AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ACCIDENTS AND ACCIDENT REPORTS -- THE MATTHEW O'GARA ACT OF 2026 (Increases the penalties for a first offense of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death to a minimum 10 years in incarceration, a minimum of $10,000 and a minimum license revocation of 10 years.)

S2310

2026 -- S 2310
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ACCIDENTS AND ACCIDENT
REPORTS -- THE MATTHEW O'GARA ACT OF 2026

Introduced By:
Senators Tikoian, Raptakis, Patalano, Appollonio, Famiglietti, Ciccone,
Gallo, DiPalma, Dimitri, and Burke

Date Introduced:
January 23, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "The Matthew O'Gara Act
2
of 2026."
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SECTION 2. Section 31-26-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-26 entitled "Accidents
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and Accident Reports" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-26-1.
Duty to stop in accidents resulting in personal injury
Duty to stop in accidents
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resulting in personal injury -- The Matthew O'Gara Act of 2026.
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(a) The driver of any vehicle knowingly involved in an accident resulting in injury to,
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serious bodily injury to, or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of
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the accident or as close to it as possible, but shall then immediately return to and in every event
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shall remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of § 31-26-
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3. A stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
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(b) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under
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circumstances which result in injury to any person shall upon conviction be punished by a
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mandatory loss of license for at least one year and not more than
five (5)

ten (10)
years and
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imprisonment for not
less than eighteen (18) months and not
more than
five (5)

ten (10)
years
,

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and/or fined

plus a fine of
up to five thousand dollars ($5,000).
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(c)(1) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under
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circumstances which result in serious bodily injury to any person shall upon conviction be punished

1
as follows:
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(i) Every person convicted of a first violation shall be punished by imprisonment for not
3
less than
one year

eighteen (18) months
and for not more than ten (10) years and by a fine of not
4
less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). The
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sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person to any unit of the adult correctional
6
institutions. Additionally, the license of the person shall be revoked for a period of
up to

at least

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two (2) years
and not more than ten (10) years
. The license privilege shall not be reinstated until
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evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no
9
grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue a license and until the person gives proof of
10
financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.
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(ii) For a second or subsequent conviction under this subsection within a five (5) year
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period, a person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than
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fifteen (15) years and by a fine of not less than three thousand dollars ($3,000) nor more than ten
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thousand dollars ($10,000). The sentencing judge shall have the discretion to sentence the person
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to any unit of the adult correctional institutions. Additionally, the license of the person shall be
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revoked for a period of
up to

at least
four (4) years
and not more than fifteen (15) years
. The license
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privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of
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motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist which would authorize refusal to issue a license
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and until the person gives proof of financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.
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(2) As used in this subsection, “serious bodily injury” means physical injury that creates a
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment
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of the function of any bodily member or organ.
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(d) Any person knowingly failing to stop or to comply with the requirements under
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circumstances which result in the death of any person, shall upon conviction be punished pursuant
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to the provisions of this subsection as follows:
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(1) Every person convicted of a first violation of this subsection shall be punished by
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imprisonment in the state prison for not less than
two (2)

ten (10)
years and for not more than fifteen
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(15) years, in any unit of the adult correctional institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge,
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by a fine of not less than
five thousand dollars ($5,000)

ten thousand dollars ($10,000)
nor more
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than
ten thousand dollars ($10,000)

twenty thousand dollars ($20,000)
, and his or her license to
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operate a motor vehicle shall be revoked for a period of
three (3)

not less than ten (10)
years
and
32
not more than fifteen (15) years
. The license privilege shall not be reinstated until evidence
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satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles establishes that no grounds exist
34
which would authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the person gives proof of financial

LC004420 - Page 2 of 4
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responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.
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(2) Every person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this subsection within a
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five (5) year period shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than
five (5)

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ten (10)
years and for not more than twenty (20) years, in any unit of the adult correctional
5
institutions in the discretion of the sentencing judge, by a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars
6
($10,000) nor more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) and his or her license to operate a motor
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vehicle shall be revoked for a period of
not less than

five (5) years

ten (10) years and may be
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permanently revoked
.
The

If less than a permanent revocation is imposed the
license privilege shall
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not be reinstated until evidence satisfactory to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles
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establishes that no grounds exist which would authorize the refusal to issue a license, and until the
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person gives proof of financial responsibility pursuant to chapter 32 of this title.
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(e) This section shall apply in its entirety to any driver of a motor vehicle knowingly
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involved in an accident with a
pedestrian or a
person riding a bicycle.
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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 -- ACCIDENTS AND ACCIDENT
REPORTS -- THE MATTHEW O'GARA ACT OF 2026
***
1
This act would increase the penalties for a first offense of leaving the scene of an accident
2
resulting in death to a minimum ten (10) years in incarceration, a minimum of ten thousand dollars
3
($10,000) and a minimum license revocation of ten (10) years. It would also increase other penalties
4
in this section from a minimum of five (5) years to ten (10) years in prison for violation.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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