AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES -- CASEY'S LAW (Creates an enhanced penalty defined as "road rage" to be applied in addition to penalties for convictions of certain motor vehicle offenses.)

H8384

2026 -- H 8384
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LC006022
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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 MOTOR VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE
OFFENSES -- CASEY'S LAW

Introduced By:
Representatives Corvese, Noret, Azzinaro, Kennedy, Casey, J. Brien,
O'Brien, Craven, Solomon, and Phillips

Date Introduced:
April 01, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
(Governor)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 31-27 of the General Laws entitled "Motor Vehicle Offenses" is
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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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31-27-26. Enhancement of an offense for road rage -- Casey's law.

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(a) For the purposes of this section, "road rage" means the operation or use of a motor
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vehicle, or behavior on the part of the operator or passenger of a motor vehicle that is intentionally
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aggressive, harassing, threatening, intimidating, or dangerous and that is directed toward another
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motor vehicle operator or passenger upon any public highway, public roadway, or reasonable
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extension of any public highway or roadway, to which the public has access.
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(b) Any person convicted of or entering a plea of guilt or nolo contendere for a violation
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of any provisions of this chapter that constitute a misdemeanor or any other misdemeanor, and who
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is further found to have committed such violation as a result of road rage shall be subject to the
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following in addition to any other penalty the court may impose for the underlying misdemeanor
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violation:
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(1) A mandatory fine of no less than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750); and
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(2) Suspension of the person's operator's license for up to one year.
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(c) Any person convicted of or entering a plea of guilt or nolo contendere for a violation of
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any provisions of this chapter that constitute a felony or any other felony, and who is further found
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to have committed such violation as a result of road rage may be subject to the following in addition

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to any other penalty the court may impose for the underlying felony violation:
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(1) An additional term of imprisonment for not less than two (2) years and for not more
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than fifteen (15) years;
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(2) A mandatory fine of no less than one thousand dollars ($1,000); and
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(3) Suspension of the person's operator's license for a period of not more than five (5) years
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or revoked for a period up to two (2) years.
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(d) Whenever a person may be subject to the enhanced sentence in this section, the attorney
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general or prosecutor shall file with the court a notice no later than the first pretrial conference, or
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shall allege the enhancement in the complaint, information, or indictment, specifying that the
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defendant, upon conviction, is subject to the imposition of sentencing in accordance with this
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section.
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(e) Upon any plea of guilt or nolo contendere, or verdict or finding of guilt of the defendant,
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the court shall conduct a sentencing hearing. At the hearing, the court shall permit the attorney
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general or prosecutor and the defense to present additional evidence to the judge or jury relevant to
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the determination of whether the defendant committed the underlying offense as a result of road
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rage as defined in subsection (a) of this section. If the judge or jury at the hearing, or in the case of
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a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the court at sentencing, determines beyond a reasonable doubt
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that the defendant's actions were so motivated, the defendant shall be sentenced as provided in this
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section.
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(f) This section does not create a separate offense but provides an additional enhanced
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sentence for the underlying offense.
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(g) The enhanced sentence regarding imprisonment provided in this section shall run
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consecutively to the sentences provided for the underlying offenses.
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(h) There is to be established a restricted receipt account to be known as the "road rage and
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safe driving education fund" which shall be a separate account within the department of
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transportation. All fines collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into the account.
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Monies deposited into the account shall be transferred to the department of transportation and shall
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be expended for the purpose of raising public awareness to the serious consequences of road rage
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and to encourage safer driving behavior.
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SECTION 2. Section 35-4-27 of the General Laws in Chapter 35-4 entitled "State Funds"
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is hereby amended to read as follows:
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35-4-27. Indirect cost recoveries on restricted receipt accounts.
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Indirect cost recoveries of fifteen percent (15%) of cash receipts shall be transferred from
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all restricted receipt accounts, to be recorded as general revenues in the general fund. However,

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there shall be no transfer from cash receipts with restrictions received exclusively: (1) From
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contributions from nonprofit charitable organizations; (2) From the assessment of indirect cost-
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recovery rates on federal grant funds; or (3) Through transfers from state agencies to the department
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of administration for the payment of debt service. These indirect cost recoveries shall be applied to
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all accounts, unless prohibited by federal law or regulation, court order, or court settlement. The
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following restricted receipt accounts shall not be subject to the provisions of this section:
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Executive Office of Health and Human Services
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HIV Care Grant Drug Rebates
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Health System Transformation Project
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Rhode Island Statewide Opioid Abatement Account
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HCBS Support-ARPA
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HCBS Admin Support-ARPA
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Department of Human Services
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Organ Transplant Fund
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Veterans’ home — Restricted account
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Veterans’ home — Resident benefits
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Pharmaceutical Rebates Account
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Demand Side Management Grants
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Veteran’s Cemetery Memorial Fund
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Donations — New Veterans’ Home Construction
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Commodity Supplemental Food Program-Claims
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Department of Health
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Pandemic medications and equipment account
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Miscellaneous Donations/Grants from Non-Profits
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State Loan Repayment Match
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Healthcare Information Technology
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Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals
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Eleanor Slater non-Medicaid third-party payor account
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Hospital Medicare Part D Receipts
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RICLAS Group Home Operations
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Group Home Facility Improvement Fund
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Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
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Emergency and public communication access account
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Department of Environmental Management

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National heritage revolving fund
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Environmental response fund II
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Underground storage tanks registration fees
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De Coppet Estate Fund
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Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
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Historic preservation revolving loan fund
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Historic Preservation loan fund — Interest revenue
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Department of Public Safety
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E-911 Uniform Emergency Telephone System
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Forfeited property — Retained
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Forfeitures — Federal
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Forfeited property — Gambling
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Donation — Polygraph and Law Enforcement Training
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Rhode Island State Firefighter’s League Training Account
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Fire Academy Training Fees Account
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Attorney General
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Forfeiture of property
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Federal forfeitures
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Attorney General multi-state account
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Forfeited property — Gambling
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Department of Administration
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Health Insurance Market Integrity Fund
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RI Health Benefits Exchange
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Information Technology restricted receipt account
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Restore and replacement — Insurance coverage
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Convention Center Authority rental payments
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Investment Receipts — TANS
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OPEB System Restricted Receipt Account
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Grants Management Administration
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Office of Energy Resources
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OER Reconciliation Funding
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RGGI Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council Projects
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Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Operating and Maintenance Account
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Clean Transportation Programs

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Department of Housing
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Housing Resources and Homelessness Restricted Receipt Account
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Housing Production Fund
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Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Fund
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Department of Revenue
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Car Rental Tax/Surcharge-Warwick Share
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DMV Modernization Project
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Jobs Tax Credit Redemption Fund
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Legislature
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Audit of federal assisted programs
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Department of Children, Youth and Families
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Children’s Trust Accounts — SSI
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Military Staff
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RI Military Family Relief Fund
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RI National Guard Counterdrug Program
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Treasury
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Admin. Expenses — State Retirement System
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Retirement — Treasury Investment Options
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Defined Contribution — Administration - RR
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Violent Crimes Compensation — Refunds
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Treasury Research Fellowship
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Business Regulation
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Banking Division Reimbursement Account
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Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner Reimbursement Account
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Securities Division Reimbursement Account
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Commercial Licensing and Racing and Athletics Division Reimbursement Account
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Insurance Division Reimbursement Account
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Historic Preservation Tax Credit Account
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Rhode Island Cannabis Control Commission
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Marijuana Trust Fund
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Social Equity Assistance Fund
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Judiciary
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Arbitration Fund Restricted Receipt Account
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Third-Party Grants

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RI Judiciary Technology Surcharge Account
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Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Statewide Student Transportation Services Account
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School for the Deaf Fee-for-Service Account
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School for the Deaf — School Breakfast and Lunch Program
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Davies Career and Technical School Local Education Aid Account
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Davies — National School Breakfast & Lunch Program
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School Construction Services
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Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner
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Tuition Savings Program Fund
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Higher Education and Industry Center
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IGT STEM Scholarships
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Department of Labor and Training
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Job Development Fund
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Contractor Training Restricted Receipt Account
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Workers’ Compensation Administrative Account
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Rhode Island Council on the Arts
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Governors’ Portrait Donation Fund
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Statewide records management system account
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Road Rage and Save Driving Education Fund
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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 MOTOR VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE
OFFENSES -- CASEY'S LAW
***
1
This act would create an enhanced penalty defined as "road rage" to be applied in addition
2
to penalties for convictions of certain misdemeanor and felony offenses where the behavior on the
3
part of the operator or passenger includes certain intentionally aggressive, harassing, intimidating
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or dangerous behavior.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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