S 3042Violent Crime Penalties

Motor and Other Vehicles - Motor Vehicle Offenses

The bill creates felony penalties for street takeovers and doubles punishments for disorderly conduct committed while wearing a mask.

Held for study

Population
Affected

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Introduced Mar 5, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation establishes a new felony offense for participating in "street takeovers," defined as blocking public roads to perform vehicle stunts, drag race, or engage in reckless driving. Offenders face imprisonment of more than one year, fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, and the potential seizure and forfeiture of their vehicle. Additionally, the bill amends the existing disorderly conduct law to impose stricter penalties on individuals who commit the offense while wearing a mask or face covering. For these individuals, the maximum penalty increases to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.

For younger readers

This new law creates strict rules against "street takeovers," which is when people block roads with their cars to race or do dangerous stunts. If someone does this, they can go to jail for a long time, pay a lot of money, and the police can take their car away. The law also changes the rules for making trouble in public, known as disorderly conduct. If a person causes trouble while hiding their face with a mask, they will get in twice as much trouble as they would have before.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Motor vehicle ownersDriversProtestorsLaw enforcementCar enthusiasts

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

The provision doubling penalties for disorderly conduct while wearing a mask may face First Amendment challenges, as it could be interpreted to chill anonymous speech or protest, particularly if applied to political demonstrators. Additionally, civil asset forfeiture is frequently challenged under the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, as it allows the state to seize property often before a final criminal conviction is secured, though this bill ties the forfeiture to the violation.

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

Offenders: $1,000-$5,000/fine, Masked Offenders: up to $1,000/fine

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Addresses legitimate public safety concerns in dense neighborhoods by discouraging reckless vehicle operation that endangers pedestrians and residents.
Aims to reduce noise pollution and community disruption caused by illegal street events, which often disproportionately affect urban communities.
Provides a mechanism to accountability for individuals who monopolize public infrastructure for dangerous private entertainment, ensuring roads remain usable for the community.
The enhanced penalties for wearing a mask could be weaponized against peaceful protestors who wear face coverings for anonymity or health reasons, chilling free speech and the right to assemble.
Utilizes civil asset forfeiture, a practice often criticized by progressives for incentivizing "policing for profit" and disproportionately harming low-income individuals who lose their means of transportation.
Relies on increased incarceration and felony charges to solve behavioral issues, contributing to the expansion of the prison system rather than focusing on restorative or community-based solutions.

For Conservatives

Strengthens law and order by creating felony consequences for individuals who create chaos on public roadways and disrespect traffic laws.
Targets masked agitators by increasing penalties for those who try to hide their identity while committing disorderly conduct, potentially deterring violent protest tactics.
Provides law enforcement with strong tools, including heavy fines and vehicle forfeiture, to effectively crack down on illegal street racing and stunts.
Expands government power to seize private property (vehicles) through forfeiture, which raises concerns regarding property rights and potential government overreach.
The definition of disorderly conduct can be subjective, potentially granting the government too much power to interpret behavior and penalize citizens based on vague standards.
While aimed at criminals, the mask provision could theoretically be abused to infringe on the personal freedom of law-abiding citizens who choose to wear masks for health or privacy.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 17 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 31-27 of the General Laws entitled "Motor Vehicle Offenses" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 31-27-22.1. Street takeovers prohibited.

(a) Any person who engages in street takeovers shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and be subject to a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) and the motor vehicle or low-speed motor vehicle, as defined in § 31-1-3, involved in the offense may be impounded and subject to a forfeiture hearing in the superior court.

(b) A vehicle operated in violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of § 31-27-4.3.

(c) For the purpose of this section, "street takeover" means an illegal meeting where individuals and/or drivers block roadways to perform stunts, drag race, or otherwise illegally obstruct a public street, road or highway to engage in reckless operation of a vehicle in violation of the provisions of chapter 27 of title 31.

SECTION 2. Section 11-45-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-45 entitled "Disorderly Conduct" is hereby amended to read as follows: 11-45-1. Disorderly conduct.

(a) A person commits disorderly conduct if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1) Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;

(2) In a public place or near a private residence that he or she has no right to occupy, disturbs another person by making loud and unreasonable noise which under the circumstances would disturb a person of average sensibilities;

(3) Directs at another person in a public place offensive words which are likely to provoke a violent reaction on the part of the average person so addressed;

(4) Alone or with others, obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building entrance, elevator, aisle, stairway, or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access or any other place ordinarily used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances;

(5) Engages in conduct which obstructs or interferes physically with a lawful meeting, procession, or gathering;

(6) Enters upon the property of another and for a lascivious purpose looks into an occupied dwelling or other building on the property through a window or other opening; or

(7) Who without the knowledge or consent of the individual, looks for a lascivious purpose through a window, or any other opening into an area in which another would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, a restroom, locker room, shower, changing room, dressing room, bedroom, or any other such private area, notwithstanding any property rights the individual may have in the location in which the private area is located.

(8) [Deleted by P.L. 2008, ch. 183, § 1].

(b) Any person, including a police officer, may be a complainant for the purposes of instituting action for any violation of this section.

(c) Any person found guilty of the crime of disorderly conduct shall be imprisoned for a term of not more than six (6) months, or fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both; provided, however, any person found guilty of the crime of disorderly conduct while wearing a mask or face covering, shall be imprisoned for a term of not more than one year, or fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

(d) In no event shall subdivisions (a)(2) — (5) of this section be construed to prevent lawful picketing or lawful demonstrations including, but not limited to, those relating to a labor dispute.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.