AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS (Clarifies when mobile equipment can travel on a public highway as an incidentally permitted practice limited to the active participation in an active work zone.)

H7870

2026 -- H 7870
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LC005111
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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 -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE
PROVISIONS

Introduced By:
Representatives Hull, Bennett, Biah, Shallcross Smith, and Azzinaro

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
(Dept. of Transportation)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 31-1-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-1 entitled "Definitions and
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General Code Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-1-9. Mobile equipment.
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“Mobile equipment” means every vehicle not designed or used primarily for the
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transportation of persons or property and only incidentally operated or moved over a highway,
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including but not limited to: ditch digging apparatus, well boring apparatus, and road construction
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or maintenance machinery such as asphalt spreaders, bituminous mixers, bucket loaders, tractors
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other than truck tractors, ditchers, leveling graders, finishing machines, motor graders, road rollers,
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scarifiers, earth moving carry-alls and scrapers, power shovels and drag lines, and self-propelled
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cranes and earth moving equipment. The term does not include house trailers, dump trucks, truck
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mounted transit mixers, cranes, or shovels, or other vehicles designed for the transportation of
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persons or property to which machinery has been attached.
For the purposes of this section
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"incidentally" means actively participating in work in an active work zone, or crossing a highway
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within a work zone. This does not include travelling down a highway under their own power.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005111
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE
PROVISIONS
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This act would clarify when mobile equipment can travel on a public highway as an
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incidentally permitted practice limited to the active participation in an active work zone.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005111
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