2015 -- H 6081 SUBSTITUTE A

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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 -- GENERAL POWERS

     

     Introduced By: Representative Brian P. Kennedy

     Date Introduced: April 15, 2015

     Referred To: House Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 45-2 of the General Laws entitled "General Powers" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     45-2-31.5. Business registration fee -- Town of Hopkinton. – (a) Unless otherwise

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provided herein, the owner and operator of each wholesale, retail, commercial, professional

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service, and manufacturing business, whether sole proprietorships, partnership, corporations, or

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any business entity, shall register their business situated in the town of Hopkinton with the tax

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assessor of the town of Hopkinton. Each registration shall contain the name of the business, the

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name of the owner(s) and operator(s) of the business, the type of business to be conducted, and

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other basic information as required by said tax assessor.

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      (b) There shall be a fee for each registration and for each annual renewal thereof. The

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registration fee shall be twenty-five ($25.00) dollars. It shall be unlawful for a person to own or

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operate a business described herein in the town of Hopkinton without a registration certificate

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issued hereunder.

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      (c) Upon proper registration of a business, a registration certificate shall be issued to the

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registrant by the tax assessor. No other business of the same trade name shall be allowed to

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register once a certificate of registration has been issued without the approval of the prior

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registrant in writing. Every registration certificate shall expire the 31st day in December and shall

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be renewed annually upon payment of the required fee. No certificate shall be issued or renewed

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if the business fails to provide proof from the tax collector that all municipal taxes assessed to the

 

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business, including municipal taxes assessed to any prior business owned or operated by one or

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more of the principals of the registrant at the same physical location, have been paid to date.

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Every certificate of registration shall be kept in a conspicuous location on the premises of each

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business establishment.

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      (d) Any business required to obtain a liquor, victualling, or any other license to operate

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under any other section of the general laws, a condition of which is the prior payment of

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Hopkinton municipal taxes, shall be exempt from the requirements of this statute.

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      (e) Any person, whether as principal, agent, employee, or otherwise, who violates any of

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the provisions of this chapter, shall be fined not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each

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month or fraction thereof that the violation continues; provided, however, that the fine shall not

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exceed three hundred dollars ($300). The Rhode Island district court and the Hopkinton

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municipal court shall have concurrent jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this statute. In

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addition to imposing the fines provided for herein, the Rhode Island district court and the

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Hopkinton municipal court may order the closure of any business described herein until a

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registration certificate is obtained. The fines shall inure to the town.

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     SECTION 2. 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 -- GENERAL POWERS

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     This act would require the owner and operator of any business situated in the town of

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Hopkinton to register that business with the Hopkinton tax assessor, and would impose a twenty-

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five dollar ($25.00) fee for said registration.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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