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HB 5657

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Grace Diaz and 6 co-sponsors

Allows motorists to pay eligible moving violations within 30 days to avoid DMV driving-record entries; limited to two non-recorded violations per motorist per year.

03/04/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5657

Bill Summary — HB 5657 (2025)

Title: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES
Primary change: adds § 31-27-26 to the Rhode Island General Laws

Purpose

HB 5657 creates a limited "prompt payment" mechanism for certain moving violations: if a motorist pays a qualifying citation in full within 30 days, the violation will not be recorded on the motorist’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driving record. The avoidance-of-record option is limited to twice per motorist per year.

Key provisions

  • Adds new statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-26.
  • Eligibility: applies only to moving violations that “may be paid without a court appearance” (i.e., citations payable by mail/payment process).
  • Timing requirement: the fine must be paid in full within 30 days of issuance.
  • Usage limit: a motorist may use this procedure no more than two times in any one year.
  • Effect: the DMV shall not record the qualifying moving violation on the motorist’s driving record.
  • Effective date: the act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Motorists in Rhode Island who receive eligible moving citations and can pay them by mail (or through the applicable no-appearance payment process).
  • The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, which would implement the non‑recording rule and track usage limits.
  • Potential downstream stakeholders: insurance companies, courts, and law enforcement — because non-recorded violations may not appear on DMV driving records used by insurers and others.

Procedural status & timeline

  • Introduced (sponsor list shows Feb 26, 2025); filed and transmitted March 27, 2025.
  • Referred to House Judiciary (02/26/2025); scheduled for hearing 02/28/2025 (hearing/consideration noted for 03/04/2025).
  • Committee action (03/04/2025): committee recommended the measure be held for further study.
  • Additional entries: read first time 04/07/2025; recommendations filed with the Speaker 04/24/2025.
  • Companion bills: SB 3066 and HB 5672.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Motorists who promptly pay eligible fines could avoid points or entries on DMV records that might otherwise affect license status or insurance premiums.
  • Could reduce automatic data available to insurers and alter premium calculations for low-severity offenders.
  • Administrative impacts: DMV must adopt processes to (a) identify qualifying citations, (b) record prompt-payment usage counts per motorist, and (c prevent recording when criteria are met.
  • Revenue and enforcement implications: limited use (twice/year) narrows broad impact, but there may be effects on court processing and fine revenues if citations are more frequently resolved outside court.
  • The bill does not define which specific moving offenses qualify beyond being “payable without a court appearance,” nor does it address whether other agencies (courts, police, insurers) may retain separate records.

If enacted, the law would take effect immediately upon passage.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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