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H8510
2026 -- H 8510
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LC006333
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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 J. Brien, Baginski, and Chippendale
Date Introduced:
May 01, 2026
Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 31-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of
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Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-3-5. Grounds for refusal of registration.
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The division of motor vehicles shall refuse registration or any transfer of registration upon
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any of the following grounds:
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(1) That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement, or that the applicant has
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failed to furnish required information, or reasonable additional information requested by the
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division of motor vehicles, or that the applicant is not entitled to the issuance of registration of the
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vehicle under chapters 3 — 9 of this title;
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(2) That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated upon the highways;
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(3) That the division of motor vehicles has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle is
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a stolen or embezzled vehicle, or that the granting of registration would constitute a fraud against
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the rightful owner;
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(4) That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked for any reason as
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provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state;
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(5) That the vehicle has been reported by any city or town to the division of motor vehicles
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as having unpaid fines in the aggregate amount of two hundred dollars ($200) or more, including
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any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary amount that may be imposed for failure to pay the
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fines by a specified date; provided, the registration shall be issued upon presentation of proof of
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payment of the outstanding fines, including any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary
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amount owed to the cities or towns reporting the unpaid fines. When the division of motor vehicles
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denies a registration to any person pursuant to this subsection, the city or town requesting the denial
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of registration shall add a five-dollar ($5.00) fee to the aggregate value of the sum of the fines and,
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upon payment, shall transmit the fee to the division of motor vehicles. The provisions of this
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subsection shall not apply to any vehicle owned by a rental company, as defined in § 31-34.1-1;
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(6) That the vehicle does not comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to § 23-23-
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5(18);
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(7) That the vehicle does not comply with the provisions of chapter 47.1 of this title and
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any rules and regulations promulgated under that chapter;
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(8) That a commercial motor vehicle is being operated by a commercial motor carrier that
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has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce by a federal agency with authority to do
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so under federal law;
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(9) That the registered owner of a vehicle failed to pay the required toll amounts,
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administrative fees, and fines as prescribed in § 24-12-37; or
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(10) That the vehicle is a “Kei car” or “Kei truck”
and is not in compliance with chapter
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19.8 of title 31
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Provided, however, that the registrant of any “Kei car” or “Kei truck” which was
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validly registered prior to June 1, 2024, shall not be denied renewal of that registration based solely
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on the vehicle type; and further, provided that, any such registrations shall not be permitted to be
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transferred. Every person lawfully operating a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” shall have the right to use
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the public highways in the state including any state highway, through highway, limited-access
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highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35
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m.p.h.) or less. Nothing in this subsection, however, shall be construed to prohibit a “Kei car” or
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“Kei truck” from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be
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crossed has a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles
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per hour (45 m.p.h.); provided the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is traveling on and
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the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is crossing the intersection toward both have a
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speed limit no higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled
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by traffic signals or stop signs.
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SECTION 2. 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 19.8
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KEI CAR OR KEI TRUCK
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31-19.8-1. Kei car or Kei truck.
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(a) A Kei car or Kei truck as defined in § 31-1-3, may be operated upon any public way
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provided such vehicle is registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, complies with
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all operational requirements pursuant to this chapter, and displays the registration number as
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provided in § 31-3-10. Kei cars and Kei trucks shall be subject to inspection as required by chapter
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38 of this title. Every person lawfully operating a Kei car or Kei truck shall have the right to use
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the public highways in the state, including any state highway, through highway, limited access
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highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35
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m.p.h.) or less. No Kei car or Kei truck shall operate on any state highway, through highway,
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limited access highway or public highway or roadway with a speed limit greater than thirty-five
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miles per hour (35 m.p.h.)
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(b) Kei cars or Kei trucks shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the state
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and the provisions of this section.
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(c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit a Kei car or Kei
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truck from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be crossed has
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a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles per hour
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(45 m.p.h.), provided the public highway the Kei car or Kei truck is traveling on and the public
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highway the Kei car or Kei truck is crossing the intersection toward both have a speed limit no
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higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals
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or stop signs.
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(d) A municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of Kei cars and Kei trucks on
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a laned roadway or local highway or a portion of a highway within its jurisdiction and under its
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control, regardless of posted speeds, where it finds that use of the highway or a particular portion
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of the highway by the Kei car or Kei truck would represent an unreasonable risk of death or serious
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injury to occupants of the Kei car or Kei truck as a result of general traffic conditions which shall
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include, but not be limited to, excessive speeds of other vehicles, traffic volumes, use of the
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highway by heavy trucks or other large vehicles or if the established speed limit on the highway
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increases above thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) beyond the point where a Kei car or Kei truck
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could safely exit the highway. The municipality shall post signs where necessary to provide notice
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to the public of such prohibited access.
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(e) The director of the division of motor vehicles is authorized to promulgate rules and
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regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.
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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 -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
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This act would remove the vehicle registration restriction for Kei cars and Kei trucks. It
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would also spell out the restrictions on the Kei vehicles in order to be operated on public highways
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in the state.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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