-27-1 ("driving so as to 1
endanger, resulting in death") and § 31-27-1.1 ("driving so as to endanger, resulting in personal 2
injury"). This act would also repeal the enhancement of the punishments for subsequent offenses 3
of § 31-27-2.2 ("driving under the influence, resulting in death") and § 31-27-2.6 ("driving under 4
the influence, resulting in serious bodily injury") and would replace the enhancement of 5
punishments with an amended single range of sentences, fines or both. 6
This act would take effect upon passage. 7
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