2013 -- S 0373

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LC01285

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

     Introduced By: Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis

     Date Introduced: February 13, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 30-15 of the General Laws entitled "Emergency Management" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     30-15-13.1. Waiver of local requirements for electrical permits during state and/or

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local disaster emergency declarations. -- (a) Whenever a declaration of a state of emergency or

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state of disaster emergency by the governor pursuant to section 30-15-9 of this chapter and/or

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similar declarations issued by the chief executive officer of any city or town pursuant to sections

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30-15-12 and 30-15-13 of this chapter occurs, the rules, regulations and ordinances of any city or

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town relating to the need for electrical permits and/or inspections shall be waived during the

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duration of same for any damage relating to the interruption of electrical service for any home

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and/or commercial building requiring reconnection to electrical service at the electric meter or

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any electrical repairs within said structure performed by a licensed electrician.

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     (b) Upon the termination of any state and/or local disaster emergency declaration, the

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owner of any home and/or commercial building where electrical work was performed as

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permitted by subsection (a) shall notify the electrical inspector of said city or town of the nature

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and extent of same along with the name, address and telephone number of the licensed electrician

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performing said work within twenty (20) days.

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     (c) This section shall not prevent the electrical inspector of any city or town from

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inspecting any electrical work undertaken during the waiver period and/or requiring that the

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electrical work conform to any rules, regulations or ordinances in effect prior to the

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commencement of the waiver period.

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     (d) This section does not authorize the performance of any electrical work necessary to

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reconnect the home or commercial building to the transmission lines owned and/or operated by

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the utility company providing electrical service locally unless performed by a duly authorized

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employee of said utility other than the electrical work authorized in subsection (a).

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     (e) Any violation of the reporting requirements contained in subsection (b) shall be

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punishable according to the appropriate rules, regulations or ordinances of the municipality that

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would have been applicable if the waiver created herein had never applied.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01285

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

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     This act would create a waiver of any municipal rules, regulations or ordinances requiring

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the issuance of an electrical permit for and/or inspection of electrical work resulting from the

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interruption of electrical service during a state or local declaration of a state of emergency or

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disaster. The waiver would apply to any electrical work needed to reattach electrical wires to the

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electrical meter and/or performed within the structure by a licensed electrician, not including

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electrical work needed to reattach the structure to the public utilities' transmission lines.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01285

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