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S 2333Personal

Motor and Other Vehicles - Registration of Vehicles

This bill creates a special license plate for the RI Hockey Hall of Fame to raise funds for local charities.

Signed into law69 Yea0 Nay6 Not voting
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Jan 23, 2026Committee Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

Plain-English Summary

This legislation authorizes the creation of a special license plate honoring the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame. To obtain the plate, vehicle owners must pay a $40 surcharge in addition to standard registration fees. Of this surcharge, $20 goes to the state's general fund and $20 goes to the Hall of Fame. A $10 surcharge applies to renewals, all of which goes to the Hall of Fame. The organization is required to use these funds to benefit Rhode Island-based charities and must submit an annual financial report.

For younger readers

This new law lets people buy a special license plate for their car that honors the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame. To get this special plate, drivers have to pay a little extra money. Some of that extra money goes to the state government, but the rest goes to the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame has to use that money to help other groups in Rhode Island do good things for the community. It is a way for people to show they like hockey and help others at the same time.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Vehicle OwnersRhode Island Hockey Hall of FameRhode Island-based charitable organizationsDivision of Motor Vehicles staffLaw enforcement
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
General Fund: $20/initial plate, RI Hockey Hall of Fame: $20/initial plate and $10/renewal

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Mandates that funds raised by the non-profit must be used for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations, ensuring resources stay within the local community to help those in need.
  • Includes transparency and accountability measures by requiring the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame to submit an annual accounting report before funds are distributed.
  • Generates revenue for the state General Fund through the initial issuance surcharge, which can be used to support public services and programs.
  • Utilizes a regressive fee structure where the cost to display support is a flat rate, making this form of cultural participation less accessible to low-income residents.
  • Continues the trend of commodifying state property (license plates) for private interest groups rather than focusing on universal public messaging or safety.
  • Diverts legislative time and administrative resources in the DMV toward niche interests rather than systemic reforms that would address broader transportation or social equity issues.
For Conservatives
  • Generates revenue for the state and charitable causes through voluntary user fees rather than broad-based tax increases on the general public.
  • Supports civil society and private charitable organizations, encouraging non-governmental solutions to community needs.
  • Promotes state heritage and pride by recognizing a specific cultural institution (hockey) that is significant to Rhode Island history.
  • Expands government bureaucracy by adding administrative burdens to the Division of Motor Vehicles for the management and distribution of another niche license plate.
  • Involves the government in picking winners and losers by granting special state-sanctioned fundraising status to a specific non-profit entity over others.
  • Complicates law enforcement duties by adding yet another license plate design to the road, potentially making vehicle identification more difficult.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 39 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 31-3 of the General Laws entitled "Registration of Vehicles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 31-3-132. Special plate for the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

(a) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles is empowered to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame. The plates shall be designed to reference the not-for-profit entity Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

(b) 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 registration plates issued to the vehicle. The original registration plates for the vehicle shall be removed from the vehicle and returned to the division of motor vehicles. 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.

(c) The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame motor vehicle plates shall be the same size as regular motor vehicle plates and shall be designed by the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame in conjunction with the division of motor vehicles, with the design approved by the Rhode Island state police.

(d) The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame plates shall be subject to compliance with § 31-3-117 relating to the number of minimum prepaid orders of plates per plate type (i.e., passenger, commercial, etc.) and any required payment. The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame plates shall not be issued unless the minimum order requirements are met. The initial order will be handled by the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame and shall not be submitted to the division of motor vehicles for production until the minimum order(s) have been met and the proper paper work submitted to the division.

(e) The administrator of motor vehicles shall develop prepayment procedures and any other procedures deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

(f) In addition to the regular prescribed motor vehicle registration fee, Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame plates shall be subject to a forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge.

(g) The forty dollar ($40.00) issuance surcharge shall be allocated as follows: twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be allocated to the general fund and the remaining twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be distributed annually to the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame to commemorate, preserve, and promote the game of hockey in Rhode Island.

(h) A ten dollar ($10.00) surcharge for subsequent registration renewals shall be allocated to the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame.

(i) In consideration of the receipt of funds from the registration of Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame plates, the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame must use any Rhode Island-sourced funds in and for the benefit of Rhode Island-based charitable organizations.

(j) The Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame will be required to submit an annual accounting report before such monies are distributed.

(k) There shall be no refunds for early cancellation of Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame plates.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.