MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND REFLECTORS, the official text

S2055 2026 -- S 2055 ======== LC003492 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND REFLECTORS Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Patalano, Appollonio, Famiglietti, Tikoian, and Ciccone Date Introduced: January 09, 2026 Referred To: Senate Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 31-24-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-24 entitled Lighting 2 Equipment and Reflectors is hereby amended to read as follows: 3 31-24-31. Flashing lights — Forward viewing or rotary beam lights. 4 (a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus, 5 snow-removal equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn. However, 6 the requirements of § 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is equipped with lamps 7 at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing white or amber lights, 8 and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously flashing red lights, all of 9 which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500′). 10 (b) Forward viewing or rotating beam lights may be installed on and shall be restricted to 11 the following categories of vehicles, and these lights shall be of color designated: 12 (1) Emergency response vehicles of any fire, rescue, or ambulance department, fire chiefs, 13 assistant fire chiefs, deputy chiefs, captains; any privately owned vehicle of any authorized 14 volunteer member of a fire, rescue, or ambulance department; emergency management agency 15 directors, assistant directors, assistant medical examiners and/or forensic pathologists of the office 16 of state medical examiners; rescue vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the department of 17 environmental management and the office of the state fire marshal; school buses; hospital 18 emergency response vehicles; vehicles owned and operated by the Rhode Island Disaster Medical 1 Assistance Team, Inc. and/or its affiliates or subsidiary organizations; and two (2) American Red 2 Cross disaster vehicles: Red, white and/or alternating flashing white; 3 (2) Wrecker trucks, service station trucks, state and town safety and maintenance vehicles; 4 snowplows and tractors; light company trucks, telephone company trucks, water company trucks, 5 oil company trucks, and other utilities’ trucks; vehicles of television, radio and press photographers; 6 newspaper motor route carriers; rural mail carriers; all motor-propelled vehicles owned by the 7 Northern Rhode Island REACT (radio emergency associated citizens team); all motor-propelled 8 vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of transportation when on 9 official state business; and vehicles marking the beginning and end of funeral processions: Amber, 10 provided, however, that wrecker and transportation vehicles operated pursuant to a public utilities 11 commission license, and roadside assistance vehicles of any type operated for that purpose by the 12 American Automobile Association shall be permitted to use flashing amber lights at the front and 13 rear of the vehicle, to be activated only in the course of providing assistance to or transportation for 14 a disabled vehicle. A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) shall be charged for the issuance of a flashing 15 lights permit to every vehicle identified in this subsection, with the exception of flashing lights 16 permits issued to state, town or fire district safety and maintenance vehicles, which shall not be 17 charged a fee. 18 (3) Police units, state and local: Center rotating beam lights: Blue or red; Outboard mounted 19 lights: Blue or red. 20 (4) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4. 21 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC003492 ======== LC003492 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- LIGHTING EQUIPMENT AND REFLECTORS *** 1 This act would allow vehicles owned and operated by the Rhode Island Disaster Medical 2 Assistance Team, Inc. and/or its affiliates or subsidiaries to operate with forward facing red and 3 white emergency lights. 4 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC003492 ======== LC003492 - Page 3 of 3