2015 -- H 6063

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LC002428

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING, JOINT

ENTERPRISES AND SHARED SERVICES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Phillips, Costantino, Coughlin, Marshall, and Fogarty

     Date Introduced: April 09, 2015

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 45-40.1-1, 45-40.1-3 and 45-40.1-4 of the General Laws in

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Chapter 45-40.1 entitled "Interlocal Contracting and Joint Enterprises" are hereby amended to

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read as follows:

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     45-40.1-1. Legislative purpose. -- It is the purpose of this chapter to permit local

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governmental units to make the most efficient use of their powers by enabling them to cooperate

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with other localities on a basis of mutual advantage, and, thereby, to enter into agreements to

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provide shared services, activities and facilities which any governmental unit is authorized by law

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to perform and facilities in a manner, and pursuant to, forms of governmental organization that

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will accord best with geographic, economic, population, and other factors influencing the needs

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and development of local communities cities and towns.

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     45-40.1-3. "Public agency" defined "Governmental units" defined. -- (a) For the

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purposes of this chapter, the term "public agency" "governmental unit" means any political

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subdivision of this state city, town, fire district, school district, and other taxing authority, and any

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agency of the state government or of the United States, and any political subdivision city or town

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of another state.

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      (b) The term "state" means a state of the United States.

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     45-40.1-4. Interlocal agreements. -- (a) Any power or powers, privileges, or authority,

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exercised or capable of exercise by a public agency governmental unit of this state, as defined in

 

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§ 45-40.1-3, may be exercised and enjoyed jointly with any other public agency governmental

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unit of or any other state, or of the United States, and to the extent that laws of the other state or

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of the United States permit the joint exercise or enjoyment. Any agency governmental unit or

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agency of the state government, when acting jointly with any public agency other governmental

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units may exercise and enjoy all of the powers, privileges, and authority conferred by this chapter

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upon a public agency governmental unit.

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      (b) (1) Any two (2) or more public agency governmental units may enter into agreements

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with one another for joint or cooperative action pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

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      (2) Appropriate action by ordinance, resolution, or otherwise, pursuant to law of the

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governing bodies of the participating public agencies governmental units, is necessary before any

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agreement may enter into force.

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      (c) Any agreement shall specify the following:

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      (1) Its duration, if necessary. ;

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      (2) The precise organization, composition, and nature of any separate legal or

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administrative entity created by it, together with the powers delegated to it, provided the entity

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may be legally created. ;

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      (3) Its purpose or purposes. ;

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      (4) The manner of financing the joint or cooperative undertaking, and of establishing and

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maintaining a budget for it. ;

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      (5) The permissible method or methods to be employed in accomplishing the partial or

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complete termination of the agreement and for disposing of property upon partial or complete

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termination. ;

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     (6) Provide sufficient financial safeguards for all participants, including, but not limited

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to: accurate and comprehensive records of services performed, costs incurred, and

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reimbursements and contributions received; the performance of regular audits of such records;

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and provisions for officers responsible for the agreement to give appropriate performance bonds.

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The agreement shall also require that periodic financial statements be issued to all participants;

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     (6)(7) Any other necessary and proper matters.

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      (d) In the event that the agreement does not establish a separate legal entity to conduct

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the joint or cooperative undertaking, the agreement shall, pursuant to the requirements of

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subsections (c) (1)- (c) (6) (c)(1) through (c)(7) of this section, contain provisions for:

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      (1) An administrator or a joint board responsible for administering the joint or

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cooperative undertaking. In the case of a joint board, all public agencies governmental units party

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to the agreement shall be represented.

 

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      (2) The manner of acquiring, holding, and disposing of real and personal property used

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in the joint or cooperative undertaking.

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      (e) No agreement made pursuant to this chapter relieves any public agency governmental

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unit of any obligation or responsibility imposed upon it by law, except that with respect to the

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actual and timely performance of it the obligation or responsibility by a joint board, or other legal

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or administrative entity created by an agreement made under this chapter, the performance may

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be offered in satisfaction of the obligation or responsibility.

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      (f) Every agreement made under this chapter between a state agency or public agency of

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any other state or of the United States shall, prior to and as a condition precedent to its entry into

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force, be submitted to the attorney general who shall determine whether the agreement is in

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proper form and in compliance with the laws of this state. The attorney general shall approve any

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agreement submitted to him or her unless he or she finds that it does not meet the conditions

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established by this chapter, and shall state, in writing, addressed to the governing bodies of the

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state agencies or public agencies of other states concerned, the specific respects in which the

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proposed agreement fails to meet the requirements of law. Failure of the attorney general to

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disapprove an agreement submitted under this chapter within fifteen (15) days of its submission

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constitutes approval of the agreement. Every agreement entered into between two (2) or more

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governmental units, not inclusive of any agency of the state or of the United States, shall be

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submitted to the city or town council or other governing body for approval. The termination of an

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agreement made pursuant to this chapter shall require one year's notice of withdrawal by any

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member to allow for budget and operations adjustments by the remaining members.

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     SECTION 2. Sections 45-43-2, 45-43-3 and 45-43-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-

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43 entitled "Regional Councils of Local Government" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-43-2. Membership. -- Membership of the council consists of three (3) representatives

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from each city or town governmental unit entering into the agreement. The three (3) regular

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members from each city or town governmental unit shall be appointed to the council by each

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participating governmental unit. are as follows:

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      (1) The chief executive or administrative head of the city or town.

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      (2) The council president or designee of the city or town.

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      (3) A third elected or appointed official in the city or town designated by the first two (2)

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regular members.

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     45-43-3. Powers. -- (a) The council has the power to:

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      (1) Study area governmental problems common to two (2) or more members of the

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council as it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, matters affecting health, safety,

 

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welfare, education, economic conditions, and regional development;

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      (2) Promote cooperative arrangements and coordinate action among its members; and

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      (3) Make recommendations for review and action to the members and other public

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agencies that perform functions within the region.

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      (b) The council may, by appropriate action of the governing bodies of the member

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governments governmental units, enter into an agreement to perform any service, activity or

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undertaking which any member governmental unit is authorized by law to perform. For the term

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of such agreement and subject to the terms thereof said council shall be authorized to perform

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such service, activity or undertaking, and said council may designate a committee of its members

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to oversee such performance, provided such committee membership, functions and duties are set

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forth in the agreement exercise other powers that are exercised or capable of exercise by the

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member governments and necessary or desirable for dealing with problems of mutual concern;

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provided, that the exercise of power for the creation, construction, or operation of new regional

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solid waste disposal facilities is contingent upon the approval of the solid waste management

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corporation.

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     45-43-5. Staff. -- The council may employ staff, and consult and retain experts, as it

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deems necessary. The state department of administration may furnish research, secretarial, and

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stenographic service to a council.

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     SECTION 3. Chapter 45-43 of the General Laws entitled "Regional Councils of Local

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Government" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     45-43-2.1. "Governmental units" defined. – (a) For the purposes of this chapter, the

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term "governmental unit" means any city, town, fire district, school district, and other taxing

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authority, and any agency of the state government or of the United States, and any city or town of

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another state.

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     (b) The term "state" means a state of the United States.

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     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING, JOINT

ENTERPRISES AND SHARED SERVICES

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     This act would allow cities, towns, fire districts, school districts, and other taxing

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authorities to enter into agreements to provide shared services, activities, and facilities which any

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governmental unit is authorized by law to perform.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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