2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 6 - Commercial Law – General Regulatory Provisions › Chapter 6-45 - Consumer Enforcement of Assistive Technology Device Warranties › Section 6-45-1. - Definitions.

§ 6-45-1. Definitions.
The following words and phrases as used in this chapter, for the purposes of this chapter, have the following meanings:
(1)
“Assistive technology device” means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used or designed to be used to increase, maintain, or improve any functional capability of an individual with disabilities. An assistive technology device system that as a whole is within the definition of this term is itself an assistive technology device, and in this case, this term also applies to each component product of the assistive technology device system that is itself ordinarily an assistive technology device. This term includes, but is not limited to:
(i)
Wheelchairs and scooters of any kind and other aids that enhance the mobility or positioning of an individual, such as motorization, motorized positioning features, and the switches and controls for any motorized features;
(ii)
Hearing aids, telephone communication devices for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, and other assistive listening devices;
(iii)
Computer equipment and reading devices with voice output, optical scanners, talking software, Braille printers, and other aids and devices that provide access to text;
(iv)
Computer equipment with voice output, artificial larynges, voice amplification devices, and other alternative and augmentative communication devices;
(v)
Voice recognition computer equipment, software and hardware accommodations, switches, and other forms of alternative access to computers;
(vi)
Environmental control units; and
(vii)
Simple mechanical aids that enhance the functional capabilities of an individual with disabilities.
(2)
“Assistive technology device dealer” means a dealer who is in the business of selling or leasing assistive technology devices. A dealer shall be an assistive technology device dealer with respect to a particular sale or lease of a product that constitutes an assistive technology device as to that sale or lease if he or she is in the business generally of selling or leasing that product or kind of product without regard to whether that product constitutes an assistive technology device for other buyers.
(3)
“Assistive technology device system” means the final product resulting from a manufacturer customizing, adapting, reconfiguring, refitting, refurbishing, or composing into a system one or more component products, whether or not new, that may be assistive technology devices or standard products of the same or other manufacturer.
(4)
“Collateral costs” means expenses incurred by a consumer in connection with the repair of a nonconformity, including the costs of obtaining another device or service to substitute for the absence, due to a nonconformity or attempt to repair, of the device sold or leased to the consumer, if no loaner was offered to the consumer, except to the extent the person opposing liability for these costs shall prove that incurring these expenses was not reasonable in light of the sophistication of, and the means readily available, to the consumer.
(5)
“Conforming replacement” means a new device in good working order that is identical to or has functional capabilities equal to or greater than those of the original device.
(6)
“Consumer” of an assistive technology device means the person who is a party, whether the buyer or the lessee, to the contract of sale or lease, respectively, of that device. This party may be, but is not necessarily, the user.
(7)
“Dealer” means the person who is the party, whether the seller or the lessor, to the contract with the consumer of sale or lease of the device.
(8)
“Demonstrator” means an assistive technology device that would be new but for its use since its manufacture only for the purpose of demonstrating the device to the public or prospective buyers or lessees.
(9)
“Early termination cost” means any expense or obligation that a lessor incurs as a result of both the termination of a written lease before the termination date set forth in that lease and the return of the device to the manufacturer. Early termination cost includes a penalty for prepayment under a finance arrangement.
(10)
“Early termination savings” means any expense or obligation that a lessor avoids as a result of both the termination of a written lease before the termination date set forth in that lease and the return of the device to the manufacturer, which shall include an interest charge that the lessor would have paid to finance the device or, if the lessor does not finance the device, the difference between the total amount for which the lease obligates the consumer during the period of the lease term remaining after the early termination and the present value of that amount at the date of the early termination.
(11)
“Individual with disabilities” means any individual who is considered to have a mental or physical disability or impairment for the purposes of any other law of this state or of the United States, including any rules or regulations under this state or of the United States.
(12)
“Loaner” means a device provided to the consumer for use by the user free of charge that need not be new, nor identical to, nor have functional capabilities equal to or greater than those of the original device, but that meets the following conditions:
(i)
It is in good working order;
(ii)
It performs at a minimum the most essential functions of the original device in light of the disabilities of the user; and
(iii)
Any differences between it and the original device do not create a threat to safety.
(13)
“Manufacturer” means:
(i)
The person who manufactures or assembles an assistive technology device;
(ii)
The person who manufactures or assembles a product that becomes a component product of an assistive technology device system, to the extent such product is itself ordinarily an assistive technology device; and
(iii)
Agents of a person described in subsection (13)(i) or (13)(ii) of this section, including an importer, a distributor, factory branch, distributor branch, and any warrantors of the manufacturer’s devices, provided that such agents shall not include, with respect to a particular transaction, the dealer, unless the dealer is also a person described in subsection (13)(i) or (13)(ii) of this section.
(14)
“Nonconformity” of an assistive technology device means any failure of the device to conform to any applicable express or implied warranties that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the device. The implied warranties described in the preceding sentence include, but are not limited to, the implied warranty of merchantability described in §§ 6A-2-314 or 6A-2.1-212, and the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose described in §§ 6A-2-315 or 6A-2.1-213 and subject to the provisions of § 6-45-2.
(15)
“Term A” means the year following the date the device is first delivered into the possession of the consumer.
(16)
“Term B” means the two (2) years following the date the device is first delivered into the possession of the consumer.
(17)
“User” of an assistive technology device means the individual with a disability who, by reason of this disability, needs and actually uses that device.
History of Section.
P.L. 1995, ch. 222, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 3; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 3; P.L. 2014, ch. 528, § 32.