AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE ROADS (Requires any contractor performing construction or maintenance for RIDOT, RITBA or any other construction on any state roads have in place an attenuator truck/crash truck with an operational camera.)

S2998

2026 -- S 2998
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LC005655
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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 HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE
ROADS

Introduced By:
Senators Dimitri, Famiglietti, Thompson, Patalano, Urso, Raptakis,
Ciccone, Tikoian, LaMountain, and DiMario

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 24-8 of the General Laws entitled "Construction and Maintenance of
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State Roads" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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24-8-4.3. Traffic control – Use of crash truck - Cameras.

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(a) Effective January 1, 2027, all contractors performing work on any project for the Rhode
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Island department of transportation (RIDOT), Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority (RITBA)
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or any other road or bridge work in this state, shall have in place a traffic monitoring plan, which
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shall be filed with RIDOT and/or RITBA as part of any bid or contract relative to the contract or
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work being performed. As part of the traffic control plan, a contractor shall have on site a crash
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truck/attenuator truck as referred to in § 24-8-4.2 which shall include traffic monitoring cameras.
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The crash truck/attenuator truck shall be in place and the camera operational during any time in
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which construction of maintenance work is being undertaken on any state highway and/or interstate
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connector.
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(b) The crash truck/attenuator truck shall be equipped with at least one camera facing
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oncoming traffic if the work being performed is on a divided highway and, if not a divided highway,
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a camera facing in both directions of any roadway on which the work is being performed.
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(c) In the event any motor vehicle accident occurs at the work site and any state employee
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or construction worker is injured or killed while engaged in the road work, a copy of all videos
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generated from the cameras shall be provided to the Rhode Island state police and the department

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of attorney general for purposes of identifying the operator of the vehicle, determining the cause of
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the accident and shall be used in the course of any investigation and the prosecution of any person
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determined to be at fault, whether through negligence, recklessness or deliberate conduct.
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(d)(1) Every person/contractor convicted of a first violation of this section shall be guilty
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of a misdemeanor and subject to imprisonment for not more than one year and/or a fine of not less
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than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000);
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(2) Every person/contractor convicted of a second violation within a five (5) year period,
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shall be guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for not more than two (2) years and/or a
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fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000);
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(3) Every person/contractor convicted of a third or subsequent violation within a five (5)
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year period, shall be guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years
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and/or a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
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(e) Every person/contractor who violates the provisions of this section may be barred from
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contracting with the state and/or performing any construction or maintenance work on any RIDOT,
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RITBA or other road or bridge work in this state for a period of up to five (5) years.
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(f) Nothing contained in subsections (c) or (d) of this section shall limit the civil liability
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of any person or contractor for violations of this section.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC005655
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE
ROADS
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This act would require that any contractor performing any construction or maintenance for
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RIDOT, RITBA or any other construction on any state roads have in place an attenuator truck/crash
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truck with an operational camera. Violators may be punished criminally and be barred from
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performing work on any state project for up to 5 years.
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This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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LC005655
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