Bill Sponsors
Senator Walter S. Felag
Committee
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
Summary
Select
This bill allows the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles to create and issue special license plates for the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub, a charity that provides free trips for veterans to visit memorials in Washington, D.C. Drivers who want these plates will pay a $40 initial fee, with $20 going to the state and $20 going to the charity. There is also a $10 fee when renewing the registration, which goes entirely to the charity. The plates will only be produced if a minimum number of prepaid orders are collected.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Provides financial support for a charitable organization that honors veterans, contributing to community welfare and social support for those who served.
- Mandates strict accountability by requiring the charity to submit an annual accounting report before receiving funds, ensuring transparency and proper use of public contributions.
- Ensures that the funds raised are kept local by requiring the charity to use the money for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.
Cons for Progressives
- Uses a regressive flat fee structure for the specialty plate, meaning lower-income individuals who wish to support the cause pay a higher percentage of their income than wealthier individuals.
- Diverts 50% of the initial charitable surcharge into the state's general fund, effectively using a charity as a vehicle to generate unrestricted government revenue.
- Adds administrative tasks to the Division of Motor Vehicles, potentially diverting resources and slowing down essential public services for a niche specialty plate.
Pros for Conservatives
- Supports traditional patriotic values by raising private funds to honor WWII and Korean War veterans with trips to national memorials.
- Relies on voluntary contributions through the purchase of a specialty plate rather than mandatory tax increases to fund a community initiative.
- Generates additional revenue for the state's general fund ($20 per initial plate) without raising broad-based taxes on the general public.
Cons for Conservatives
- Increases government bureaucracy by requiring the Division of Motor Vehicles to design, approve, and manage a new category of specialty license plates.
- Imposes government reporting mandates on a private charity by requiring an annual accounting report before the collected funds are distributed.
- Places strict geographical limitations on how a private charity can spend its money, mandating that the funds only benefit Rhode Island-based organizations.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely. The bill simply authorizes a specialty license plate and sets conditions for the distribution of voluntary surcharges to a specific charity, which is standard state practice and poses no obvious constitutional conflicts.
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Veterans
- Car owners
- Charitable organizations
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Car Owners (Voluntary): $40 initial surcharge, $10 renewal surcharge
Revenue Generated
State General Fund: $20 per initial plate (Amount unknown); Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub: $20 per initial plate, $10 per renewal (Amount unknown)
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
Data Pending
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 Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(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 Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(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) Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub, in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
(d) The Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates shall be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum pre-paid order of plates per plate type (i.e. passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paper work 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, Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub 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 Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub in furtherance of its mission of "honoring our veterans by offering WWII and Korean War Veterans a no-cost trip to visit the memorials in Washington, DC."
(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated to the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates, the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub must use any Rhode Island sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.
(j) Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub will be required to submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.
(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.
31-3-132. Special plate for Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(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 Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(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) Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub, in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.
(d) The Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates shall be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum pre-paid order of plates per plate type (i.e. passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paper work 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, Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub 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 Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub in furtherance of its mission of "honoring our veterans by offering WWII and Korean War Veterans a no-cost trip to visit the memorials in Washington, DC."
(h) A ten-dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated to the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.
(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates, the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub must use any Rhode Island sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.
(j) Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub will be required to submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.
(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub plates.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect six (6) months after passage.