It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 28-9.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-9.1 entitled "Firefighters' Arbitration" is hereby amended to read as follows:

28-9.1-3. Definitions -- As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different interpretation:

(1) "Corporate authorities" means the proper officials within any city or town whose duty or duties it is to establish the wages, salaries, rates of pay, hours, working conditions, and other terms and conditions of employment of firefighters, whether they are the mayor, city manager, town manager, town administrator, city council, town council, director of personnel, personnel board or commission, or by whatever other name they may be designated, or any combination of these officials.

(2) "Firefighter" means the permanent uniformed members, rescue service personnel of any city or town, emergency medical services personnel of any city or town, any fire dispatchers of any city or town, and all employees with the exception of fire chiefs of any paid fire department in any city or town within the state. No assistant chief, deputy chief, battalion chief, captain or lieutenant shall be excluded from the collective bargaining solely by virtue of his or her title or position.

(3) "Unresolved issues" means any and all contractual provisions which have not been agreed upon by the bargaining agent and the corporate authorities within the thirty (30) day period referred to in section 28-9.1-7. Any contractual provision not presented by either the bargaining agent or the corporate authority within the thirty (30) day period shall not be submitted to arbitration as an unresolved issue; provided, that if either party or both parties are unable to present their respective proposals to the other party during the thirty (30) day period, they have the opportunity to submit their proposals by registered mail by midnight of the 30th day from and including the date of their first meeting.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.