H 7790

2026 -- H 7790
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LC003583
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
  RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND
  REFLECTORS
  Introduced By: Representative Sherry Roberts
  Date Introduced: February 12, 2026
  Referred To: House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1SECTION 1. Section 31-24-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-24 entitled "Lighting
2 Equipment and Reflectors" is hereby amended to read as follows:
331-24-31. Flashing lights — Forward viewing or rotary beam lights.
4(a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus,
5 snow-removal equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn. However,
6 the requirements of § 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is equipped with lamps
7 at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing white or amber lights,
8 and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously flashing red lights, all of
9 which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500′).
10(b) Forward viewing or rotating beam lights may be installed on and shall be restricted to
11 the following categories of vehicles, and these lights shall be of color designated:
12(1) Emergency response vehicles of any fire, rescue, or ambulance department, fire chiefs,
13 assistant fire chiefs, deputy chiefs, captains; any privately owned vehicle of any authorized
14 volunteer member of a fire, rescue, or ambulance department; emergency management agency
15 directors, assistant directors, assistant medical examiners and/or forensic pathologists of the office
16 of state medical examiners; rescue vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the department of
17 environmental management and the office of the state fire marshal; vehicles owned by the Rhode
18 Island Disaster Medical Assistance Team, Inc.; school buses; hospital emergency response
1 vehicles; and two (2) American Red Cross disaster vehicles: Red, white and/or alternating flashing
2 white;
3(2) Wrecker trucks, service station trucks, state and town safety and maintenance vehicles;
4 snowplows and tractors; light company trucks, telephone company trucks, water company trucks,
5 oil company trucks, and other utilities’ trucks; vehicles of television, radio and press photographers;
6 newspaper motor route carriers; rural mail carriers; all motor-propelled vehicles owned by the
7 Northern Rhode Island REACT (radio emergency associated citizens team); all motor-propelled
8 vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of transportation when on
9 official state business; and vehicles marking the beginning and end of funeral processions: Amber,
10 provided, however, that wrecker and transportation vehicles operated pursuant to a public utilities
11 commission license, and roadside assistance vehicles of any type operated for that purpose by the
12 American Automobile Association shall be permitted to use flashing amber lights at the front and
13 rear of the vehicle, to be activated only in the course of providing assistance to or transportation for
14 a disabled vehicle. A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the issuance of a flashing
15 lights permit to every vehicle identified in this subsection, with the exception of flashing lights
16 permits issued to state, town or fire district safety and maintenance vehicles, which shall not be
17 charged a fee.
18(3) Police units, state and local: Center rotating beam lights: Blue or red; Outboard mounted
19 lights: Blue or red.
20(4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.
21SECTION 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 -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND
  REFLECTORS
  ***
1This act would add vehicles owned by the Rhode Island Disaster Medical Assistance Team,
2 Inc. to the vehicles to be equipped with flashing lights.
3This act would take effect upon passage.
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