S2493 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES (Increases the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).)

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Raptakis, Patalano, Thompson, Appollonio, Famiglietti, Tikoian, Burke, Paolino
Last action: 2026-04-09
Official status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES (Increases the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).)

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES (Increases the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-09 Committee
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
2026-04-03 Rhode Island General Assembly
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/09/2026)
2026-02-06 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES (Increases the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S2493

2026 -- S 2493
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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 -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES

Introduced By:
Senators Raptakis, Patalano, Thompson, Appollonio, Famiglietti,
Tikoian, Burke, and Paolino

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 31-27-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-27 entitled "Motor
2
Vehicle Offenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3

31-27-4. Reckless driving and other offenses against public safety.
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Any person who operates a motor vehicle recklessly so that the lives or safety of the public
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might be endangered, or operates a vehicle in an attempt to elude or flee from a traffic officer or
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police vehicle,
or who commits one or more moving violations while traveling at least twenty-five
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miles per hour (25 mph)
shall be guilty of
a misdemeanor for the first conviction and a felony for
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the second and each subsequent conviction

a felony and shall be imprisoned for not more than five
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(5) years and fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), nor more than five thousand dollars
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($5,000)
.
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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 -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES
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1
This act would increase the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense
2
to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars
3
($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).
4
This act would take effect upon passage.
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