Bill Sponsors
Furtado, Boylan, Dawson, and Kazarian
Committee
House Finance
Summary
Select
This bill amends existing law to expand the criteria for disabled veterans who are exempt from paying motor vehicle registration and license fees. Currently, exemptions apply to veterans with a 100% disability rating or those over age 75 with a 70% rating. This legislation extends this financial exemption to include veterans who are designated as "individually unemployable" due to a service-connected disability. Qualifying veterans will receive "Disabled Veteran" license plates.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Reduces financial burdens on veterans who cannot work due to service-related disabilities, reinforcing the social safety net for a vulnerable population.
- Recognizes the specific economic hardship of "individual unemployability," ensuring that disability benefits align with actual economic reality rather than just a percentage rating.
- Demonstrates community care for individuals who have sacrificed their physical well-being for the public, promoting a culture of support for those with disabilities.
Cons for Progressives
- Reduces state revenue available for public transportation and infrastructure maintenance, which are critical services for all low-income residents, not just veterans.
- Subsidizes private vehicle ownership rather than investing in accessible public transit systems, potentially reinforcing reliance on fossil-fuel transportation.
- Provides targeted relief to a specific subgroup based on military status rather than addressing poverty or disability needs universally across the entire population.
Pros for Conservatives
- Demonstrates strong support and respect for veterans who have sacrificed their ability to work in service of the nation and national defense.
- Reduces government fees and financial mandates on individuals, allowing disabled citizens to keep more of their own money.
- Focuses assistance specifically on those with service-connected disabilities, ensuring support goes to those who have earned it through sacrifice rather than general welfare.
Cons for Conservatives
- Decreases revenue collected by the Division of Motor Vehicles, which may require tax increases elsewhere or budget cuts to cover administrative costs.
- Expands the number of citizens receiving government subsidies and exemptions, potentially increasing reliance on state support.
- Adds another layer of bureaucratic categorization ("individually unemployable") that the state must verify and process, potentially increasing administrative overhead.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Disabled Veterans
- Veterans
- Division of Motor Vehicles staff
- Vehicle owners
- Taxpayers
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/14/2026 Introduced, referred to House Finance
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Section 31-6-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-6 entitled "Registration Fees" is hereby amended to read as follows:
31-6-8. Disabled veterans.
(a) Any veteran who has been honorably discharged from the service of the armed forces or the Merchant Marine of the United States in any of the wars or campaigns in which the United States has been engaged and who, while engaged in these wars or campaigns or as a result of engagement in these wars or campaigns, by reason of amputation, has lost one or both of the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or who, by reason of other permanent injury, has lost the use of one or both of the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or to whom has been granted a motor vehicle under chapter 870-2D, United States Public Laws 663, enacted 1946, 79th Congress, or has suitable documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish that the veteran:
(1) Has a combined service connected disability rating of one hundred percent (100%);or
(2) Is seventy-five (75) years of age or older with a combined service connected disability rating of seventy percent (70%); or
(3) Is considered “individually unemployable” due to the veteran’s service-connected disability, shall be exempt from the payment of any fee for the annual registration of and a license to operate that motor vehicle.
(b) The administrator for the division of motor vehicles shall issue to an eligible veteran for use on an automobile, or on a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, registration plates designated “Disabled Veteran.” Upon the death of the holder of “Disabled Veteran” plates, the plates may be transferred to the veteran’s surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime or until the spouse remarries. Only one set of “Disabled Veteran” plates shall be issued to an eligible veteran and only after certification of eligibility from the Veterans’ Administration or other satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
31-6-8. Disabled veterans.
(a) Any veteran who has been honorably discharged from the service of the armed forces or the Merchant Marine of the United States in any of the wars or campaigns in which the United States has been engaged and who, while engaged in these wars or campaigns or as a result of engagement in these wars or campaigns, by reason of amputation, has lost one or both of the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or who, by reason of other permanent injury, has lost the use of one or both of the veteran’s arms, hands, feet, or legs, or to whom has been granted a motor vehicle under chapter 870-2D, United States Public Laws 663, enacted 1946, 79th Congress, or has suitable documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to establish that the veteran:
(1) Has a combined service connected disability rating of one hundred percent (100%);
(2) Is seventy-five (75) years of age or older with a combined service connected disability rating of seventy percent (70%); or
(3) Is considered “individually unemployable” due to the veteran’s service-connected disability, shall be exempt from the payment of any fee for the annual registration of and a license to operate that motor vehicle.
(b) The administrator for the division of motor vehicles shall issue to an eligible veteran for use on an automobile, or on a commercial vehicle having a gross weight of twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) or less, registration plates designated “Disabled Veteran.” Upon the death of the holder of “Disabled Veteran” plates, the plates may be transferred to the veteran’s surviving spouse for the spouse’s lifetime or until the spouse remarries. Only one set of “Disabled Veteran” plates shall be issued to an eligible veteran and only after certification of eligibility from the Veterans’ Administration or other satisfactory documentation of eligibility is presented.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.