2022 -- H 7448

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LC004734

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC

TRANSIT AUTHORITY

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Alzate, J Lombardi, Diaz, Donovan, Cassar,
Batista, Williams, Vella-Wilkinson, and Morales

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-18-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-18 entitled "Rhode Island

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Public Transit Authority" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-18-9. Revenues.

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     (a) The authority is hereby authorized and empowered to fix and revise, from time to time,

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such schedules of service and rates of fare and charges for service furnished or operated as it

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determines to be reasonable. The schedules of service, rates of fare, and charges for service shall

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not be subject to supervision or regulation by any commission, board, bureau, or agency of the state

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or of any municipality or other political subdivision of the state; except as provided in § 39-18-4.

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Provided, however, any changes in frequency of services of more than fifteen percent (15%),

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providers of service, rates of service, other than systemwide changes, and charges for service shall

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be presented for comment in at least one public hearing scheduled in an accessible location in each

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county affected, and the hearing shall be scheduled in two (2) sessions, one during daytime business

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hours and one during evening hours. The revenues derived from the authority's operations and any

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other Any funds or property received or to be received by the authority (including, without

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limitation, any funds or other property received or to be received by the authority pursuant to § 39-

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18-4(a)(10)), in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, may be pledged to, and charged

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with, the payment of the principal of and the interest on some or all of the authority's bonds as

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provided for in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds or in the trust agreement

 

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securing the bonds. The pledge shall be valid and binding from the time when the pledge is made;

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the revenues, funds, or other property so pledged, and thereafter received by the authority, shall

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immediately be subject to the lien of the pledge without any physical delivery thereof or further

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act, and the lien of any pledge shall be valid and binding as against all parties having claims of any

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kind, in tort, contract, or otherwise, against the authority, irrespective of whether the parties have

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notice thereof. Neither the resolution nor any trust agreement by which a pledge is created need be

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filed or recorded except in the records of the authority.

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     (b) It is hereby declared that the authority shall not impose any fares and/or charges for

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service provided to the general public.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2023.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC

TRANSIT AUTHORITY

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     This act would prohibit the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) from imposing

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any fares and/or charges for service provided to the general public.

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     This act would take effect January 1, 2023.

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LC004734

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