§ 31-3-16. General assembly plates. (a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is directed to make available to each duly elected member of the senate and of the house of representatives of the general assembly of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, so long as the member is serving during the term for which he or she has been elected as a member of the general assembly and no longer, two (2) special motor vehicle registration plates carrying on the first plate as a courtesy the word "senate" in the case of the senate, and the word "house" in the case of the house of representatives. On the second set of plates, in addition to the wording above, the letter "a" denoting auxiliary shall be placed on the plates. The plates are to have special identifying numbers corresponding to the number of the senatorial or representative district from which the member was elected.

(b) The special motor vehicle registration plates shall carry thereon the design and the seal of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and shall be designed, sold, and attached to the motor vehicle without cost to the state.

(c) Each member of any general assembly, at the expiration of his or her term as member, unless reelected, may retain the special motor vehicle registration plates in his or her own keeping, provided he or she does not display the plates upon any motor vehicle or any other form of transportation owned or operated by the member.

(d) Any violation of the provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall be deemed a civil violation, and any person displaying a special motor vehicle registration plate upon any vehicle shall, upon conviction, be fined ten dollars ($10.00) for each offense.

(e) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall reserve for the future use of each member of the general assembly the private registration plates which he or she turns into the division of motor vehicles in return for legislator's plates. The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall annually, during the month of January, submit a written notice to each member of the general assembly notifying him or her of the private registration plates which are being reserved for his or her future use. The notice shall indicate the registration plate designation and the legislator for which it is being reserved.

(f) In a state of emergency, any member of the general assembly driving a vehicle bearing a special motor vehicle registration plate shall be authorized and empowered to travel upon the highways of the state notwithstanding any driving ban imposed by any state or municipal authority.

History of Section. (P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 3, § 8; P.L. 1951, ch. 2826, § 7; G.L. 1956, § 31-3-16; P.L. 1967, ch. 6, § 1; P.L. 1969, ch. 13, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 381, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 310, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 218, art. 6, § 1.)