It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 4 and 5 of Chapter 905 of the Public Laws of 1912 entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Chepachet Fire District," as amended is hereby further amended to read as follows:

SEC. 4. The qualified voters of the district at each annual meeting, and at any other meeting when vacancies occur, may elect officers to serve one (1) year, or until the next annual meeting, and until others may be chosen in their stead; which officers shall consist of a moderator, clerk, treasurer, three (3) assessors, and a collector of taxes, whose duties and powers within said district shall be such as like officers of towns in this state have in their respective towns. They may also elect fire wardens, executive committee, chief engineer, and such other officers as may be needed. ,provided, however, the term of office of such members of the executive committee as may be elected shall be elected as follows: At the annual election held on the second Saturday of July, 1991, one (1) member shall be elected to serve until the second Saturday of July, 1992 and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified, one (1) member shall be elected to serve until the second Saturday of July, 1993, and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified, one (1) member shall be elected to serve until the second Saturday of July, 1994, and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified, one (1) member shall be elected to serve until the second Saturday of July, 1995 and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. On the second Saturday of July, 1992, and on the second Saturday of July annually thereafter, elections shall be held to elect a member to succeed the member whose term will then expire to serve for a term of one (1) year and until his or her successor is elected and qualified in the year 2001 at the annual meeting two (2) members shall be elected to a three (3) year term, two (2) members to a two (2) year term and one (1) shall be elected to a one (1) year term. When their term of office expires said member or members shall be elected to a three (3) year term so members will be elected to staggered three (3) year terms, and shall serve until their successor is elected or appointed and qualified. Also, the three (3) tax assessors shall be elected to a three (3) year term, one (1) elected to a two (2) year term and one (1) elected to a one (1) year term and shall serve until their successor is elected or appointed or qualified.

Sec. 5. The qualified voters of the district, at any of their legal meetings, shall have power to order such taxes, and provide for assessing and collecting the same, on the taxable inhabitants and property in said district as they shall deem necessary for purchasing and procuring real estate, buildings, implements, and apparatus, and a supply of water for the extinguishment of fire; for the purpose of furnishing and distributing water, light, and power throughout the district and beyond the same in the town of Glocester, and for operating and maintaining any works established for the purposes aforesaid; for the payment of the current expenses of the district; the payment of such police force as they may deem necessary for the protection of the property of the inhabitants of the district from fires and preservation of the public peace; also for the payment of any indebtedness that has been or may be incurred by the district; and such taxes so ordered shall be assessed by the assessors of said district on the taxable inhabitants and property therein, according to the last valuation made by the assessors of the town next previous to said assessment, adding, however, any taxable property which may have been omitted by said town assessors or after acquired; and in all cases where the town assessors have included property within he district and property without the district in one valuation, the assessors of the district shall make an equitable valuation of that portion of the same lying within the district; and in the assessing an collecting of said taxes such proceedings shall be had by the officers of the said district, as near as may be, as are required to be had by the corresponding officers of towns in assessing and collecting town taxes; and the collector of taxes for said district shall, for the purpose of collecting taxes assessed by said district, have the same powers and authority as are now by law conferred on collectors of taxes for towns in this state. Said district may provide for such deduction from the tax assessed against any person if paid by an appointed time, or for such penalty by way of percentage on the tax if not paid at the appointed time, not exceeding twelve per cent (12%) per annum, as they shall deem necessary to insure punctual payment; provided, however, that the tax assessed and payable in any one (1) year, under the provisions of this section, shall not be less than three dollars ($3.00). ;and provided further, however, that said district may provide for an exemption, not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the total tax otherwise imposed pursuant to this section, to any person who has served as a volunteer firefighter in the district for at least five (5) years. the said district may provide for an exemption, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of the assessed value to any person who has served as a volunteer firefighter or EMT in the district for at least five (5) years as certified by the executive committee.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.