2022 -- S 2390 | |
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LC004519 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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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 STUDY AND REVIEW THE | |
COST AND STATUS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND OWNED, VACANT, AND | |
ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR METHODS TO | |
MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES | |
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Introduced By: Senators Burke, Valverde, Lawson, Kallman, Euer, F Lombardi, and | |
Date Introduced: February 15, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Judiciary | |
1 | WHEREAS, “The mortgage foreclosure crisis of the late 2000s created an epidemic of |
2 | vacant and abandoned properties throughout neighborhoods and cities across the United States" |
3 | and "Rhode Island, and Providence in particular, were identified as areas ‘hardest hit’ by the |
4 | foreclosure crisis at the end of the last decade" according to the U.S. Treasury; and |
5 | WHEREAS, Vacant properties can include abandoned, boarded-up buildings; unused lots |
6 | that attract trash and debris; vacant or under-performing commercial properties known as |
7 | greyfields (such as under-leased shopping malls and strip commercial properties); and neglected |
8 | industrial properties with environmental contamination known as brownfields; and |
9 | WHEREAS, Often these structures have been unoccupied for over a year and/or are |
10 | beyond repair, can pose a serious danger to public safety, and require costly insurance and |
11 | additional expenses to the State, with that expense growing every year the property remains |
12 | vacant or abandoned; and |
13 | WHEREAS, The State must address the increasing number of vacant and abandoned |
14 | properties, not only because of the negative impact they have on the surrounding community, but |
15 | because of the numerous costs they impose; now, therefore be it |
16 | RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
17 | consisting of thirteen (13) members: four (4) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more |
18 | than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of |
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1 | whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or |
2 | designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Tax Administrator, or designee; one of whom |
3 | shall be the Rhode Island General Treasurer, or designee; one of whom shall be the RI Building |
4 | Code Commissioner, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of |
5 | Administration, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode Island Attorney General, or |
6 | designee; one of whom shall be a real estate attorney, to be appointed by the President of the |
7 | Senate; one of whom shall be a Rhode Island home builder, to be appointed by the President of |
8 | the Senate; and one of whom shall be the Chair of the Rhode Island State Properties Committee, |
9 | or designee. |
10 | In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
11 | commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly |
12 | resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
13 | of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party |
14 | which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public. |
15 | The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and review of |
16 | the costs and status of state owned vacant and abandoned properties and provide |
17 | recommendations for methods to mitigate the associated expenses including, but not limited to: |
18 | Summarize the many and varied costs that vacant and abandoned properties |
19 | impose; |
20 | Find ways to recapture and assess the value in vacant properties, bringing vitality |
21 | back to once blighted neighborhoods; and |
22 | Streamline the approval process for returning tax-delinquent properties to |
23 | productive use; and |
24 | Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
25 | the call of the President of the Senate and organize and shall select a chairperson. |
26 | Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
27 | The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
28 | All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
29 | documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
30 | desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
31 | The Joint Committee of Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
32 | suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further |
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1 | RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the |
2 | Senate no later than February 10, 2023, and said commission shall expire on March 21, 2023. |
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LC004519 | |
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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 STUDY AND REVIEW THE | |
COST AND STATUS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND OWNED, VACANT, AND | |
ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR METHODS TO | |
MITIGATE THE ASSOCIATED EXPENSES | |
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1 | This resolution would create a thirteen (13) member special legislative study commission |
2 | whose purpose it would be to study and provide recommendations to mitigate the associated costs |
3 | for state owned vacant and abandoned properties, and who would report back to the Senate no |
4 | later than February 10, 2023, and whose life would expire on March 21, 2023. |
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