AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PARKING FACILITIES AND PRIVILEGES (Includes the governor's commission on disabilities in the decision making process for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program and requires an annual report be submitted to the governor's commission.)

S2505

2026 -- S 2505
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LC004715
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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 -- PARKING FACILITIES AND
PRIVILEGES

Introduced By:
Senators Famiglietti, Thompson, Appollonio, Burke, Patalano, Murray,
Bissaillon, LaMountain, Tikoian, and Dimitri

Date Introduced:
February 06, 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 31-28-7.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-28 entitled "Parking
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Facilities and Privileges" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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31-28-7.3. Disability parking enforcement program.
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(a) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol
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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals,
governor’s
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commission on disabilities,
and the state operated colleges shall establish a disability parking
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enforcement enhancement programs no later than January 1, 2000.
On or after July 1, 2026, the
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governor's commission on disabilities shall have input for any amendments, changes or updates to
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the disability parking enforcement program.
The program will be designed to improve enforcement
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of disability parking laws on state-owned property and in parking facilities serving space leased or
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owned by the state, including state departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and quasi-
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governmental corporations. Citations issued in conjunction with this program shall be submitted to
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the traffic tribunal or its successor entity for collection pursuant to §§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1 and
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the fines collected through shall be paid over to the state agency or college that issued the citation.
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(b) The several cities and towns shall establish disability parking enforcement enhancement
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programs. Citations issued in conjunction with local enforcement programs shall be submitted to
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the municipal court, where established, or to the traffic tribunal or its successor entity. Fines
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collected through citations issued in accordance with local enforcement program specifications

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shall be paid over to the city or town or pursuant to §§ 31-28-7 and 31-28-7.1.
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(c) Disability parking enforcement enhancement plans.
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(1) The state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol
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police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state
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operated colleges shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the governor’s
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commission on disabilities.
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(2) Cities and towns shall submit a disability parking enforcement enhancement plan to the
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governor’s commission on the disability.
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(3) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plans shall describe the enforcement
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program which the state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation,
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capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals,
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governor’s commission on disabilities,
the state operated colleges or the municipality intends to
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establish.
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(4) The disability parking enforcement enhancement plan shall be reviewed by governor’s
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commission on disabilities within sixty (60) days of receipt and suggest improvements to the
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disability parking enforcement enhancement plans, that shall not be construed as required
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amendments.
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(d) The types of disability parking enforcement enhancement programs which may be put
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in place in each municipality, and by the state police, department of environmental management,
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airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
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and hospitals,
governor’s commission on disabilities,
and the state operated colleges, may include,
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but shall not be limited to:
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(1) Enforcement programs which utilize persons deputized for the purpose of the disability
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parking enforcement enhancement program. The disability parking enforcement deputies shall be
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required to complete a minimum of four (4) hours training in parking enforcement before being
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assigned to the program. Each municipality and the state police, department of environmental
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management, airport corporation, capitol police, department of behavioral healthcare,
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developmental disabilities and hospitals,
governor’s commission on disabilities,
and the state
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operated colleges shall provide adequate training and shall assume all liability associated with
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disability parking enforcement.
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(2) Enforcement programs which specifically designate paid and trained personnel as staff
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for the disability parking enforcement enhancement program. These personnel are not limited to
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on-duty police officers, but may also include officers to be paid overtime, auxiliary personnel,
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special forces, retired personnel, and other paid employee deemed by the responsible authority to

LC004715 - Page 2 of 4
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be competent and qualified.
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(e) Beginning January 1, 2027 and on each January 1 thereafter, cities and towns and the
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state police, department of environmental management, airport corporation, capitol police,
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department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the state
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operated colleges shall be required to submit to the governor’s commission on disabilities an annual
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progress report chronicling the collections of fines, procedures used, convictions, and any problems
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or successes which result from the disability parking enforcement enhancement program.
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Following receipt of an annual program report, the governor’s commission on disabilities may
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suggest improvements to a disability parking enforcement enhancement program.
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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 -- PARKING FACILITIES AND
PRIVILEGES
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This act would add the governor’s commission on disabilities to the list of participants of
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the disability parking enforcement program. Additionally, beginning January 1, 2027 the disability
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parking enforcement program shall submit an annual report to the governor’s commission on
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disabilities.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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