AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR MINORS WITHOUT RESIDENCE ACT (Allows a minor between the ages of 14 -17 without a permanent residence/in custody of the DCYF to get state identification card without a signature from parent, guardian or foster parent as well as a certified copy of minor's birth certificate at no cost.)

H8099

2026 -- H 8099
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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 -- STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS
FOR MINORS WITHOUT RESIDENCE ACT

Introduced By:
Representative Brian C. Newberry

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES"
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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 10.5
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STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR MINORS WITHOUT RESIDENCE ACT
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31-10.5-1. Short title.

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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "State Identification Cards For Minors
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Without Residence Act".
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31-10.5-2. Minors without permanent residence.

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(a) Minors between fourteen (14) and seventeen (17) years of age, that are Rhode Island
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residents without a permanent residence shall be eligible to receive a state identification card issued
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by the department of motor vehicles (DMV) pursuant to § 3-8-6.1.
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(b) For issuance of state identification cards, the DMV shall accept the following as proof
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of identification:
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(1) Minors in the care of the department of children, youth, and families (DCYF) shall be
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eligible for a state identification card with a signed letter from the administrator of DCYF.
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(2) Minors in the care of a shelter shall be eligible for a state identification card with a
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signed letter from the administrator of the shelter.
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(3) Minors residing in a shelter with a parental guardian for at least thirty (30) days shall

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be eligible with a letter from the shelter administrator attesting to their occupancy in the shelter,
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the minor's birth certificate, social security card, passport or driver’s license. In the event a minor
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is residing in a shelter without a parental guardian due to unforeseen circumstances, the shelter
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administrator may represent the child as the legal guardian for the purposes of this section.
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(c) Minors seeking state identification cards in accordance with this chapter shall be exempt
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from the licensing fees contained in § 3-8-6.1.
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SECTION 2. Sections 23-3-24 and 23-3-25 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-3 entitled
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"Vital Records" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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23-3-24. Copies of data from vital records.
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In accordance with § 23-3-23 and the regulations adopted pursuant to that section:
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(1) The state registrar of vital records shall upon request issue a certified copy of any
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certificate or record in the registrar’s custody or a part thereof. Each copy issued shall show the
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date of registration; and copies issued from records marked “delayed,” “amended,” or “court order”
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shall be similarly marked and show the effective date. Any copies issued of a “certificate of foreign
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birth” shall indicate this fact and show the actual place of birth.
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(2) The local registrars shall upon request issue a certified copy of any certificate or record
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in the local registrar’s custody or to which the local registrar has access only in a form that shall be
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prescribed by the state director of health or the state archives under the control of the secretary of
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state, following transfer pursuant to § 23-3-5.1.
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(3) A certified copy of a certificate or any part thereof, issued in accordance with
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subdivision (1) or (2) of this section, shall be considered for all purposes the same as the original,
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and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in the certificate, provided that the evidentiary
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value of a certificate or record filed more than one year after the event, or a record that has been
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amended, or a “certificate of foreign birth,” shall be determined by the judicial or administrative
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body or official before whom the certificate is offered as evidence.
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(4) The National Office of Vital Statistics may be furnished copies or data that it may
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require for national statistics; provided, that the state shall be reimbursed for the cost of furnishing
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the data; and provided further, that the data shall not be used for other than statistical purposes by
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the National Office of Vital Records unless so authorized by the state registrar of vital records.
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(5) Federal, state, local, and other public or private agencies may, upon request, be
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furnished copies or data for statistical purposes upon terms or conditions that may be prescribed by
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the state director of health.
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(6) No person shall prepare or issue any certificate which purports to be an original certified
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copy, or copy of a certificate of birth, death, or fetal death, except as authorized in this chapter or

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regulations adopted under this chapter.
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(7) A child who is at least sixteen (16) years of age and who either does not have a residence
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address or is in the department of children, youth and family's custody may receive a certified copy
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of the child's certificate of birth registration without the signature of the child’s parent, guardian,
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or foster parent.
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23-3-25. Fees for copies and searches
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(a) The state registrar shall charge fees for searches and copies as follows:
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(1) For a search of two (2) consecutive calendar years under one name and for issuance of
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a certified copy of a certificate of birth, fetal death, death, or marriage, or a certification of birth, or
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a certification that the record cannot be found, and each duplicate copy of a certificate or
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certification issued at the same time, the fee is as set forth in § 23-1-54.
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(2) For each additional calendar year search, if applied for at the same time or within three
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(3) months of the original request and if proof of payment for the basic search is submitted, the fee
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is as set forth in § 23-1-54.
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(3) For providing expedited service, the additional handling fee is as set forth in § 23-1-54.
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(4) For processing of adoptions, legitimations, or paternity determinations as specified in
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§§ 23-3-14 and 23-3-15, there shall be a fee as set forth in § 23-1-54.
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(5) For making authorized corrections, alterations, and additions, the fee is as set forth in
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§ 23-1-54; provided, no fee shall be collected for making authorized corrections or alterations and
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additions on records filed before one year of the date on which the event recorded has occurred.
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(6) For examination of documentary proof and the filing of a delayed record, there is a fee
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as set forth in § 23-1-54; and there is an additional fee as set forth in § 23-1-54 for the issuance of
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a certified copy of a delayed record.
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(b) Fees collected under this section by the state registrar shall be deposited in the general
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fund of this state, according to the procedures established by the state treasurer.
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(c) The local registrar shall charge fees for searches and copies of records as follows:
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(1) For a search of two (2) consecutive calendar years under one name and for issuance of
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a certified copy of a certificate of birth, fetal death, death, delayed birth, or marriage, or a
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certification of birth or a certification that the record cannot be found, the fee is twenty dollars
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($20.00). For each duplicate copy of a certificate or certification issued at the same time, the fee is
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fifteen dollars ($15.00).
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(2) For each additional calendar year search, if applied for at the same time or within three
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(3) months of the original request and if proof of payment for the basic search is submitted, the fee
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is two dollars ($2.00).

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(d) Fees collected under this section by the local registrar shall be deposited in the city or
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town treasury according to the procedures established by the city or town treasurer except that six
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dollars ($6.00) of the certified copy fees shall be submitted to the state registrar for deposit in the
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general fund of this state.
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(e) To acquire, maintain, and operate an electronic statewide registration system (ESRS),
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the state registrar shall assess a surcharge of no more than five dollars ($5.00) for a mail-in certified
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records request, no more than three dollars ($3.00) for each duplicate certified record, and no more
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than two dollars ($2.00) for a walk-in certified records request or a certified copy of a vital record
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requested for a local registrar. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d), any such
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surcharges collected by the local registrar shall be submitted to the state registrar. Any funds
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collected from the surcharges listed above shall be deposited as general revenues.
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(f) An individual in accordance with § 23-3-24(7) shall not be charged a fee by the state
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registrar.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- STATE IDENTIFICATION CARDS
FOR MINORS WITHOUT RESIDENCE ACT
***
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This act would allow a minor between fourteen (14) and seventeen (17) years of age who
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does not have a permanent residence or is in the custody of the department of children, youth and
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families to receive a state identification card without a signature from a parent, guardian or foster
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parent at no cost as well as a certified copy of the minor's birth certificate.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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