2025 -- S 0571
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LC001657
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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
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCA TION OF
LICENSES--VIOLATIONS
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, McKenney, Burke, Patalano, Quezada, Tikoian,
Paolino, Appollonio, Sosnowski, and de la Cruz
Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
Referred To: Senate Judiciary
(Judiciary)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 31-11-18.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-11 entitled 1
"Suspension or Revocation of Licenses — Violations" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
31-11-18.1. Driving after denial, revocation, or suspension for certain violations. 3
(a) Any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway of this state who never applied 4
for a license or who drives after his or her application for a license has been refused, or after his or 5
her license has expired or who otherwise drives without a license or at a time when his or her license 6
to operate is suspended, revoked, or cancelled, for: (1) operating under the influence of a narcotic 7
drug controlled substance or intoxicating liquor; (2) refusing refusal to submit to a chemical test; 8
(3) reckless driving; (3) manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle or (4) operating a 9
motor vehicle so as to endanger resulting in death; or (4) (5) three (3) moving violations within a 10
one-year period; (6) having been designated a frequent offender pursuant to § 31-27-24; or (7) 11
violation of the terms of a conditional hardship order issued pursuant to chapter 27 of title 31; shall 12
be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first and second offenses and shall be deemed guilty of a felony 13
for the third or subsequent offenses. 14
(b) The division of motor vehicles upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person 15
upon a charge of driving a motor vehicle while the license of the person was suspended, for reasons 16
set forth in this section shall suspend the person’s license or deny the person’s application for any 17
length of time that it shall deem proper but in no case less than an additional three (3) months. Upon 18
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receiving a record of conviction of a second violation of driving a motor vehicle while the license 1
of that person was suspended for reasons set forth in this section, the division of motor vehicles 2
shall suspend the person’s license or deny the person’s application for any length of time that it 3
shall deem proper but in no case less than an additional six (6) months. Any subsequent conviction 4
shall result in license revocation. Upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person upon a 5
charge of driving after his or her application for a license had been refused, or after his or her license 6
had been revoked or cancelled for reasons set forth in this section, the division of motor vehicles 7
shall not issue a new license for an additional period of one year from and after the date the person 8
would otherwise have been entitled to apply for a new license. 9
(c)(1) Upon a first conviction under this section a mandatory fine of five hundred dollars 10
($500) shall be imposed, and if the person was driving after his or her application for a license had 11
been refused, or at a time when his or her license to operate was suspended, revoked, or cancelled 12
for :(i) operating under the influence of a controlled substance or intoxicating liquor, or his or her 13
; (ii) refusal to submit to a chemical test, ; (iii) reckless driving, manslaughter from the operation 14
of a motor vehicle, or operation ;(iv) operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger, death resulting, 15
in death; (v) three (3) moving violations within a one-year period; (vi) having been designated a 16
frequent offender pursuant to § 31-27-24; or (vii) violation of the terms of a conditional hardship 17
order issued pursuant to chapter 27 of title 31 the person shall be imprisoned for a minimum of ten 18
(10) days. 19
(2) A mandatory fine of five hundred dollars ($500) for a second conviction under this 20
section within a five (5) year period shall be imposed, and if the person was driving after his or her 21
application for a license had been refused, or at a time when his or her license to operate was 22
suspended, revoked, or cancelled for :(i) operating under the influence of a controlled substance or 23
intoxicating liquor or his or her ; (ii) refusal to submit to a chemical test, ; (iii) reckless driving, 24
manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle, or operation ; (iv) operating a motor vehicle 25
so as to endanger, death resulting in death; (v) three (3) moving violations within a one-year period; 26
(vi) having been designated a frequent offender pursuant to § 31-27-24; or (vii) violation of the 27
terms of a conditional hardship order issued pursuant to chapter 27 of title 31 the person shall be 28
imprisoned for a minimum of six (6) months to one year. 29
(3) For any subsequent conviction within a five (5) year period, a fine of one thousand 30
dollars ($1,000) shall be imposed and the person may be imprisoned for up to one year or be 31
required to participate in a public service program designated and approved by the court. If the 32
person was driving after his or her application for a license had been refused or at a time when his 33
or her license to operate was suspended, revoked, or cancelled for: (i) operating under the influence 34
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of a controlled substance or intoxicating liquor; (ii) his or her refusal to submit to a chemical test; 1
(iii) reckless driving; (iv) manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle; or (v) operating a 2
motor vehicle so as to endanger, death resulting in death; (v) three (3) moving violations within a 3
one-year period; (vi) having been designated a frequent offender pursuant to § 31-27-24; or (vii) 4
violation of the terms of a conditional hardship order issued pursuant to chapter 27 of title 31 the 5
person shall be imprisoned for a minimum of one year. Jurisdiction for violations of this section is 6
given to the district court and the court shall have full authority to impose any sentence authorized 7
for violations of this section. 8
(d) No fines, suspensions, treatment, or jail provided for under this section can be 9
suspended. 10
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 11
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCA TION OF
LICENSES--VIOLATIONS
***
This act would amend the section of law relative to violations for driving after denial, 1
revocation or suspension of a license and would expand the list of offenses for which an unlicensed 2
motorist would be in violation. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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