2021 -- S 1004

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LC003119

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO ANALYZE AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TAX EXEMPT PROPERTIES IN THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, Goodwin, and Ciccone

     Date Introduced: July 01, 2021

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of eleven (11) members: four (4) of whom shall be members of the Senate, three (3) of

whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by

the Minority Leader; one of whom shall be a President of a Rhode Island based hospital network,

to be appointed by the Senate President; one of whom shall be the President of the Association of

Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be a

city/town Council President representing a municipality with fewer than 40,000 residents, to be

appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be a city/town Council President

representing a municipality with more than 40,000 residents, to be appointed by the President of

the Senate; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of a community based organization that

advocates for sustainable land use, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom

shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, or designee; and

one of whom shall be a tenured professor at a Rhode Island based institution of higher education

with an academic background in economics and/or land use, to be appointed by the President of

the Senate. Members of said commission shall be individuals with relevant expertise in and/or

experience with statute, policy and/or practices related to tax exemption of property.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study

commission, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in

place of a legislator, provided that the Senate President or the Minority Leader of the political

party that is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general

public.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of the

identification and treatment of tax exempt properties in Rhode Island, including, but not limited

to, a review of Rhode Island General Laws and municipal ordinances governing exemptions and

payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) programs in Rhode Island and other states, and to provide

recommendations to ensure the treatment of property owned by tax exempt entities is transparent,

consistent, equitable and of benefit to all Rhode Islanders.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the President of the Senate who shall appoint a Chair of the commission.

     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

Senate no later than April 1, 2022 and said commission shall expire on June 30, 2022.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO ANALYZE AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TAX EXEMPT PROPERTIES IN THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create an eleven (11) member special legislative commission

whose purpose it would be to analyze and make recommendations regarding tax exempt

properties in the State of Rhode Island, and who would report back to the Senate no later than

April 1, 2022, and whose life would expire on June 30, 2022.

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