The bill amends Section 31-22-22.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-22, titled "Miscellaneous Rules," to enhance child passenger protection by allowing law enforcement officers to issue verbal warnings to individuals who leave children under the age of seven unattended in a motor vehicle. The language changes include replacing "are authorized to" with "may" and "shall be" with "is," as well as changing "apprise" to "inform." The bill emphasizes the dangers associated with leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.

Additionally, the bill removes the previous provision that prohibited fines or sanctions for violations, instead stating that nothing in this section precludes prosecution under applicable criminal laws for acts arising from leaving a child unattended in a vehicle that constitute a criminal offense. It clarifies that such violations may result in criminal penalties consistent with those laws. This change restores law enforcement discretion, allowing officers to choose between issuing a warning or pursuing misdemeanor or felony charges in more egregious cases. The act will take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
8094: 31-22-22.1