This bill amends Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws regarding the registration of vehicles by introducing a new section, 31-3-132, that empowers the Division of Motor Vehicles to issue special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of Rhode Island. The special plates will be designed to reference the committee and will replace the standard registration plates for the vehicles they are issued for.

The bill outlines the procedures for the issuance of these plates, including the requirement for compliance with the minimum prepaid orders as specified in § 31-3-117 before production can begin. The design of the plates must be approved by the Rhode Island State Police and will be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates.

An issuance surcharge of $40 will be applied for these special plates, with $20 allocated to the general fund and the remaining $20 directed to the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee to support its activities. Additionally, a $10 surcharge will be applied for subsequent registration renewals, which will also benefit the committee.

The bill mandates that the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of Rhode Island must use any funds received from the registration of these plates for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations. Furthermore, the committee is required to submit an annual accounting report before any funds are distributed. There will be no refunds for early cancellation of the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of Rhode Island plates.

The act is set to take effect six months after its passage.