2022 -- S 3036
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LC005927
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022
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AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- RHODE ISLAND UNIFORM
COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE ACT
Introduced By: Senator John P. Burke
Date Introduced: June 17, 2022
Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 31-10.3-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10.3 entitled "Rhode
2 Island Uniform Commercial Driver's License Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3 31-10.3-8. Rulemaking authority.
4 The administrator for motor vehicles, department of revenue, is authorized to adopt and
5 enforce any rules and regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of chapters 1 -
6 - 27 of this title and any other laws the enforcement and administration of which are vested in the
7 division of motor vehicles, including rules and regulations concerning specialized testing and
8 standards for operators of commercial vehicles. Any former member of the Armed Forces,
9 including, but not limited to, the Rhode Island National Guard, who received a military license to
10 drive heavy equipment, shall be exempt from taking a road test when applying for a commercial
11 driver's license for a similar class of commercial motor vehicle for which the applicant has been
12 previously licensed by the military, if such applicant is deemed to be otherwise qualified pursuant
13 to 49 CFR 383.77. Any member of an organized fire department, including volunteer members,
14 who have five (5) years of driving experience of fire apparatus and who has completed a safety
15 driving course, including a road test from a recognized agency shall, upon providing a letter from
16 the fire chief of their fire department to the administrator of motor vehicles, be exempt from taking
17 a road test when applying for a commercial drivers' license for a similar class of commercial motor
18 vehicle, provided the applicant is deemed otherwise qualified pursuant to 49 CFR 383.77.
1 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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 EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- RHODE ISLAND UNIFORM
COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE ACT
***
1 This act would eliminate the exemption for firefighters from having to complete a road
2 safety test in order to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
3 This act would take effect upon passage.
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Statutes affected:
3036: 31-10.3-8