reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 39-12-38 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-38 - Unauthorized divulging of information by administrator's personnel.

§ 39-12-38. Unauthorized divulging of information by administrator's personnel.Any examiner, investigator, hearing officer, accountant, regulatory inspector, or field investigator, who shall knowingly and willfully divulge any facts or information that may come to his or her knowledge during the course of any examination or inspection made under authority of § 39-12-5, except as he or she may be directed by the administrator or by a court or judge thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject, upon conviction, to a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisonment not exceeding one year.History of Section.P.L. 1958, ch. 87, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12-38.1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-38.1 - Records and abstract of cases.

§ 39-12-38.1. Records and abstract of cases.A full record shall be kept by every court in this state of every case in which a person is charged with violation of any provision of this chapter, and an abstract of the record shall be sent by the court to the administrator within ten (10) days of the time when the case is disposed of. The abstract shall be made upon forms prepared by the administrator and shall include all necessary information as to the parties to the cause; the nature of the offense; the date of the hearing; the plea; the decision; the judgment and result; and every abstract shall be certified by the clerk of the court.History of Section.P.L. 1967, ch. 209, § 8.
RI Gen L § 39-12-39 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-39 - Annual appropriations.

§ 39-12-39. Annual appropriations.The general assembly shall annually appropriate such sums as it may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, and in so doing shall take into consideration the fees collected under this chapter.History of Section.G.L. 1938, ch. 99, art. 9, § 1; P.L. 1946, ch. 1805, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 39-12-39; P.L. 1958, ch. 87, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 326, § 113.
RI Gen L § 39-12-40 - 39-12-42 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-40 - 39-12-42 - [Repealed.]

§ 39-12-40 — 39-12-42. [Repealed.]
RI Gen L § 39-12-43 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-43 - Severability.

§ 39-12-43. Severability.If any provision of this chapter, or of any rule, regulation, or order made thereunder, or the application thereof to any persons or circumstances is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this chapter, rule, regulation, or order, and the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby. The invalidity of any section or sections or parts of any section or sections of this chapter shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this chapter; and it is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this chapter would have been enacted if the invalid parts had not been included therein.History of Section.P.L. 1935, ch. 2268, art. 10, §§ 1, 2; G.L. 1938, ch. 99, art. 10, §§ 1, 2; P.L. 1946, ch. 1805, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 39-12-44; G.L. 1956, § 39-12-43; P.L. 1958, ch. 87, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12-44 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12 - Motor Carriers of Property|Section 39-12-44 - [Obsolete.]

§ 39-12-44. [Obsolete.]
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-1 - Declaration of purpose and policy.

§ 39-12.1-1. Declaration of purpose and policy.The legislature hereby finds the following legislation to be in the public interest for these reasons:WHEREAS, A tow truck in the hands of an incompetent operator is a dangerous instrumentality; andWHEREAS, The public has an inherent right to ready access to the name, location, and telephone number of certificated towers; andWHEREAS, The operation of a tow truck on the public highway with a vehicle in tow is a dangerous instrumentality exposing others on or about the highway to loss or damage, which must be covered by adequate insurance; andWHEREAS, The motoring public has a right, when delegating to law enforcement the selection of an operator in the towing-storage business, to expect that the operator selected and responding will be competent; andWHEREAS, The motoring public has a right when delegating to law enforcement the selection of an operator in the towing-storage business, to expect that the charges for the services to be rendered will be reasonable and compensatory, and that the operator is physically equipped in his or her business to function properly; andWHEREAS, The towing and storage of a vehicle without the owner's consent, as is the case in most police-instigated tows, requires certain procedures to assure the owner that rights of due process of law are not violated; andWHEREAS, The owner or person in control of private property of real estate has a right to be free from trespass by vehicle on the private property; and to have any trespassing vehicle removed at the owner's expense; andWHEREAS, The police powers delegated by the legislature of the state include the power of the police, even without the owner's consent, to have public ways cleared of conditions that, in the opinion of the officer, create a hazardous condition to the motoring public; to have removed abandoned, abandoned and of no value, and unattended vehicles; to have removed and/or relocated vehicles in violation of parking ordinances; and to have removed any vehicle under control of any person arrested for any criminal offense; andWHEREAS, The process of selection of the operator of a towing-storage business for police work is unique in that law enforcement, though having the legal duty to order the work, has no legal duty to pay costs and charges connected therewith, the same being the duty of the vehicle owner.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 216, § 14.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-3 - Removal of abandoned, abandoned and of no value, and unattended vehicles.

§ 39-12.1-3. Removal of abandoned, abandoned and of no value, and unattended vehicles.(a) Any member of any police department or the owner or person in control of private property may order the removal of any abandoned or unattended vehicle, or any member of any police department, upon completion of a vehicle survey report, as defined in this chapter, may order the removal of any abandoned vehicle of no value by a certificated tower and may instruct the certificated tower to remove the vehicle to its own place of storage.(b) The last registered owner and/or the legal owner, or the person who left a vehicle in a position so that the vehicle becomes abandoned, abandoned and of no value, or unattended shall be liable for all reasonable costs of recovery, towing, and storage in accordance with the certificated tower's tariff.(c) Any member of a police department observing a vehicle on or near a public way that appears to be abandoned, abandoned and of no value, or unattended shall tag the vehicle by affixing securely to the vehicle a colored form or by using an easily observable sticker. The tag or sticker shall show:(1) The date and time of tagging, and the name and telephone number of the police department;(2) That the vehicle will be removed pursuant to this chapter unless the vehicle is removed after forty-eight (48) hours; provided, however, the police officer may order the immediate removal of the vehicle without prior tagging as provided in this section if it is parked illegally, causes traffic congestion or hazard, or when the operator is not allowed to continue to operate the vehicle after having been detained for operating in violation of the law.(d) No person in possession of a vehicle that, in the opinion of the police officer in charge of the scene, needs to be removed to another location, shall be denied the right to have any certificated tower of his or her choice attend to the removal; provided, however, that allowing the choice of certificated tower does not cause a continuation of traffic congestion or of a hazardous condition on the highway that the police officer is able to eliminate by other means. When the hazardous condition has been eliminated, the person's choice shall be employed to remove the vehicle to the place selected by the person in possession.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 326, § 114.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-5 - Special procedure regarding certain abandoned vehicles.

§ 39-12.1-5. Special procedure regarding certain abandoned vehicles.(a) If an abandoned, abandoned and of no value, or unattended vehicle, as defined in § 39-12.1-2, is at least ten (10) years old or less than ten (10) years old and has an altered vehicle identification number; has not been registered within one year; has no established fair market value; and would not pass a safety inspection pursuant to chapter 38 of title 31, a certificated tower shall not be required to comply with the provisions of § 39-12.1-4.(b) If a police department takes possession or orders the removal of a vehicle that meets the requirements of this section, the police department shall request that the state police conduct a computer search to determine if the vehicle is a stolen vehicle. The police department shall remove the vehicle identification number from the vehicle and shall maintain a record of all numbers removed from vehicles for a period of two (2) years.(c) A police department that complies with the provisions of this section may dispose of the vehicle in accordance with the provisions of § 39-12.1-9 five (5) days after the removal of the vehicle identification number.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 326, § 114; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 1, § 6.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-6 - Possessory lien.

§ 39-12.1-6. Possessory lien.Any certificated tower coming into possession of a vehicle in any lawful manner shall have a possessory lien on the vehicle and registration plates, so long as it retains possession, and if it has conformed in full with the provisions of §§ 39-12.1-4 and 39-12.1-8. The lien shall be in an amount in accordance with its published tariff.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-7 - Thirty (30) day waiting period.

§ 39-12.1-7. Thirty (30) day waiting period.Any certificated tower in possession of any vehicle subject to a possessory lien for a period in excess of thirty (30) consecutive days, and not having been compensated in accordance with its published tariff, is authorized to give notice and proceed to foreclosure as provided in §§ 39-12.1-8 and 39-12.1-9.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-9 - Foreclosure of lien.

§ 39-12.1-9. Foreclosure of lien.(a) Any vehicle subject to a possessory lien as provided for in § 39-12.1-6, not redeemed by its owner within a period of ten (10) days from the date of the notice sent in conformity with § 39-12.1-8(a) or sixty (60) days from the date of notice sent in conformity with §§ 39-12.1-4 and 39-12.1-8(b), may be sold at a nonjudicial public auction.(b) In addition to the notice required pursuant to §§ 39-12.1-8(a) or 39-12.1-4 and 39-12.1-8(b), notice of the sale shall be:(1) Published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the address of the registered owner is located or in which the business of the certificated tower is located if the identity of the last registered owner cannot be determined at least once at least ten (10) days prior to the sale; and(2) Posted in the certificated tower's place of business; and(3) Mailed by registered mail, return receipt requested, to the officer-in-charge of the police department or person who instigated the initial tow.(c) The purchaser of a vehicle sold at auction pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall take title to the vehicle free and clear of all liens and claims of ownership. The certificated tower selling the vehicle shall give the purchaser a sales receipt, bill of sale, and affidavit of compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Upon presentation of the sales receipt, bill of sale, and affidavit of compliance to the division of motor vehicles, the division shall: (1) Cause any prior title and/or registration to the vehicle to be canceled and revoked; and (2) Shall issue to the purchaser a new title and registration.(d) The proceeds from the foreclosure sale shall be distributed to the extent available as follows:(1) First, to pay for the expenses of the auction;(2) Second, to pay the certificated tower for the costs of recovery, of towing, and storage of the vehicle in accordance with its published tariff; and(3) Any remainder from the proceeds of sale shall be deposited with the general treasurer of the state to be held in a restricted account for the registered or legal owner or entitled lienholder. All sums held by the public utilities commission for a period of three (3) or more years for which no claim has been made by the registered and/or legal owner or lienholder shall be presumed abandoned and shall revert to the general fund.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-10 - Special procedures regarding the disposal of abandoned vehicles of no value.

§ 39-12.1-10. Special procedures regarding the disposal of abandoned vehicles of no value.Notwithstanding any provision of the general laws to the contrary, a police department that orders the removal of or takes into custody an abandoned vehicle of no value shall hold the vehicle for a period of not less than ten (10) days. After the ten (10) days, the police department or its authorized representative shall remove the vehicle identification number from the vehicle and shall maintain a record of the number removed from the vehicle for a period of not less than one year. After the ten-day (10) period, the vehicle shall be demolished. A demolisher, who or that receives an abandoned vehicle of no value from a police department or certificated tower directed by the police to deliver the abandoned vehicle of no value, shall demolish the entire vehicle as received within fourteen (14) days of the receipt of the vehicle. Within seven (7) days after demolishing the vehicle, the demolisher shall provide the police department and the certificated tower that delivered the vehicle for demolition with a certificate attesting that the vehicle has been demolished in accordance with this section. The certificate shall be kept on file by the police department and the certificated tower for a period of one year.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-11 - Preexisting impoundments.

§ 39-12.1-11. Preexisting impoundments.Any certificated tower having in its possession any vehicle for sixty (60) days or longer, of whatever value and regardless of how it came legally into possession thereof, is hereby presumed to have a valid possessory lien on the vehicle and may proceed to foreclosure after giving notice as provided in §§ 39-12.1-4 and 39-12.1-8 of the lien.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-12 - Private trespass towing.

§ 39-12.1-12. Private trespass towing.(a) The owner or person in control of any parcel of property may cause to be removed from the property vehicles trespassing upon the property without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property by retaining, in writing, a certificated tower to remove the trespassing vehicle and relocate the vehicle to its private impoundment lot; and this procedure may be undertaken and accomplished without the need to resort to the judicial process; provided, however, that the impoundment lot shall be within ten (10) miles of the point of removal; and provided further that the lot shall be open for business to release the vehicle the same hours it is open to receive the vehicle; and provided further that there shall be posted on the outside of the office of the lot the business hours.(b) All charges for towing, in accordance with the published tariff and storage shall be borne by the last-registered and/or legal owner of the vehicle for which charges the certificated tower shall have a possessory lien as set forth elsewhere in this chapter; provided, however, that should the last-registered and/or legal owner prove through judicial process that the vehicle was not in fact trespassing on the property of the owner or person in control, the charges shall be borne by the owner or person in control of the property who ordered the towing, removal, relocation, and storage. The last-registered and/or legal owner shall, however, as a prerequisite to procedure to recover the charges from the owner or person in control of the property, pay in full all charges assessed due the certificated tower in accordance with its published tariff.(c) A certificated tower shall remove vehicles from private property at the direction of the owner or person in control thereof only upon receiving the direction in writing, which writing and notice shall be kept in the records of the certificated tower and which writing shall be a complete defense to any civil and criminal charges resulting from removal of the vehicle.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 304, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 453, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-13 - Form of notice.

§ 39-12.1-13. Form of notice.TO: (LAST REGISTERED OWNER AND KNOWN LIENHOLDERS) You are hereby given notice that a ________ (year, make, and model of vehicle) serial number ________, is being stored at ________ (name, address and telephone number of storage facility). The vehicle is in the possession of ________ (name, address and telephone number of certificated tower), having been towed at the direction of ________ (name of police department or person ordering tow) because ________ (reason for tow).  You are given notice that recovery, towing, and storage charges, for which the registered and/or legal owner is liable, are accruing and that ________ (tower's name, address and telephone number) has claimed a possessory lien, pursuant to § 39-12.1-6, for the charges. You may take possession of the vehicle at any time during regular business hours by appearing with a police release, if required, and payment of all charges accrued to date of retaking.  If you claim that the original towing was improper or not legally justified you may contest the towing by filing a complaint within ten (10) days from the date of this notice with the public utilities commission, provided that security in an amount and form satisfactory to the public utilities commission is posted with the filing of the complaint.  You are further given notice that if you fail to file a complaint or fail to retake possession of the vehicle, the vehicle will be sold at public auction and the proceeds of the sale will be first applied to recovery, towing, and storage charges with any excess to be deposited with the public utilities commission to be held in an account for the registered or legal owner or entitled lienholders as provided for in § 39-12.1-9(d)(3).  You are further given notice that any recovery, towing and storage charges in excess of the sale proceeds shall remain as a civil obligation of the owner. ____________________________________(Name and address of certificated tower or attorney) History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 1, § 6.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-14 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-14 - Form of foreclosure notice.

§ 39-12.1-14. Form of foreclosure notice.TO: (LAST REGISTERED OWNER AND KNOWN LIENHOLDER) You are hereby given notice that no complaint having been filed and the vehicle not having been claimed or possession retaken or arranged for in accordance with the notice given on ________ (date of first notice) that recovery, towing, and storage charges for which the registered and/or legal owner is liable have and are accruing and the ________ (tower's name, address, and telephone number) is claiming a possessory lien, pursuant to § 39-12.1-6, for the charges. You may take possession of the vehicle at any time during regular business hours by appearing with a police release, if required, and payment of all charges accrued to date or retaking.  You are further given notice that if you fail to retake possession of the vehicle, the vehicle will be sold at public auction at ________ (time of sale) on ________ (date of sale) at ________ (address of location of sale).  You are further given notice that the proceeds from the sale will be distributed as provided for in the first notice. __________________(name and address of tower or attorney) History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.
RI Gen L § 39-12.1-15 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 39 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 39-12.1 - The Towing Storage Act|Section 39-12.1-15 - Enforcement and administration of chapter.

§ 39-12.1-15. Enforcement and administration of chapter.The public utilities administrator shall supervise, regulate, and enforce the provisions of this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 1994, ch. 328, § 1.