2026 -- S 2095

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TRANSPORTATION

INVESTMENT AND DEBT REDUCTION ACT OF 2011

     

     Introduced By: Senators Zurier, McKenney, Gu, Acosta, Bissaillon, Lauria, DiMario,
Kallman, Vargas, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-18.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-18.1 entitled

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"Transportation Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2011" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-18.1-5. Allocation of funds.

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     (a) The monies in the highway maintenance fund to be directed to the department of

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transportation pursuant to § 39-18.1-4(b)(1) — (b)(3) shall be allocated through the transportation

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improvement program process to provide the state match for federal transportation funds, in place

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of borrowing, as approved by the state planning council. The expenditure of moneys in the highway

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maintenance fund shall only be authorized for projects that appear in the state’s transportation

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improvement program.

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     (b) Provided, however, that beginning with fiscal year 2015 and annually thereafter, the

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department of transportation will allocate necessary funding to programs that are designed to

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eliminate structural deficiencies of the state’s bridge, road, and maintenance systems and

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infrastructure.

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     (c) Provided, that beginning July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2025, five percent (5%) of

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available proceeds in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account shall be allocated annually

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to the Rhode Island public transit authority for operating expenditures.

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     (d) Provided, that beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, ten percent (10%) of

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available proceeds in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account shall be allocated annually

 

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to the Rhode Island public transit authority for operating expenditures.

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     (e) Provided, that beginning July 1, 2026, twenty percent (20%) of available proceeds in

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the Rhode Island highway maintenance account shall be allocated annually to the Rhode Island

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public transit authority for operating expenditures.

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     (f) Provided, further, that from July 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, in addition to the

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amount above, the Rhode Island public transit authority shall receive an amount of not less than

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five million dollars ($5,000,000) each fiscal year, except for the period July 1, 2019, through June

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30, 2022, during which such amount or a portion thereof may come from federal coronavirus relief

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funds.

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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 PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TRANSPORTATION

INVESTMENT AND DEBT REDUCTION ACT OF 2011

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     This act would provide beginning July 1, 2026, that twenty percent (20%) of available

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proceeds in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account would be allocated annually to RIPTA

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for operating expenditures.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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