H 7376

2026 -- H 7376 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
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LC004491/SUB A
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  STATE  OF       RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
   RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
  Introduced By: Representatives Donovan, Fogarty, Cotter, Potter, Cruz, Edwards,
  Shallcross Smith, Carson, Speakman, and Spears
  Date Introduced: January 28, 2026
  Referred To: House Special Legislation
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is
2 hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
331-3-132. Special plate for Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island.
4(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available
5 special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity Partnership to Reduce Cancer
6 in Rhode Island, a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. The plates shall be designed to
7 reference the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island and Maryellen Goodwin to specifically
8 increase awareness of colon cancer. The plate shall be referred to as the Partnership to Reduce
9 Cancer in Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin motor vehicle plate.
10(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the
11 vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the
12 registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be
13 removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate
14 for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate
15 shall be in effect for the special plate.
16(c) The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin motor vehicle
17 plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Partnership
18 to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the
19 design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
1(d) The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin plates shall
2 be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of
3 plates per plate type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Partnership
4 to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin plates shall not be issued unless the
5 minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Partnership to Reduce
6 Cancer in Rhode Island and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production
7 until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paper work submitted to the division.
8(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other
9 procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
10(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, the Partnership to
11 Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island plates shall be subject to a forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.
12(g) The forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty
13 dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00)
14 shall be distributed annually to the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island to assist in the
15 fiscal needs and in furtherance of its mission to raise colon cancer awareness.
16(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated
17 to the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island.
18(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Partnership to Reduce
19 Cancer in Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin motor vehicle license plates, Partnership to Reduce
20 Cancer in Rhode Island shall use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode
21 Island-based charitable organizations to raise colon cancer awareness.
22(j) Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island will be required to submit an annual
23 accounting report to the administrator of the division before such monies are distributed.
24(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in
25 Rhode Island -- Maryellen Goodwin plates.
26SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
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1This act would allow for a special Rhode Island license plate to raise awareness for colon
2 cancer. The plate would be designed by the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island in honor
3 of the late Maryellen Goodwin. The fees for the plate would be divided equally between the general
4 fund and the not-for-profit Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island.
5This act would take effect upon passage.
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