S 2493Violent Crime Penalties

Motor and Other Vehicles - Motor Vehicle Offenses

This bill makes reckless driving, eluding police, or committing moving violations at 25+ mph a felony punishable by prison.

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Introduced Feb 6, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends Rhode Island's motor vehicle laws regarding reckless driving and eluding police. Currently, a first offense for these actions is a misdemeanor, with felonies reserved for subsequent offenses. This bill elevates the first conviction to a felony. It also appears to apply this felony status to anyone who commits a moving violation while traveling at least 25 miles per hour. Those convicted face a mandatory fine between $1,000 and $5,000 and a prison sentence of up to five years.

For younger readers

This law changes the rules for drivers who drive very dangerously or try to run away from the police. Before, doing this for the first time was a smaller crime. Now, this law makes it a very serious crime called a felony, even for the first time. It also says that breaking traffic rules while driving 25 miles per hour or faster is a felony. If someone breaks this law, they could go to prison for up to five years and have to pay a lot of money. It is meant to stop dangerous driving.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

DriversPolice OfficersCriminal CourtsPublic DefendersTraffic Violators

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

The provision turning "one or more moving violations while traveling at least twenty-five miles per hour" into a felony is likely unconstitutional due to vagueness and disproportionality (8th Amendment). As written, a minor infraction (like failure to signal) at 30mph becomes a felony with a 5-year prison term. This lacks a rational basis and creates a punishment grossly disproportionate to the offense, inviting arbitrary enforcement.

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Prioritizes public safety by aiming to deter reckless driving behaviors that endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers in the community.
May discourage individuals from fleeing police, potentially reducing the occurrence of high-speed chases that often result in harm to innocent bystanders.
Establishes serious consequences for endangering the public, underscoring the community's right to safe streets and transportation networks.
Increases the carceral state by upgrading a first-time offense from a misdemeanor to a felony, potentially contributing to mass incarceration.
Imposes high mandatory minimum fines ($1,000 to $5,000) that disproportionately harm low-income individuals and could lead to debt-based legal entanglements.
The ambiguous and broad language regarding moving violations at 25 mph could lead to pretextual stops and discriminatory enforcement against marginalized communities.

For Conservatives

Strengthens the rule of law by imposing felony penalties on individuals who recklessly endanger the public or attempt to flee from law enforcement.
Empowers police officers with stronger legal tools to apprehend and prosecute dangerous drivers who disrespect authority.
Enhances public order by establishing strict deterrents against criminal behavior on state roadways.
Expands government power dangerously by potentially classifying common moving violations at low speeds (25 mph) as felonies, infringing on personal liberty.
Creates excessive penalties that could be weaponized by the state against ordinary citizens for minor traffic infractions.
Imposes steep fines that could be viewed as a revenue-generating mechanism for the state rather than a just punishment.

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 6 additions · 2 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 31-27-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-27 entitled "Motor Vehicle Offenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31-27-4. Reckless driving and other offenses against public safety. Any person who operates a motor vehicle recklessly so that the lives or safety of the public might be endangered, or operates a vehicle in an attempt to elude or flee from a traffic officer or police vehicle, or who commits one or more moving violations while traveling at least twenty-five miles per hour (25 mph) shall be guilty of ~~a misdemeanor for the first conviction and a felony for~~ ~~the second and each subsequent conviction~~ a felony and shall be imprisoned for not more than five

(5) years and fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.