AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES -- VIOLATIONS (Adds criminal penalties for operation of a motor vehicle after a suspension for lack of physical or mental fitness, or as a result of frequency of offenses pursuant to § 31-11-7 (a)(1)(i) or as result of a court ordered suspension.)

S2717

2026 -- S 2717
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LC005451
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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 -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF
LICENSES -- VIOLATIONS

Introduced By:
Senators Burke, Thompson, Famiglietti, Patalano, and Raptakis

Date Introduced:
February 27, 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
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first and second offenses and shall
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be deemed guilty of a felony for the third or subsequent offenses
who drives a motor vehicle on
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any highway of this state who never applied for a license or who drives after his or her application
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for a license has been refused, or after his or her license has expired or who otherwise drives without
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a license or at a time when his or her license to operate is suspended, revoked, or cancelled, for:
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(1)
operating

Operating
under the influence of a narcotic drug or intoxicating liquor;
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(2)
refusing

Refusing
to submit to a chemical test; reckless driving;
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(3)
manslaughter

Manslaughter
from the operation of a motor vehicle or operating so as to
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endanger resulting in death;
or

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(4)
three

Three
(3) moving violations within a one-year period;
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(5) Lack of physical or mental fitness;
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(6) Frequency of offenses pursuant to § 31-11-7(a)(1)(i); or
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(7) Any court ordered license suspension.

shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first and
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second offenses and shall be deemed guilty of a felony for the third 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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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 -- VIOLATIONS
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This act would add criminal penalties for operation of a motor vehicle after a suspension
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for lack of physical or mental fitness, or as a result of frequency of offenses pursuant to § 31-11-7
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(a)(1)(i) or as result of a court ordered suspension.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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