| R 409 |
| 2026 -- H 8032 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/08/2026 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE WATER SUPPLY PLANNING FOR NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES |
Introduced By: Representatives Cotter, Kennedy, Chippendale, McGaw, Casimiro, and Edwards |
| Date Introduced: February 27, 2026 |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island faces a housing supply shortage that impacts all residents, |
| especially those with low and moderate incomes; and |
| WHEREAS, Safe drinking water supplies in Rhode Island are abundant but not infinite or |
| equally available throughout the state; and |
| WHEREAS, Protecting and ensuring access to safe drinking water supplies to support |
| existing and future needs is a public health priority; and |
| WHEREAS, New construction and impervious surface expansion can impact local public |
| drinking water supply watersheds and the abundance and quality of drinking water for abutting |
| communities; and |
| WHEREAS, The development of housing needs to be balanced with protecting drinking |
| water resources; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created |
| consisting of eleven (11) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the House of |
| Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the |
| Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Environmental |
| Management, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the Rhode Island |
| League of Cities and Towns or designee; one of whom shall be the manager of a water authority |
| serving a municipality of fewer than twenty-five thousand in population; one of whom shall be |
| the manager of a water authority serving a municipality of more than twenty-five thousand; one |
| of whom shall be a professional who specializes in the hydrology, environmental engineering |
| and/or public health compliance of water systems; one of whom shall be the executive director of |
| Rhode Island Housing or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island |
| Department of Health or designee; and one of whom shall be the Chairperson of the Water |
| Resources Board, or designee. |
| In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study |
| commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing |
| authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator. |
| The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and provide |
| recommendations for evaluating, planning for, and limiting the impacts of new housing |
| development on the safety, quality, and capacities of public water supplies and watersheds in |
| rural communities. |
| Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at |
| the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson. |
| Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
| The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. |
| All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or |
| desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
| The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters |
| for said commission; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the |
| House of Representatives on or before June 15, 2027, and said commission shall expire on July 1, |
| 2027. |
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| LC005780/SUB A/2 |
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