Bill Sponsors
Quezada, Vargas, and Acosta
Committee
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
Summary
Select
This bill authorizes the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles to issue special license plates featuring the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI. Anyone purchasing these plates will pay a $40 surcharge on top of regular registration fees. Half of this surcharge ($20) goes to the state's general fund, and the other half ($20) goes to the Committee. There is also a $10 surcharge for renewing the plates, which goes entirely to the Committee. The Committee must use these funds to support Rhode Island-based charitable organizations and submit an annual accounting report.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Generates funding for local charitable organizations, which can help support the community and provide services to disadvantaged groups.
- Celebrates and raises the visibility of the Dominican community and their heritage, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the state.
- Ensures accountability by requiring the recipient committee to submit an annual accounting report before funds are distributed.
Cons for Progressives
- Relies on a regressive flat fee (surcharge) rather than a progressive funding mechanism, meaning lower-income individuals pay a larger share of their income if they want the plate.
- Does not specify exactly which charities will receive the funds, leaving a lack of guarantee that the money will go toward critical social justice or poverty-relief programs.
- Directs half of the initial surcharge to the state's general fund without earmarking it for specific social safety net programs or community welfare.
Pros for Conservatives
- Utilizes a voluntary funding mechanism (buying a special plate) rather than a mandatory tax increase to generate revenue for charities.
- Increases revenue for the state's general fund by directing $20 from every initial plate purchase to the state without raising broad-based taxes.
- Includes strict oversight and accountability measures by requiring the committee to submit an annual accounting report to receive the funds.
Cons for Conservatives
- Uses state resources and government apparatus (the Division of Motor Vehicles) to collect funds for a specific, private non-profit organization.
- Creates additional administrative burdens for the Division of Motor Vehicles to design, process, and manage a new niche license plate category.
- Grants special privileges to a specific ethnic heritage group, which some conservatives may view as engaging in identity politics rather than promoting a unified national identity.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely. The bill simply authorizes the creation of a specialty license plate and outlines the fee structure and distribution of funds. Specialty license plates are a well-established government function and do not generally implicate free speech, due process, or search and seizure concerns, provided the design approval process is applied neutrally.
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Vehicle owners
- Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI
- Rhode Island charitable organizations
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Rhode Island State Police
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Vehicle Owners choosing the plate: $40 initial surcharge, $10 renewal surcharge
Revenue Generated
State General Fund: $20 per initial special plate issued; Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI: $20 per initial plate and $10 per renewal
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
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Freedom Impact
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Public Services
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Regulatory
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Clarity of Bill Language
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Enforcement Provisions
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Environmental Impact
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Privacy Impact
Impact the bill is likely to have on the privacy of individuals.
Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 06/05/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
• 06/05/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/09/2026)
• 06/09/2026 Committee recommends passage
• 06/09/2026 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/11/2026)
• 06/11/2026 Senate read and passed
• 06/11/2026 Placed on House Calendar (06/11/2026)
• 06/11/2026 House passed in concurrence
• 06/18/2026 Transmitted to Governor
• 06/05/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/09/2026)
• 06/09/2026 Committee recommends passage
• 06/09/2026 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/11/2026)
• 06/11/2026 Senate read and passed
• 06/11/2026 Placed on House Calendar (06/11/2026)
• 06/11/2026 House passed in concurrence
• 06/18/2026 Transmitted to Governor
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
31-3-132. Special plate for the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI. The plates shall be designed to reference the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special plate.
(c) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
(d) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paperwork submitted to the division.
(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall be subject to a forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.
(g) The forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be distributed annually to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI to provide funding for the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI must use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.
(j) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI will be required to submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.
(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.
31-3-132. Special plate for the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI. The plates shall be designed to reference the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(b) The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. The registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special plate.
(c) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
(d) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paperwork submitted to the division.
(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates shall be subject to a forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.
(g) The forty-dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be distributed annually to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI to provide funding for the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.
(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI must use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.
(j) The Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI will be required to submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.
(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI plates.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.