AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES (Empowers the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the Dominican independence heritage award committee of Rhode Island.)

H8333

2026 -- H 8333
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LC005031
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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 -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

Introduced By:
Representatives Diaz, Felix, Batista, Perez, Giraldo, Slater, Solomon,
Alzate, Stewart, and O'Brien

Date Introduced:
March 20, 2026

Referred To:
House Special Legislation
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is
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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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31-3-132. Special plate for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.

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(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available
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special motor vehicle registration plates for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award
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Committee. The plates shall be designed to reference the Dominican Independence Heritage Award
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Committee.
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(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the
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vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the
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registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be
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removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate
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for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate
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shall be in effect for the special plate.
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(c) The Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee motor vehicle plates shall
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be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Dominican
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Independence Heritage Award Committee in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with
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the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
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(d) The Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee plates shall be subject to
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compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate

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type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Dominican Independence
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Heritage Award Committee plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are
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met. The initial order will be handled by the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee
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and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum
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order(s) have been met and the proper paperwork submitted to the division.
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(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other
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procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
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(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Dominican
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Independence Heritage Award Committee plates shall be subject to a forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance
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surcharge.
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(g) The forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty
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dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00)
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shall be distributed annually to the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee to provide
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funding for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.
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(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated
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to the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee.
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(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Dominican Independence
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Heritage Award Committee plates, the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee must
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use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable
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organizations.
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(j) Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee will be required to submit an
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annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.
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(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Dominican Independence Heritage
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Award Committee plates.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
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This act would empower the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor
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vehicle registration plates for the Dominican Independence Heritage Award Committee of Rhode
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Island.
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This act would take effect six (6) months after passage.
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LC005031
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