The Rhode Island Senate voted on Tuesday, June 4 to approve Senate Judiciary Chairwoman Dawn Euer’s bill to notify drivers of unpaid tolls before they risk losing their license and to extend the deadlines to repay them.
“Drivers with unpaid tolls from crossing the bridge in and out of Newport risk temporarily losing their license or registration,” said Chairwoman Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown). “It is only reasonable that we give them ample notification before this occurs, both to save our drivers from unnecessary hassle and to ensure more tolls get paid in a timely manner.”
Under current law, if a driver has any unpaid tolls, fees or fines after 90 days of the original issuance and has incurred at least 10 instances of failure to pay the required toll or fee amounts, they risk being unable to renew their driver’s license and vehicle registration.
This legislation (2024-S 2453) introduced by Chairwoman Euer would amend the laws governing the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority to require it to send a notice to violators via email informing them that their driver’s license and vehicle registration may be in jeopardy for failing to pay tolls before reporting those violations to the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.
It would also extend the deadline to pay a toll and avoid the $40 administrative fee from 14 to 30 days, and would also extend the period to pay an overdue toll before incurring an additional $35 fee from 45 to 60 days.
The bill now heads to the House for consideration.
