[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6612715,"mediaKeyId","2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc","parentId",2888858,"title","Senate hears proposal for voluntary EV/hybrid sticker program to warn firefighters; committee asks for privacy and technical details","audioSeconds",592,"startMs",1436000,"endMs",2028000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc&start=1436&end=2028","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc/thumbnail_1436000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6612715/Rhode-Island/Senate-hears-proposal-for-voluntary-EVhybrid-sticker-program-to-warn-firefighters-committee-asks-for-privacy-and-technical-details","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612715-b23ac16489799d8f134fc915a23a8654/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052721&Signature=BgwQxDyqEzH3VanUQP8cl~xT0GmANYCPcDH7s-u~pm09vHc39ZVyghcTD1doyxtNevyCc5fEXvw7AYmTv3W3H4q4QsDFvqoiJl6964UNumnLjujZupwNbrW50TG~M6trfaOgrRc3DoaxxlL792zwbK-QZEY1DdieUqf1seRbjdBdN9qzJCVFYiXuX48sPy-1B0-s~Is5E~YZSiK~qwtFvpEUxCX3sKKjfTXavXWBfWxlZ9jcYv95xm70RRpI9nkvyOqxCZAGWxwOH7kmiuwn8MOyW0aqE5NfdQixqvHxqt0pnfZekUuecu7xEKXotyyvmraJv6QLozfh9rUIZJmozA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Rhode Island","date","2025-04-02T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 916 would create an optional program under which owners of electric or hybrid vehicles could request a sticker indicating an EV is housed at a particular address; the DMV would share a list of registered EVs with local fire departments so dispatch systems could display the information when responding to incidents.

Sponsor Senator Burke said the program is voluntary and intended to help firefighters prepare for vehicle fires with different suppression needs. \"The state fire marshal will create a sticker if people want that. It's optional. And the DMV will send a list of all registered electric and hybrid cars to the fire departments to let them know…,\" Burke said.

Paul Valletta, representing the Rhode Island Firefighters, described operational challenges firefighters face with lithium-ion battery fires, telling the committee that EV battery fires can reach extremely high temperatures and require substantially more water and staffing to extinguish. \"A regular gas-powered vehicle usually reaches 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. These electric cars…when their batteries catch fire, that goes up to between 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit,\" Valletta said, and he added that EV incidents can demand tens of thousands of gallons of water and sustained on-scene staffing.

Witnesses and senators discussed sticker placement and privacy. Valletta said the sticker would be placed on a garage door or other exterior location at the address, not on the vehicle battery housing. Committee members asked whether a license plate or in-vehicle marker would suffice; Valletta and others said plates or exterior stickers might not be visible in smoke-filled garages, and dispatch integration would be most useful.

The DMV raised concerns about providing address-level registration data and privacy restrictions; senators referenced a prior House-side change to the bill to address federal privacy concerns. Committee members asked the sponsor to work with the DMV and the Office of the State Fire Marshal to resolve data-sharing and privacy issues.

The committee voted to hold SB 916 for further study and to direct the sponsor and staff to refine language for privacy protections, sticker definition and data-sharing protocols.

Ending: The committee held the bill and asked for clarified language on sticker placement, privacy-compliant data-sharing procedures, and whether a mandatory plate or voluntary sticker approach is preferable.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: 4-2-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 916 would create a voluntary program for electric and hybrid vehicle owners to request a sticker and for the DMV to share registration lists with fire departments so dispatchers could flag addresses with EVs.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature RI, Rhode Island","taxId",77689,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612719,"Committee reviews bill to codify DMV’s 30-day waiting practice for permit-holders over 18",204,448000,652000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc&start=448&end=652","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc/thumbnail_448000.jpg","/articles/6612719/Rhode-Island/Committee-reviews-bill-to-codify-DMVs-30-day-waiting-practice-for-permit-holders-over-18","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612719-d719ca49c10118ae5eb8f8a827fc6ad7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052721&Signature=hYLZ-K4J3e4A7WmXZ2n07J0Zitb5mVSuit3hU507gNrUS0K-0ZUy-7Mgm73Ft9wrF6xcmaqqPgX6tMlDfAIx-9NxvdXwZAgYjSQJ1537lA7mcvBauGeAFqXYH~mesNUnp53g62l1NZenzRCE7~qu6zP8oHNbs2QoikxVb4HQBU4DOtaPnzI4DDFNGr41nJUoZPdCuF7jTU3qUefZNWl5Uve6RCy04pp8StqVjBNEm9LQnpyn46SGbhEV4odcj47tazWgc59TZ8gIL5x1geL8CPQe3P9CbZSsxwvdpiYlCHUpyhxtHnah0LNaKSwO~kuLpySOxaxxBrzZCi912mPH8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate committee considered Senate Bill 924, which would add to state law a 30-day waiting period before applicants over age 18 who hold learner’s permits may take a road test.

Roger DeMers, legal counsel for the Division of Motor Vehicles, told the committee the bill would codify a long-standing DMV policy. \"Applicants for driver's licenses who obtain learner's permits who are over the age of 18 — the DMV has had a long standing policy of requiring those individuals to hold the permit for a minimum of 30 days before they take their road test,\" DeMers said.

Senator DePalma, the bill sponsor, said the bill sought to place current practice into statute and to address an expiration/renewal issue for permits. \"The first part of the bill seeks to codify current practice… The last couple lines with regards to the expiration of the permit seeks to address an issue… the ability for renewing it for one more year,\" he said.

Committee members acknowledged DMV testimony that the 30-day practice had been in place for more than a decade, and on that basis the committee voted to hold the bill for further study to reconcile statutory language and technical implementation details.

Ending: The committee held SB 924 to allow staff and DMV to draft technical clarifying language and return with recommended statutory text.","Senate Bill 924 would write into statute the DMV’s long-standing practice requiring applicants over age 18 to hold a learner’s permit for 30 days before a road test. The DMV legal counsel described the change as codifying current practice; the committee held the bill for further study.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612723,"Committee reviews bill to waive CCRI driver education fee for youth in foster or adopted homes",278,140000,418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc&start=140&end=418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc/thumbnail_140000.jpg","/articles/6612723/Rhode-Island/Committee-reviews-bill-to-waive-CCRI-driver-education-fee-for-youth-in-foster-or-adopted-homes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612723-2efa16e040b8030e0b20bb0fd73e6c4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052721&Signature=LRa~xqoSAMGmWei3mF3-zsvTv3el1uxDOZ40KYx0B8RSleD7smBgpYCPjSBY1-cG-uqwro3CdvqISaQfGrvayAGXSx0gYfnjXLRXxAOtaWvZefOqyVruMCBQRaFxlYqEw5lOsbqD5kN2nmpPBnA-KenzV3aBofiWu2i1nCGwGMfDgUE0zacff1N9AF5DIKA53tKGUu2~bh59fbvuXMGxULvTpdcmEF0rVv7a~jSSwAE~Bq~1tbglx601aMiNP9ej-2uXiqffPklR5sQCTQPvPR2sXZe2DKeyKN6HeS4W2TxHVkf9uGbMqH2g5H~Q8arMGt0z5EHNJTl25bDSYCZFqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate committee heard testimony on Senate Bill S362, which would amend licensing law to waive community college driver-education fees for young people in foster care or adopted homes.

Senator Apollonia, the bill sponsor, described the measure as removing a financial barrier to driving education for vulnerable youth. \"The amendment will exempt individuals in foster or adopted homes from the fee associated with these driver's education classes, providing meaningful support for vulnerable populations,\" the sponsor said.

Darlene Allen, who identified herself as working with foster and adopted youth, told the committee the waiver would be \"a very low cost but high impact piece of legislation\" that could help young people secure jobs and education. Allen estimated CCRI would serve \"50 to 100 kids at most\" and said the driver-education fee is about $200 per young person.

Committee members asked how the waiver would be funded. Allen said the cost could be absorbed by CCRI's budget or could be addressed through the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) higher-education funds: \"I would think that it would come out of the CCRI budget unless you would want to move an additional x amount of dollars to the DCYF higher education fund,\" she said.

Committee discussion noted data from DCYF showing roughly 92 youth in voluntary extension of care, and a CCRI letter estimating a larger fiscal impact. One senator observed CCRI’s estimate — which placed fiscal impact above $200,000 — did not align with the witness’s numbers, which would suggest a much lower cost.

After brief discussion, the committee voted to hold the bill for further study and requested clarification from CCRI and DCYF on likely beneficiary counts and fiscal implications.

Ending: The committee deferred action pending clearer enrollment and funding information from CCRI and DCYF; no final action was taken at the hearing.","Senate Bill S362 would exempt youth in foster care and adopted homes from the fee for Community College of Rhode Island driver education classes; witnesses said roughly 50–100 young people could benefit and the per-student cost is about $200. The committee held the bill for further study.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":81,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612727,"Senate committee hears wide-ranging debate on two-year pilot to allow virtual instructor-led driver education",4998,5650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc&start=652&end=5650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc/thumbnail_652000.jpg","/articles/6612727/Rhode-Island/Senate-committee-hears-wide-ranging-debate-on-two-year-pilot-to-allow-virtual-instructor-led-driver-education","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612727-326e3d052e6f008b80125e5f9e4ee45d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052721&Signature=dP05cHL3UeFVZUT7FL~GBPBCF2wqQXT0astzup8UwbtNvbENwLlOcqk-5kMR8IXaCJ5fck6SuhBMW1BJSGg7YT6QqgCCwErk-~p~z5IoxdCsSoh83899ox3XxlV7O3o2IW6UagcTJ8oGfQMzMKvPxRohRLZXkPDphlLM1gPkCWQDlLVbl1EFgA2H1pj~u3nEp1OeoWsFfbmCH-56uCuFXakav2AoQZDFLY0Wh2cZ1k1B53v5DnbNfGEAUy~3LJahS3fPPpIyQtYttiRA-6ITUSY7Is1I6TL~qSPUkqoKqTbOMFgMJjfKv~dDd1eTrF7uptWlEdNLr9UzxHiaTHiixA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rhode Island Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs heard competing testimony on Senate Bill 832, a proposal to authorize a two-year pilot allowing virtual instructor-led driver education as an optional alternative to in-person classroom courses.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Lou DePalma, told the committee the measure would create a two-year pilot and require a report to the General Assembly assessing the pilot’s effectiveness and safety. \"We are not looking to supplant that. We're looking to provide families and students an option,\" DePalma said.

Supporters, led by Mary Maguire, vice president of public and government affairs at AAA Northeast, said the virtual option increases access for students with scheduling, transportation or learning challenges and produced similar test scores during the pandemic. \"During the pandemic, we taught almost 100 virtual classes to more than 2,300 Rhode Island students,\" Maguire said, noting AAA’s pre-pandemic classroom average score of 90.94% compared with 89.58% for virtual learners.

Rick Phelan, a retired certified teacher who taught AAA’s virtual classes during the pandemic, described a method he said preserved engagement online: the chat function. \"Students needed to answer a minimum of 60 questions in 3½ hours to get credit for the class,\" he said. \"I could print out a report of each student's answer and questions for the date and the time they sent them… I could tell if they were on task or inattentive.\"

But a large contingent of teachers and driving-school operators opposed the change. Rick Sullivan, president of driver education teachers at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), said many CCRI instructors will not teach virtually again. \"This isn't about test scores,\" Sullivan said. \"What we are hoping to do is to maybe get you to understand that this is the most important task that you're ever gonna do. I we believe the kids belong in school.\" CCRI representatives told the committee the college runs roughly 8,000–9,000 students a year through driver education and that the pandemic virtual classes were smaller because federal funds allowed smaller cohorts.

Newport County Driving School owner John Leeds, who marked his 30th anniversary teaching driver education, urged caution and pointed to rising crash counts. \"Pre-COVID there were 538 crashes in the state of Rhode Island in which a teenage driver was involved. In 2023, we had over 2,095 crashes,\" Leeds said. \"Hands on is the best remedy to teach a kid how to drive a car properly. Not watching something on a video screen.\"

Proponents answered concerns about engagement, testing integrity and technology outages. Mary Maguire and other supporters said certified instructors would lead virtual classes, that platforms such as Zoom or Teams could capture attendance and participation, and that the pilot would be time-limited and evaluated with a required report.

Committee members sought better data. Senator Leonidas Acosta asked the DMV to provide crash and licensing data that could distinguish students who took virtual classes from those who attended in-person programs. \"We don't have good data on this,\" Acosta said, noting that voluntary choice of format would make causal comparisons difficult.

After more than three hours of testimony from industry representatives, certified teachers, school operators and advocates, the committee voted to hold SB 832 for further study to collect more information from the Department of Motor Vehicles and education providers.

The motion to hold passed by voice vote; the committee did not advance the bill at the hearing.

Ending: The committee’s hold preserves several options: a time-limited pilot with a restricted provider list, the status quo of in-person instruction, or a future, amended bill with tighter standards for remote testing and monitoring. The committee requested more detailed data from DMV and from CCRI on enrollment, outcomes and administrative capacity before taking further action.","Supporters told the Senate committee virtual, instructor-led driver education would expand access and match pandemic-era outcomes; teachers and driving-school operators warned online classes reduce accountability and testing integrity. The committee held Senate Bill 832 for further study.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6612708,"Committee considers refunds and prorated registration options for leased and returned vehicles; DMV flags revenue and technical concerns",166,939000,1105000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc&start=939&end=1105","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888858-5888d1a3fbafa197a66433a174c241cc/thumbnail_939000.jpg","/articles/6612708/Rhode-Island/Committee-considers-refunds-and-prorated-registration-options-for-leased-and-returned-vehicles-DMV-flags-revenue-and-technical-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612708-9e9fd04a5fefd35343bf7ba7bba53381/orig.mp4?Expires=1771052721&Signature=RULiGSJwkXjboXIo3ol89HKTQQA18TZuQsh-9MPpacJG~ZmH4TwiQziE5L9tlZpGkpWmUrSge7L4m2HrG~j5-plYctqjbjWV2yU-xS7PEj2zzrOJOwhalpnNbjafmPm2NsYXAHWgJLbIaCfH-v5~JAspQ2iSUDZmy~TE0IC0fNsmNiA9HZ6H6JRqG5ftZzWWmebbUEjWS2WGAn6mFjgwLnvncSWlS8Xqfkdb406CssOqJKJqXPsxLwq6HnYMQbhYLXUBkYzCVrWV3y2Pt8aimXpftg~RC-yDdI7Hrmr2TvxYFH22bP3~mMrKWHzfCc-U8JJIPCw2tZQQoI2pMgaNLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bills 830 and 833 would change how motor-vehicle registrations are handled in two situations: leased vehicles that operate on multi-year registrations and registrants who voluntarily surrender plates or cancel a registration before the registration term ends.

A sponsor told the committee leased vehicles commonly run three-year leases while Rhode Island registrations run on two-year cycles, creating a mismatch when a lessee renews a registration and will not use the second year. The bill would either allow a one-year registration option for lessees or provide a credit for unused time. Senate Bill 833 would provide a refund for the unused portion of a returned or canceled registration.

The Division of Motor Vehicles raised technical hurdles. Committee members were told the DMV’s RIMS (registration information management system) would require work to prorate or refund partial-year registrations, and DMV testimony cited roughly 27,000 canceled registrations historically that would have implied about $1.5 million in refunds under a straightforward approach — an impact linked to highway fund revenues and federal matching aid.

Senators suggested compromise solutions such as prorating refunds into simpler intervals (quarters or halves) to reduce programming complexity. The sponsor expressed willingness to work with the DMV on a technically feasible approach and the committee held both bills for further study.

Ending: The bills were held so sponsors and DMV can negotiate technical language and an implementation method that preserves highway-fund accounting while offering fairer treatment for leassees and registrants who cancel.","Senate Bills 830 and 833 would let lessees choose a one-year registration option or refund unused registration periods when plates are surrendered. The DMV raised technical concerns about changing RIMS and a potential $1.5 million revenue exposure; the committee held the bills and asked sponsors to work with DMV on implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate hears proposal for voluntary EV/hybrid sticker program to warn firefighters; committee asks for privacy and technical details

Committee reviews bill to codify DMV’s 30-day waiting practice for permit-holders over 18

Committee reviews bill to waive CCRI driver education fee for youth in foster or adopted homes

Senate committee hears wide-ranging debate on two-year pilot to allow virtual instructor-led driver education

Committee considers refunds and prorated registration options for leased and returned vehicles; DMV flags revenue and technical concerns