2024 -- S 2043 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC003773/SUB A | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LONG-TERM ECONOMIC | |
DEVELOPMENT | |
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Introduced By: Senators Lauria, DiMario, Valverde, Miller, Cano, Murray, Lawson, | |
Date Introduced: January 12, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 42-64.17-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-64.17 entitled "Long- |
2 | Term Economic Development" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 42-64.17-1. Long-term economic development vision and policy. |
4 | (a) The economic development corporation and the division of planning shall develop a |
5 | written long-term economic development vision and policy for the state of Rhode Island and a |
6 | strategic plan for implementing this policy. Such a plan shall include, but not be limited to: |
7 | (1) A unified economic development strategy for the state that integrates business growth |
8 | with land use and transportation choices; |
9 | (2) An analysis of how the state’s infrastructure can best support this unified economic |
10 | development strategy; |
11 | (3) A focus and prioritization that the outcomes of the economic development strategy be |
12 | equitable for all Rhode Islanders; |
13 | (4) Reliance on comprehensive economic data and analysis relating to Rhode Island’s |
14 | economic competitiveness, business climate, climate change, sea-level rise, coastal resiliency, |
15 | national and regional reputation, and present economic development resources; |
16 | (5) Suggestions for improving and expanding the skills, abilities, and resources of state |
17 | agencies, municipalities, and community partners to speed implementation of the plan’s |
18 | recommendations; and |
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1 | (6) The inclusion of detailed implementation plans, including stated goals, specific |
2 | performance measures and indicators. |
3 | (b) On or before October 31, 2014, the economic development corporation and the division |
4 | of planning shall submit the written long-term economic development vision and policy and |
5 | implementation plan to the governor, the senate and the house of representatives. |
6 | (c) Beginning January 1, 2015, and during the first year of each new or re-elected |
7 | gubernatorial administration thereafter, the governor shall convene an economic development |
8 | planning council consisting of no fewer than seventeen (17) nineteen (19) members as follows: |
9 | (1)(i) The director of the economic development corporation secretary of commerce who |
10 | shall serve as chair, until such time that the secretary of commerce is appointed; |
11 | (ii) Upon his or her appointment, the secretary of commerce shall replace the director of |
12 | the economic development corporation as a member, and shall serve as chair; |
13 | (2) The director of the department of administration; |
14 | (3) The director of the department of revenue; |
15 | (4) The director of the department of labor and training; |
16 | (5) The director of the department of transportation; |
17 | (6) The director of the department of business regulation; |
18 | (7) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education; |
19 | (8) The commissioner of higher education; |
20 | (9) The director of the department of environmental management; |
21 | (10) The executive director of the coastal resources management council; |
22 | (9)(11) One member who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; |
23 | (10)(12) One member who shall be appointed by the president of the senate; and |
24 | (11)(13) Seven (7) members who shall be appointed by the governor as follows: one of |
25 | whom shall be a representative from the league of cities and towns; one of whom shall be a |
26 | representative from a chamber of commerce; one of whom shall be from a nonprofit organization |
27 | representing a major industry sector in Rhode Island; one of whom shall represent a business with |
28 | more than one hundred (100) employees located in Rhode Island; one of whom shall represent a |
29 | business with fewer than one hundred (100) employees located in Rhode Island; one of whom shall |
30 | be from a venture capital firm with a principal place of business in Rhode Island; and one of whom |
31 | shall represent a private sector labor union. Any department director appointed as a member of the |
32 | council may appoint a designee from his or her respective agency to represent him/her on the |
33 | council. Members of the council shall serve for a term of one year or until an economic development |
34 | policy has been approved by the governor under this section. |
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1 | (d) The economic development planning council and, upon his or her appointment, the |
2 | secretary of commerce, shall develop a written long-term economic development vision and policy |
3 | for the state and a strategic plan for implementing the policy. In developing the policy, the council |
4 | shall review and consider the published economic development policy and implementation plan in |
5 | effect at the commencement of the governor’s term of office. The policy shall set long term goals |
6 | and measurable benchmarks which are not limited to a particular gubernatorial administration and |
7 | shall give consideration to any impacts the plan may have on businesses employing ten (10) or |
8 | fewer people. The strategic plan shall include any major economic development initiatives and |
9 | programs in effect at the time of the plan’s creation. In developing the policy the council may hold |
10 | public hearings throughout the state. |
11 | (e) Once the policy and plan have been adopted by the council and, upon his or her |
12 | appointment, the secretary of commerce, shall submit the policy and plan to the senate and house |
13 | of representatives. The final approval of the policy and plan by the governor shall not be granted |
14 | until the house and senate have conducted a public hearing on the policy and plan. The approved |
15 | policy and plan shall be published in writing and on the official website of the state no later than |
16 | December 31 of that year. |
17 | (f) The economic development corporation shall be responsible for providing staff to |
18 | support the work of the council, and the division of planning shall also provide staff support. All |
19 | departments represented on the council shall cooperate with the economic development corporation |
20 | and the division of planning to facilitate the purposes of this chapter. |
21 | (g) Subject to funding, the council shall be able to hire consultants and related assistance |
22 | to provide the type of analysis necessary to inform and perform their work. |
23 | (h) All departments, offices, boards and agencies of the state shall cooperate with the |
24 | economic development planning council and furnish such administrative and staff support, advice, |
25 | information, documentary and otherwise, data and data analysis, and other support as may be |
26 | necessary or desirable. |
27 | (i) In carrying out the responsibility under this order, the council may: |
28 | (1) Accept grant funds and in-kind contributions from governmental and private entities; |
29 | (2) Hold public hearings; |
30 | (3) Invite experts and other witnesses to submit testimony; and |
31 | (4) Contract with experts and consultants as necessary to inform deliberations and |
32 | recommendations. |
33 | (j) In addition to any other applicable law, rules or regulations, the economic development |
34 | planning council shall be subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, title 42, chapter 46 |
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1 | of the Rhode Island general laws, and the Public Records Act, title 38, chapter 2 of the Rhode Island |
2 | general laws. |
3 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC003773/SUB A | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LONG-TERM ECONOMIC | |
DEVELOPMENT | |
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1 | This act would add climate change, sea-level rise and coastal resiliency to the analysis of |
2 | data of the strategic plan for economic development policy. This act would also change the number |
3 | of members of the economic development planning council from seventeen (17) to nineteen (19) |
4 | by adding the director of the department of environmental management and the executive director |
5 | of the coastal resources management council. |
6 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC003773/SUB A | |
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