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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS -- TOWN OF

NARRAGANSETT-- LANDING FEE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: April 08, 2022

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-2-35.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General

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Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-2-35.2. Town of Narragansett -- Landing fee.

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     (a) The town of Narragansett is hereby authorized to charge, assess, or otherwise collect a

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thirty-five cents ($.35) fifty cents ($.50) landing fee on each passenger over the age of twelve (12)

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arriving in the Port of Galilee, Narragansett, Rhode Island, by public or private boat; provided,

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however, that this provision shall not apply to vessels when they are engaged in commercial fishing.

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All fees collected, less expenses of collection, if any, shall be utilized by the town of Narragansett

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to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all passengers, including, but not limited to, emergency

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medical services, acquisition of both personal and real property to provide support to the ferry

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passengers, and to establish a fund to assist the town of Narragansett in resolving problems which

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arise due to the impact of vessels landing passengers in the town of Narragansett. The town of

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Narragansett may enter into agreements with any common carriers by water operating in the town

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of Narragansett and any operator of a marina in the town of Narragansett authorizing the common

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carrier or marina operator to collect the landing fee on behalf of the town of Narragansett. The

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agreement shall provide for the payment of a reasonable fee, (not to exceed fifteen percent) (15%)

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of the landing fee, by the town to the common water carrier or marina operator and indemnification

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of the water carrier or marina operator from and against any liability to, or claim of liability by

 

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third parties, arising from the collection of the boarding fee. All such common carriers shall collect

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the landing fee on behalf of the town of Narragansett, by including the amount of the fee in its rate

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and charge to adult passengers without the necessity of approval of the landing fee from the public

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utilities commission ("PUC") or the division of public utilities and carriers ("DPUC") under Title

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39. The landing fee authorized by this chapter does not apply to any persons receiving free

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transportation from the public utility under § 39-2-5. The town council of the town of Narragansett

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shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. The town of

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Narragansett may seek no fees from the common carriers other than those set forth in this section;

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provided, however, that this sentence shall not preclude the taxation of property, but not the vessels,

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of the common carriers pursuant to Title 44.

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     (b) The rate relief previously authorized by the PUC for Interstate Navigation Company in

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1997 (PUC Docket No. 2484) which authorized the increase of Interstate Navigation Company's

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rates (except the Block Island Passenger Commuter Rate) by one and four-tenths percent (1.4%) in

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order to pay for property taxes assessed against Interstate Navigation Company's vessels by the

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town of Narragansett shall continue in full force and effect until June 1, 2002. Notwithstanding the

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restriction placed by the PUC on the money collected by Interstate Navigation Company pursuant

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to this rate relief, the money shall be disposed of as follows: (1) from the monies collected as of

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June 30, 2001, Interstate Navigation Company shall make a one time payment to the town of

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Narragansett of eighty-five thousand dollars ($85,000) and the town of Narragansett shall be

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authorized to retain the fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) previously paid to it by Interstate

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Navigation Company; (2) the balance of the funds collected as of June 30, 2001, are to be invested

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in equipment and facilities to serve the rate payers of Interstate Navigation Company subject to

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DPUC subsequent verification of that investment. If a dispute arises regarding the disposition of

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the funds as set forth in this section, then the DPUC or Interstate Navigation Company may petition

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the PUC for review, and the decision of the PUC shall be final and binding and not appealable. For

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purposes of this section, the use of such funds by Interstate Navigation Company for: (1) the repair

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and/or replacement of the bulkhead and related facilities at Interstate's Block Island facility; or (2)

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Interstate's expenses related to the construction of its new terminal facility in Galilee, including the

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construction of facilities for the connector road lots; and/or (3) the pre-payment of principal and

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related pre-payment fees on the loan outstanding for the M/V Block Island, shall be deemed to be

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equipment and facilities that serve the rate payers of Interstate Navigation and shall not be subject

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to any prior review or approval by the DPUC and/or PUC; provided that subsequent verification

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and approval shall remain within the purview of the DPUC and PUC for rate making purposes.

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Any expenditures out of the funds collected as of June 30, 2001, for any other purposes shall require

 

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the prior approval of the DPUC to assure that the proposed expenditures are in the best interest of

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the rate payers. If a dispute arises between Interstate Navigation Company and the DPUC as to

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such proposed expenditures, then the DPUC or Interstate Navigation Company may petition the

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PUC for review.

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     (c) From the funds collected between July 1, 2001 and May 31, 2002, one-third (⅓) of the

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total shall be paid to the town of Narragansett in June, 2002, and the balance shall be retained by

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Interstate Navigation Company to be invested in equipment and facilities to serve the rate payers

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of Interstate Navigation Company. Interstate Navigation Company shall be required to obtain the

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prior approval of the DPUC in order to expend these funds. If a dispute arises regarding the

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disposition of these funds as set forth in this section, the DPUC or Interstate Navigation Company

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may petition the PUC for review.

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     (d) As to property over which the town of Narragansett has regulatory control, the town of

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Narragansett may not prohibit overnight parking on private property and currently existing parking

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lots in Galilee, and there will be no mandatory offsite parking for cars in Galilee.

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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 -- TOWN OF

NARRAGANSETT-- LANDING FEE

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     This act would increase the landing fee at the Port of Galilee in the town of Narragansett

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from thirty-five cents ($.35) to fifty cents ($.50).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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