2024 -- S 2549

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LC005249

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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 -- THE RHODE ISLAND

MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiMario, F. Lombardi, Lauria, Bell, Valverde, and Lawson

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-11.4-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-11.4 entitled "The

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Rhode Island Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-11.4-1. Establishment.

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     The Rhode Island municipal infrastructure grant program is hereby created within the

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Rhode Island infrastructure bank. The Rhode Island infrastructure bank shall have all the powers

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necessary and convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter,

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including, without limiting the generality of the preceding statement, the authority to:

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     (1) Issue public infrastructure grants to municipalities and other public instrumentalities

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for design, construction, building, land acquisition, rehabilitation, repair, and other improvements

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to publicly owned infrastructure including, but not limited to, sewers, utility extensions, streets,

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roads, curb-cuts, parking, water-treatment systems, telecommunications systems, transit

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improvements, and pedestrian ways;

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     (2) Assist municipalities to advance projects that support job creation and expansion,

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housing development and rehabilitation, community development projects in areas or districts that

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communities have determined are best suited to efficiently accommodate future growth and

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redevelopment, largely in previously developed areas with some level of existing or planned

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infrastructure;

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     (3) Establish a fund within the Rhode Island infrastructure bank to receive and disburse

 

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such funds as may be available for the purpose of the program, subject to the provisions of this

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section;

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     (4) Make and enter into binding commitments to provide grants to municipalities and other

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pubic instrumentalities from amounts on deposit in the program fund;

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     (5) Engage the services of third-party vendors to provide professional services;

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     (6) Establish one or more accounts within the fund; and

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     (7) Such other authority as granted to the Rhode Island infrastructure bank under this

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chapter and chapter 12.2 of title 46; and

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     (8) Notwithstanding any general law, public law, special law, or budget appropriation

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designation to the contrary, the five million five hundred thousand dollars ($5,500,000)

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appropriated to the infrastructure bank for the municipal matching grant pool pursuant to the 2023

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budget act, Pub. L. 2023, chap. 79, art 10, ยง 1, shall instead be allocated for eligible municipal

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infrastructure grant program projects only, as described within this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND

MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM

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     This act would provide that the $5,500,000 appropriation to the infrastructure bank from

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the 2023 budget act be allocated for eligible municipal infrastructure grant program projects.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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