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H 7085Personal

Motor and Other Vehicles - Registration of Vehicles

This bill prohibits the issuance of new Mr. Potato Head license plates and prevents existing plates from being transferred.

Held for study
Population
Affected
2
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 14, 2026Committee House Special Legislation

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the rules regarding the "Mr. Potato Head — 50th anniversary" special license plates. It stops the Division of Motor Vehicles from issuing any new plates of this design. Individuals who currently possess these plates may keep them, provided they continuously renew their registration. However, strict limitations are added: if the registration lapses, or if the plate is lost or destroyed, the right to use the plate is permanently lost. Additionally, these plates cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another person, even within the same family.

For younger readers

This new rule changes how the state handles license plates that have a picture of Mr. Potato Head on them. The state will stop making new ones. If a person already has this plate on their car, they can keep it as long as they pay for their car registration on time every year. However, they are not allowed to switch this plate to a different car or give it to a family member. If they lose the plate or forget to pay the registration fee, they will lose the Mr. Potato Head plate forever.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Current owners of Mr. Potato Head platesRhode Island Community Food BankDivision of Motor VehiclesVehicle collectorsFamilies wishing to transfer plates
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Streamlines state administration by phasing out an obsolete commemorative program, allowing the DMV to focus resources on current operational needs.
  • Prevents the indefinite extension of a temporary anniversary-specific initiative, promoting better legislative housekeeping and modernization of codes.
  • Ensures that state manufacturing resources are not tied up in maintaining inventory for a "50th anniversary" milestone that has long since passed.
  • Eliminates a passive revenue stream for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which previously received $20 from every new plate issued to help the poor.
  • Reduces the variety of ways citizens can voluntarily contribute to social safety net programs through government interactions.
  • Limits personal expression and cultural celebration on state-issued property, restricting how individuals choose to display local pride.
For Conservatives
  • Reduces the size and complexity of the administrative state by eliminating an outdated government program.
  • Enforces strict adherence to registration deadlines by permanently revoking privileges for those who allow their registration to lapse.
  • Cleans up the legal code by removing provisions for a specific anniversary event that is no longer relevant, promoting legislative efficiency.
  • Restricts property rights by preventing vehicle owners from transferring their license plates to new vehicles or family members.
  • Removes a voluntary, non-tax method for citizens to support a charitable cause, potentially leading to calls for public funding elsewhere.
  • Represents government overreach by dictating exactly which vehicles can display specific plates, limiting consumer choice.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 7 additions · 17 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 31-3-72 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-3-72. Special plate for Mr. Potato Head.

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available a special motor vehicle registration plate commemorating the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of Mr. Potato Head. The plate shall bear the designation “Mr. Potato Head — 50th anniversary” and shall bear the seal of the state imprinted on it. The special plate shall be displayed upon the same registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it was issued and shall be used in place of and in the same manner as the original registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and the registration certificate for the plates shall be carried in the vehicle, in accordance with § 31-3-9. The registration certificate shall be in effect for the special plate.

(b) A special automobile or commercial commemorative Mr. Potato Head — 50th anniversary plate shall be issued upon application using forms furnished by the administrator upon payment in addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, and a service charge of forty dollars ($40.00) for each issue. The service charge shall be paid to the administrator prior to the administrator’s acceptance of the application. Twenty dollars ($20.00) of the service charge shall be paid to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the division of motor vehicles for its costs in manufacturing and distributing the special plates.

(c) Any current registration for “Mr. Potato Head- 50th anniversary" plates may remain as an authorized and permitted registration provided the registration remains continuously renewed. Any lapse, nonrenewal, revocation or loss or destruction of the plate or the registration for the plates shall result in the permanent nonregistration and nonrenewal of registration for the plates. The “Mr. Potato Head- 50th anniversary” plates shall not be transferred or registered to any other or subsequent vehicle of the registered owner or the registered owner’s family or relatives.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.