AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES (Requires that the license plates of a vehicle be confiscated by a police officer if the owner was arrested for driving while their license was suspended, revoked or cancelled for refusing to submit to a chemical test or for operating under the influence.)

S2403

2026 -- S 2403
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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 -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF
LICENSES

Introduced By:
Senators Raptakis, Dimitri, Burke, Patalano, Thompson, Famiglietti,
Ciccone, and Tikoian

Date Introduced:
January 30, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 31-11-18.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-11 entitled
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"Suspension or Revocation of Licenses — Violations" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-11-18.1. Driving after denial, revocation, or suspension for certain violations.
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(a) Any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway of this state who never applied
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for a license or who drives after his or her application for a license has been refused, or after his or
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her license has expired or who otherwise drives without a license or at a time when his or her license
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to operate is suspended, revoked, or cancelled, for: (1) operating under the influence of a narcotic
8
drug or intoxicating liquor; (2) refusing to submit to a chemical test;
(3)
reckless driving;
(3)
(4)

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manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle or operating so as to endanger resulting in
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death; or
(4)
(5)
three (3) moving violations within a one-year period; shall be guilty of a
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misdemeanor for the first and second offenses and shall be deemed guilty of a felony for the third
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or subsequent offenses.
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(b) The division of motor vehicles upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person
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upon a charge of driving a motor vehicle while the license of the person was suspended, for reasons
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set forth in this section shall suspend the person’s license or deny the person’s application for any
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length of time that it shall deem proper but in no case less than an additional three (3) months. Upon
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receiving a record of conviction of a second violation of driving a motor vehicle while the license
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of that person was suspended for reasons set forth in this section, the division of motor vehicles

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shall suspend the person’s license or deny the person’s application for any length of time that it
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shall deem proper but in no case less than an additional six (6) months. Any subsequent conviction
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shall result in license revocation. Upon receiving a record of the conviction of any person upon a
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charge of driving after his or her application for a license had been refused, or after his or her license
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had been revoked or cancelled for reasons set forth in this section, the division of motor vehicles
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shall not issue a new license for an additional period of one year from and after the date the person
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would otherwise have been entitled to apply for a new license.
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(c)(1) Upon a first conviction under this section a mandatory fine of five hundred dollars
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($500) shall be imposed, and if the person was driving after his or her application for a license had
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been refused, or at a time when his or her license to operate was suspended, revoked, or cancelled
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for operating under the influence of a controlled substance or intoxicating liquor, or his or her
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refusal to submit to a chemical test, reckless driving, manslaughter from the operation of a motor
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vehicle, or operation so as to endanger, death resulting, the person shall be imprisoned for a
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minimum of ten (10) days.
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(2) A mandatory fine of five hundred dollars ($500) for a second conviction under this
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section within a five (5) year period shall be imposed, and if the person was driving after his or her
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application for a license had been refused, or at a time when his or her license to operate was
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suspended, revoked, or cancelled for operating under the influence of a controlled substance or
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intoxicating liquor or his or her refusal to submit to a chemical test, reckless driving, manslaughter
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from the operation of a motor vehicle, or operation so as to endanger, death resulting, the person
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shall be imprisoned for a minimum of six (6) months to one year.
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(3) For any subsequent conviction within a five (5) year period, a fine of one thousand
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dollars ($1,000) shall be imposed and the person may be imprisoned for up to one year or be
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required to participate in a public service program designated and approved by the court. If the
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person was driving after his or her application for a license had been refused or at a time when his
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or her license to operate was suspended, revoked, or cancelled for: (i) operating under the influence
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of a controlled substance or intoxicating liquor; (ii) his or her refusal to submit to a chemical test;
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(iii) reckless driving; (iv) manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle; or (v) operating so
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as to endanger, death resulting; the person shall be imprisoned for a minimum of one year.
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Jurisdiction for violations of this section is given to the district court and the court shall have full
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authority to impose any sentence authorized for violations of this section.
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(d) No fines, suspensions, treatment, or jail provided for under this section can be
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suspended.
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(e) When any law enforcement officer arrests a person for driving a motor vehicle while

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the license of the person was suspended, revoked or cancelled for any of the reasons set forth in
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subsections (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, and the vehicle so driven is owned in whole or in part
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by the person so arrested, the license plates of that vehicle shall be impounded by the arresting
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officer for a period of not less than ninety (90) days; provided, however, that if the charges
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hereunder are dropped or dismissed for any reason, the license plates shall thereupon be returned
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to the owner, and in no event shall such impoundment continue beyond the duration of any sentence
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imposed under this section; and provided further, that if a court determines that such impoundment
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would cause undue hardship to dependents of the offender, the court may order the division of
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motor vehicles to issue temporary substitute license plates to the vehicle under such terms and for
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such time as the court deems necessary to achieve substantial justice.
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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 -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF
LICENSES
***
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This act would require that the license plates of a vehicle be impounded by a law
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enforcement officer if the owner was arrested for driving while their license was suspended,
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revoked or cancelled for refusing to submit to a chemical test or for operating a motor vehicle under
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the influence of a narcotic drug or intoxicating liquor and would allow temporary substitute plates
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if the court determines such impoundment of license plates would cause undue hardship to
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dependents of offender.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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