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H7008A
2026 -- H 7008 SUBSTITUTE A
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LC003563/SUB A
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PARKING FACILITIES AND
PRIVILEGES
Introduced By:
Representative Arthur J. Corvese
Date Introduced:
January 07, 2026
Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 31-28-7.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-28 entitled "Parking
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Facilities and Privileges" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-28-7.3. Disability parking enforcement program.
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(a) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol
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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals,
governor’s
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commission on disabilities,
and the state operated colleges shall establish a disability parking
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enforcement enhancement programs no later than January 1, 2000.
On or after July 1, 2026, the
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governor's commission on disabilities shall review and provide comment on any amendments,
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changes or updates to the disability parking enforcement program.
The program will be designed
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to improve enforcement of disability parking laws on state-owned property and in parking facilities
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serving space leased or owned by the state, including state departments, agencies, boards,
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commissions, and quasi-governmental corporations. Citations issued in conjunction with this
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program shall be submitted to the traffic tribunal or its successor entity for collection pursuant to
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§§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1 and the fines collected through shall be paid over to the state agency or
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college that issued the citation.
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(b) The several cities and towns shall establish disability parking enforcement enhancement
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programs. Citations issued in conjunction with local enforcement programs shall be submitted to
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the municipal court, where established, or to the traffic tribunal or its successor entity. Fines
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collected through citations issued in accordance with local enforcement program specifications
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shall be paid over to the city or town or pursuant to §§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1.
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(c) Disability parking enforcement enhancement plans.
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(1) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol
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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state
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operated colleges shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the governor’s
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commission on disabilities.
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(2) Cities and towns shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the
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governor’s commission on the disability.
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(3) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plans shall describe the enforcement
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program which the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation,
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capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals,
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governor’s commission on disabilities,
the state operated colleges or the municipality intends to
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establish.
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(4) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plan shall be reviewed by governor’s
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commission on disabilities within sixty (60) days of receipt and suggest improvements to the
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disability parking enforcement enhancement plans, that shall not be construed as required
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amendments.
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(d) The types of disability parking enforcement enhancement programs which may be put
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in place in each municipality, and by the state police, department of environmental management,
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airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
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and hospitals,
governor’s commission on disabilities,
and the state operated colleges, may include,
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but shall not be limited to:
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(1) Enforcement programs which utilize persons deputized for the purpose of the disability
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parking enforcement enhancement program. The disability parking enforcement deputies shall be
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required to complete a minimum of four (4) hours training in parking enforcement before being
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assigned to the program. Each municipality and the state police, department of environmental
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management, airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare,
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developmental disabilities and hospitals,
governor’s commission on disabilities,
and the state
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operated colleges shall provide adequate training and shall assume all liability associated with
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disability parking enforcement.
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(2) Enforcement programs which specifically designate paid and trained personnel as staff
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for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program. These personnel are not limited to
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on-duty police officers, but may also include officers to be paid overtime, auxiliary personnel,
LC003563/SUB A - Page 2 of 4
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special forces, retired personnel, and other paid employee deemed by the responsible authority to
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be competent and qualified.
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(e) Beginning January 1, 2027 and on each January 1 thereafter, cities and towns and the
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state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol police,
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department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state
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operated colleges shall be required to submit to the governor’s commission on disabilities an annual
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progress report chronicling the collections of fines, procedures used, convictions, and any problems
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or successes which result from the disability parking enforcement enhancement program.
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Following receipt of an annual program report, the governor’s commission on disabilities may
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suggest improvements to a disability parking enforcement enhancement program.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003563/SUB A
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PARKING FACILITIES AND
PRIVILEGES
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This act would add the governor’s commission on disabilities to the list of participants of
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the disability parking enforcement program. Additionally, beginning January 1, 2027 the disability
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parking enforcement program shall submit an annual report to the governor’s commission on
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disabilities.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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