The bill amends Section 31-11-18.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-11, which pertains to the penalties for driving after denial, revocation, or suspension of a driver's license for specific violations. The amendments include changes to the language used to describe certain offenses, replacing "narcotic drug" with "controlled substance" and rephrasing the offense of "manslaughter from the operation of a motor vehicle" to "operating a motor vehicle so as to endanger resulting in death" or "driving so as to endanger, resulting in death." Additionally, the bill renumbers the list of offenses that can lead to misdemeanor or felony charges and specifies the fines and imprisonment terms for first, second, and subsequent convictions within a five-year period. The fines range from $500 to $1,000, and imprisonment terms vary from a minimum of ten days to a minimum of one year, depending on the offense and whether it is a first, second, or subsequent conviction.

The bill also dictates that the division of motor vehicles must suspend or deny a person's license for additional time upon conviction, with specific time frames outlined for first, second, and subsequent offenses. It further clarifies that no fines, suspensions, treatment, or jail time provided under this section can be suspended. The bill removes language giving jurisdiction for violations to the district court and the court's authority to impose any sentence authorized for violations of this section. The act is set to take effect upon passage and aims to update and clarify the current penalties for driving after denial, revocation, or suspension of a license.

Statutes affected:
905: 31-11-18.1