§ 31-5-2.1. Motor vehicle dealers license and hearing board. (a) A board composed of a total of five (5) members, two (2) of which shall be licensed automobile dealers, one new car Rhode Island licensed automobile dealer, and one used car Rhode Island licensed automobile dealer, each to serve a three (3) year term; one active Rhode Island state police officer appointed by the superintendent of Rhode Island state police and shall serve a five (5) year term; one active employee of the Rhode Island department of revenue appointed by the director of revenue shall serve a five (5) year term, and one licensed Rhode Island attorney in good standing shall serve a seven (7) year term. The two (2) automobile dealers and attorney shall be appointed by the governor. The board shall be known as the motor vehicle dealers license and hearing board.

(b) The board shall issue the license provided for in §§ 31-5-5 - 31-5-9 and § 31-5-34. The board shall have supervision over the license with respect to all of the provisions of §§ 31-5-1 - 31-5-39 and shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations to fulfill the purposes of this chapter and to protect the public interest. The board shall have the power to set, from time to time, the maximum number of plates to be issued to each dealer after due investigation and after considering the number of plates reasonably required for the operation of the dealers business, and shall have the power to declare and define what constitutes a licensee. The provisions of §§ 31-5-1 - 31-5-20, and §§ 31-5-33 - 31-5-39 shall be administered by the board or by any of its duly authorized representatives.

(c) The board shall have all of the same powers, duties, and responsibilities of the previous Rhode Island dealers hearing board established by the director of the department of revenue.

(d) The board shall constitute an agency and shall follow the Administrative Procedure Act, chapter 35 of title 42, and its decisions are appealable to the superior court.

(e) A member of the board may be removed for cause by the director of revenue after a hearing conducted by the director determining that cause exists and a written decision explaining the reason for the removal. The director's decision of removal shall be appealable to the superior court.

(f) The members of the Rhode Island dealers hearing board serving as of August 31, 1993 shall serve out their respective terms of office and will remain on the motor vehicle dealers license and hearing board until their respective terms expire and a subsequent appointment is made by the governor, or respective appointing authority. If a vacancy occurs on the board for any reason, an individual shall be appointed according to the procedures set forth in subsection (a) of this section and this individual will serve out the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacancy.

(g) The director of revenue shall provide suitable office space for the board and its personnel to suit the public convenience in all proper way to facilitate the work of the board in carrying out the provisions of §§ 31-5-1 - 31-5-20 and §§ 31-5-33 - 31-5-39.

(h) Members of the board shall serve without salary, nor shall they be compensated for attendance at board meetings, however, members of the board shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. The department of revenue shall provide funds to pay said expenses. Also, the department shall provide legal counsel to the board to defend and enforce the board's decision and provide legal advice on any matters that may come before the board.

(i) If any section, phrase, clause, sentence or part of this section is declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, that invalidity will not affect remaining portions of this section.

History of Section. (P.L. 1993, ch. 139, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 60; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 21, § 26; P.L. 2008, ch. 98, § 5; P.L. 2008, ch. 145, § 5.)