Rhode Island § 31-27-22 - Motor Vehicle Offenses

§ 31-27-22. Street racing — Justin Nunes’ Law.

This act shall be known and may be cited as “Justin Nunes’ Law”.

(a) For the purpose of this section, “street racing” means the act of two (2) or more individuals competing or racing in a situation in which one of the motor vehicles is beside or to the rear of a motor vehicle operated by a competing driver and one driver attempts to prevent the competing driver from passing or overtaking him or her, or one or more individuals competing in a race against time.

(b) It shall be unlawful to engage in street racing on any public road, street or highway of this state, whether or not there is a formal agreement to race.

(1) Every person convicted of a first violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be subject to imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and be required to perform ten (10) to sixty (60) hours of public community restitution. The person’s license to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended for a period of not less than ninety (90) days nor more than six (6) months.

(2) Every person convicted of a second violation within a five (5) year period, shall be guilty of a felony and be subject to imprisonment for not more than two (2) years, a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and be required to perform sixty (60) to one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution. The person’s license to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended for no less than six (6) months nor more than two (2) years.

(3) Every person convicted of a third (3rd) or subsequent violation within a five (5) year period, shall be guilty of a felony and be subject to imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, a fine of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) and required to perform not less than one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution. The person’s license to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended for no less than one year nor more than five (5) years.

(c) Any person found in violation of subsection 31-27-22(b) while having one or more passengers in their motor vehicle shall be subject to imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, and a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) and be required to perform no more than one hundred (100) hours of public community restitution. The person’s license to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended for no less than one year. This enhanced sentence is to be served in addition and consecutively to the sentence provided for the underlying offense.

(d) If a person is found in violation of subsection 31-27-22(b) and the vehicle used in the violation is registered to that person or where the registrant permits the use of the vehicle, the vehicle may be impounded at the registered owner’s expense for not less than one day or more than thirty (30) days.