It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 3-7-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 3-7-21. Appeals from local boards to administrator. -- ADD} Upon the application of any petitioner for a license, or of any person hereby authorized to protest against the granting of a license, {ADD including those persons granted standing pursuant to section 3-5-19, ADD} or upon the application of any licensee whose license shall be revoked or suspended by any local board or authority, the liquor control administrator shall have the right to review the decision of any local board, and after hearing, to confirm or reverse the decision of the local board in whole or in part, and to make such decision or order as to him shall seem proper, but the application shall be made within ten (10) days after the making of the decision or order sought to be reviewed; and notice of the decision or order shall be given by the local or licensing board to the applicant within twenty-four (24) hours after the making of its decision or order; and the decision or order shall not be suspended except by the order of the liquor control administrator.

Any appeal or appeals from a decision of any local boards located in the towns of Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Portsmouth or Tiverton, or in the city of Newport shall be heard by the liquor control administrator within Newport County. The petitioner shall provide a stenographer and shall bear the cost to have a transcript made of the proceedings. A free copy of the transcript shall be provided by the petitioner to the liquor control administrator upon receipt of the transcript.

The liquor control administrator may accept into evidence a stenographic transcript of a witness' sworn testimony presented before the local board that was subject to cross examination. Said testimony may be rebutted by competent testimony presented at the hearing held by the liquor control administrator.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.