AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES (Raises the gross weight of a vehicle eligible for reserve forces plates from 8,500 lbs. to 12,000 lbs. with US flag on the plates. Proof of honorable discharge to be provided to DMV.)

S2175

2026 -- S 2175
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LC004235
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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:
Senators Felag, Appollonio, Lauria, Gallo, Burke, LaMountain, and
Britto

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 31-3-80 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration
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of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-3-80. Reserve Forces plates.
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(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered and authorized to
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make available to all active and retired members of the United States Reserve Forces of Rhode
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Island a special motor vehicle registration plate for any motor vehicle eligible for registration as an
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automobile or a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of
eight thousand five hundred pounds
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(8,500 lbs.)

twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.)
or less.
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(b) The special motor vehicle registration plate shall carry on it the designation “US
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Reserve Forces” and shall carry on it the titles (Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and
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Coast Guard) arranged on the left hand side of the plate from top to bottom in this order of
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precedence, with numerals to the right of the titles
and over the United States flag on the plate
.
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(c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall issue the plate upon payment
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of a service charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) and a transfer charge of five dollars ($5.00) for the
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plate. All revenues shall be deposited as general revenues.
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(d) For the purposes of this section an active or retired member of the United States Reserve
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Forces shall be defined as currently serving or having retired under honorable conditions from any
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of the Reserve Forces other than the Rhode Island Army or Air National Guard.
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(e) In a national state of emergency, any active member of the United States Reserve Forces

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driving a vehicle bearing the special motor vehicle registration plate shall be authorized and
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empowered to travel upon the highways of the state notwithstanding any driving ban imposed by
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any state or municipal authority.
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(f) No US Reserve Forces plates shall be issued until at least nine hundred (900) such plates
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have been ordered.
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(g) A DD 214 showing "honorable discharge" shall be furnished to the division of motor
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vehicles for issuance.
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(h)(1) Passenger vehicles shall be renewed every two (2) years, and the renewal month
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shall be based on the first letter of a registered owner's last name, or the first letter of the name of
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the company of which the vehicles are registered.
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(2) Commercial vehicles, as defined in subsection (a) of this section, shall be renewed
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annually in March.
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(i) Upon the death of the veteran, the plates may be transferred to the holder's surviving
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spouse for the spouse's lifetime unless or until the spouse remarries.
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SECTION 2. 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 raise the gross weight of a vehicle eligible for reserve forces plates from
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eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) to twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) and have
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the United States flag on the plates. The act would also spell out the requirements for proof of
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honorable discharge to be furnished to the division of motor vehicles and the renewal month for
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the passenger and commercial vehicles.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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