| Chapter 034 |
| 2026 -- H 7218 Enacted 06/05/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT |
Introduced By: Representatives Kislak, Blazejewski, Diaz, Slater, Sanchez, Biah, DeSimone, Morales, and J. Lombardi |
| Date Introduced: January 21, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 2. Title 24 of the General Laws entitled "HIGHWAYS" is hereby amended by |
| adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 13.1 |
| CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT |
| 24-13.1-1. Creation of corporation — Composition — Personnel — Compensation. |
| (a) There is hereby created and established an independent public instrumentality and body |
| corporate and politic with a separate legal existence from the cityCity of Providence and the State |
| of Rhode Island, having such powers, authority, rights, privileges, and titles as may be necessary |
| and incidental to the effectuation of the purposes set forth in this chapter, to be known as the “Crook |
| Point Bridge Authority.” It is the intent of the general assembly by the passage of this chapter to |
| create and establish the corporation for the purposes of acquiring and maintaining the Crook Point |
| Bascule Bridge and any property appurtenant and/or adjacent thereto, and planning, implementing, |
| administering, and overseeing any preservation, improvement, expansion, and/or redevelopment |
| initiatives thereof. The exercise by the corporation of the powers conferred by this chapter shall be |
| deemed and held to be the performance of an essential public and government function. This |
| chapter shall be liberally construed in conformity with the purposes expressed. |
| (b) The powers of the corporation shall be exercised by a board of directors having three |
| (3) voting members, all of whom shall be electors of the cityCity of Providence. The directors shall |
| be appointed by the mayor of the cityCity of Providence subject to approval of the city council. |
| The chairperson shall be appointed by the mayor and serve at the pleasure of the mayor. The |
| directors who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms as follows: one director shall |
| have an initial term of one year; one director shall have an initial term of three (3) years; and one |
| director shall have an initial term of five (5) years, respectively from the date of their appointment. |
| Thereafter, all directors shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years, with no term limit. |
| Notwithstanding the foregoing, each member of the board shall serve until a successor is appointed |
| and qualified. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of a member by death, resignation, |
| or otherwise, that vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as a regular appointment, but only for |
| the remainder of the term of the former member. The mayor may remove any director for |
| misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty. |
| (c) The board of directors, at its annual meeting, shall elect a secretary and treasurer. A |
| majority of the members shall constitute a quorum, and any action to be taken by the corporation |
| under the provisions of this chapter may be authorized by resolution approved by a majority of the |
| members present at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. A vacancy in the |
| membership of the corporation shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights |
| and perform all of the duties of the board of directors. All meetings shall be open to the public, and |
| all records shall be a matter of public record, except that if a majority of the board of the directors |
| decides, consistent with the requirements of chapter 46 of title 42 ("open meetings"), that it would |
| be in the best interest of the corporation and the city and/or the state to hold an executive session |
| in private, then the board of directors shall be authorized to transact any business as allowable under |
| law at that executive session in private, and the record of the executive session shall not become a |
| matter of public record until the transaction discussed has in the opinion of the board of directors |
| been completed. |
| (d) No member of the board of directors shall receive compensation for the performance |
| of their duties under this chapter; however, each member shall be reimbursed for the member's |
| reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out those duties. Members may engage in private |
| employment, or in a profession or business, provided that any interests related thereto shall not |
| materially conflict with the interests of the corporation. No part of the net earnings of the |
| corporation shall be distributable to, or inure to the benefit of, any private person. |
| 24-13.1-2. Rights and powers of board. |
| The board of directors shall have all the rights and powers necessary or convenient to carry |
| out and effectuate the purposes herein, including, without limitation, the rights and powers: |
| (1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name; |
| (2) To adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal; |
| (3) To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate; |
| (4) To determine the location, scope, and character of any initiative to be pursued under |
| the provisions of this chapter; |
| (5) To enter into contracts and make agreements; |
| (6) To employ in its discretion attorneys, accountants, architectural and engineering |
| consultants, financial consultants, and such other employees and agents as it deems necessary and |
| to fix their compensation; |
| (7) To purchase, receive, lease, or otherwise hold, real or personal property, or any interest |
| in real or personal property wherever situated; |
| (8) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer, and otherwise dispose of |
| all or any part of its property and assets for any consideration and upon any terms and conditions |
| as the board of directors shall determine; |
| (9) To make guarantees, issue bonds, incur liabilities, and borrow money at any rates of |
| interest as the board of directors may determine; |
| (10) To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds, and at its option to take and hold real |
| and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested; |
| (11) To make and alter bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the administration |
| and regulation of the affairs of the corporation, and those bylaws may contain provisions |
| indemnifying any person who is or was a commissioner, officer, employee, or agent of the |
| corporation; and |
| (12) To do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise |
| the powers given and granted pursuant to this chapter. |
| 24-13.1-3. Employees. |
| Employees of the corporation shall not, by reason of their employment, be deemed to be |
| employees of the cityCity of Providence or the State of Rhode Island for any purpose, |
| notwithstanding any other provision of the general laws, charter, or ordinance to the contrary. |
| 24-13.1-4. Obligations. |
| Obligations issued by the corporation shall not constitute a debt, liability, obligation, or |
| pledge of faith of the cityCity of Providence or the State of Rhode Island, or any political |
| subdivision thereof other than the corporation itself, but shall be payable solely from the revenues |
| and/or assets of the corporation. |
| 24-13.1-5. Taxes. |
| The corporation shall not be required to pay state taxes of any kind and the corporation, its |
| properties, monies, bonds, and notes issued by it and the income therefrom will at all times be free |
| from taxation of every kind by the state. |
| 24-13.1-6. Expendables and disbursements . |
| (a) The corporation shall at all times keep full and accurate accounts of its receipts, |
| expenditures, disbursements, assets, and liabilities, which shall be open to inspection by any officer |
| or duly appointed agent of the city. The corporation shall report annually on: |
| (1) Its finances; and |
| (2) On the activities undertaken, the progress made in meeting goals and objectives set |
| forth in its plans, and its proposed activities for the next year. |
| (b) Copies of annual reports required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be |
| submitted to the mayor and the city council. |
| (c) The corporation shall conform with chapter 46 of title 42 (“open meetings”), and |
| chapter 2 of title 38 (“access to public records”), in the same manner as required of the city, and |
| the board of directors and the employees of the corporation shall be subject to the code of ethics |
| set forth in chapter 14 of title 36 ("codes of ethics”). |
| 24-13.1-7. Severability. |
| If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any circumstances, shall be held |
| unlawful by any court of competent jurisdiction, that decision shall not affect nor impair the validity |
| of the application of those provisions to other circumstances or the validity of any of the other |
| provisions of this chapter. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
| ======== |
| LC004257 |
| ======== |