reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 45-65-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-65 - Retirement Security Act for Locally Administered Pension Funds|Section 45-65-8 - Study commission.

§ 45-65-8. Study commission.A study commission for locally administered plans shall be established to review existing legislation and pension plan administrative practices and to make recommendations for the improved security and funding of locally administered plans and other post-retirement benefit obligations of cities and towns. The commission shall consist of fourteen (14) members: the director of the department of revenue, or his or her designee; who shall be the chair, the auditor general, one member each representing the department of administration, the general treasurer, the League of Cities and Towns and the Rhode Island Public Expenditures Council, and three (3) members appointed by the governor representing municipal police, fire and non-public safety employees. In addition, the Speaker of the House and President of the State Senate shall each appoint one member to the commission and then shall jointly select and appoint one elected mayor from a city or town with a population greater than 50,000, one elected mayor from a city or town with a population less than 50,000 and one appointed town administrator.History of Section.P.L. 2011, ch. 408, § 22; P.L. 2011, ch. 409, § 22.
RI Gen L § 45-65-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-65 - Retirement Security Act for Locally Administered Pension Funds|Section 45-65-9 - Severability - Indispensable party.

§ 45-65-9. Severability — Indispensable party.The holding of any section or sections or parts hereof to be void, ineffective, or unconstitutional for any cause shall not be deemed to affect any other section or part hereof. The state shall be an indispensable party in any action contesting the validity of this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 2011, ch. 408, § 22; P.L. 2011, ch. 409, § 22.
RI Gen L § 45-65-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-65 - Retirement Security Act for Locally Administered Pension Funds|Section 45-65-10 - Oversight and report on the status of locally administered pension plans.

§ 45-65-10. Oversight and report on the status of locally administered pension plans.(a) An advisory council regarding locally administered pension plans shall be established and consist of:(1) The general treasurer, who shall serve as a chairperson;(2) The auditor general;(3) A representative of organized labor appointed by the governor;(4) A representative of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns; and(5) The director of revenue or designee who shall be from the office of municipal finance.(b) On or before April 30 of each year, the advisory council shall provide to the governor's office and to both chambers of the general assembly an annual report that shall include a "performance dashboard" of all pension plans used by either the state and/or any municipality or municipal employees, that sets forth for each plan:(1) Fund performance for each plan's most recently completed and previous five (5) and ten (10) fiscal years;(2) The total percentage of the plan that is funded;(3) The percentage of administrative costs of the fund as measured against the fund's assets;(4) Assumed and projected rates of return for the funds; and(5) The municipality's or community's capacity to pay the municipality's required funding payment as a percentage of their tax levy ratio.(c) Cities and towns shall supply the information requested by the advisory council to furnish this report.(d) The report shall be accompanied by an opinion prepared by the general treasurer regarding the sustainability of each plan and any potential areas of concern.History of Section.P.L. 2016, ch. 524, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-66-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-66 - Central Coventry Fire District Annual Appropriation|Section 45-66-1 - Repealed.

§ 45-66-1. Repealed.History of Section.P.L. 2013, ch. 8, § 1; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 8, § 2, effective May 10, 2013.
RI Gen L § 45-67-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-1 - Short title.

§ 45-67-1. Short title.This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Block Island Utility District Act of 2017."History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-2 - Definitions.

§ 45-67-2. Definitions.Terms used in this chapter shall be construed as follows, unless another meaning is expressed or is clearly apparent from the language or context:(1) "BIPCo" means the Block Island Power Company.(2) "BIPCo assets" means that real property, personal property, rights in any real and personal property, facilities, equipment, contract rights, statutory rights and privileges, franchises and other tangible or intangible property of any kind owned by BIPCo.(3) "BIPCo contractual obligations" means the obligations represented by and inherent in any contract entered into between BIPCo and another utility or other party, which obligations remain outstanding in any part as of the date when BIPCo ceases to be an electric utility pursuant to § 45-67-8(1).(4) "BIPCo debt obligations" means the obligations represented by and inherent in any debt incurred by BIPCo for the purpose of financing any aspect of its electric system or operations, which obligations remain outstanding in any part as of the date when BIPCo ceases to be an electric utility pursuant to § 45-67-8(1).(5) "Qualified elector" means any person whose name appears on an active account with the utility district and who is designated by the account holder to be the qualified elector. No active account shall have more than one qualified elector and no qualified elector shall have more than one vote.(6) "Utility district" means the Block Island utility district, a quasi-municipal corporation, having a distinct legal existence from the state, established and empowered by this chapter to:(i) Fulfill electric utility functions, powers, rights, and obligations;(ii) Exercise certain powers as an electric distribution company and power producer; and(iii) Provide additional utility services not inconsistent with the duties, powers and obligations of the utility district as defined in this section.(7) "Utility service area" means that geographic area comprising New Shoreham, Rhode Island.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-3 - Statement of purpose.

§ 45-67-3. Statement of purpose.This chapter is intended to establish the Block Island utility district and to authorize and enable the utility district to provide utility products and services as may be authorized, from time to time, by the utility district's board of utility commissioners.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-4 - Block Island utility district established.

§ 45-67-4. Block Island utility district established.(a) There is hereby created a quasi-municipal corporation, having a distinct legal existence from the state, to be known as the Block Island utility district, the boundaries of which shall be coterminous with the boundaries of New Shoreham, Rhode Island. The utility district shall have and be entitled to exercise the powers, rights, and functions set forth in this chapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of these general laws or of any regulation, ordinance, rules or requirements promulgated thereunder to the contrary, upon the creation of the utility district, all rights, obligations, and duties under contracts and agreements to which BIPCo is a party that are assumed by or transferred to the utility district shall not be affected, modified, limited, or altered as a result of such assumption or transfer and shall be assumed, performed, and be fully enforceable by and against the utility district.(b) In the event that BIPCo and the utility district are unable to agree on the price, terms and conditions of such sale of personal property and assumption of such obligations, then BIPCo shall continue as the electric utility servicing the utility service area, and the Block Island utility district shall not function as an electric utility.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-5 - Board of utility commissioners of the Block Island utility district established.

§ 45-67-5. Board of utility commissioners of the Block Island utility district established.There is hereby created a board to be known as the board of utility commissioners of the Block Island utility district. The powers of the utility district as set forth in this chapter shall be vested in and exercised by a majority of the members of the board of utility commissioners then in office; provided, however, that the board of utility commissioners in its discretion may delegate executive functions to managers, by resolution, rule, or otherwise.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-6 - Membership of board of utility commissioners.

§ 45-67-6. Membership of board of utility commissioners.(a) The board of utility commissioners shall consist of five (5) members, no less than three (3) of whom shall be residents of the town of New Shoreham as defined by the Revised Ordinances of the town of New Shoreham, Chapter 2, Article I, Section 2-2. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum and a majority of the members shall be necessary for all actions taken by the board. No vacancy in the membership of the board shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the board. The initial elected members of the board of utility commissioners shall be elected with staggered terms of two (2) years and four (4) years. The three (3) candidates receiving the most votes will serve four-year (4) terms; the two (2) candidates receiving the next highest number of votes will serve two-year (2) terms. Thereafter, the members of the board of utility commissioners of the utility district shall be elected for a term of four (4) years by ballot of qualified electors.(b) The election of the initial board of utility commissioners shall be administered by the town of New Shoreham using the list of qualified electors provided by BIPCo.(c) Each member of the board of utility commissioners shall be a qualified elector. A qualified elector shall be eligible to be a candidate for election to the board; provided, however, that they shall first have filed a declaration of candidacy with the secretary of the board of utility commissioners not later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the scheduled date of the election through which such person seeks to be elected. In the event of a vacancy occurring on the board of utility commissioners by reason of death, resignation, or other cause, the board itself may select an eligible candidate to fill the vacancy until the next annual election. In the event that an active account is in the name of a corporation or other entity, the designated qualified elector of such an entity shall also be eligible to be a candidate for election to the board.(d) The board of utility commissioners shall elect each year from among its members:(1) A chairperson;(2) A vice chairperson;(3) A secretary; and(4) A treasurer.(e) The board of utility commissioners shall establish and adopt bylaws for the management and conduct of the utility district's affairs and other aspects of the governance of the utility district not otherwise controlled by this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-7 - Compensation of the board - Employees of the utility district.

§ 45-67-7. Compensation of the board — Employees of the utility district.(a) Members of the board of utility commissioners shall not be entitled to receive compensation for attendance at scheduled and special meetings of the board of utility commissioners. The salaries, compensation, and expenses of employees and agents of the utility district shall be paid solely out of funds of the utility district. No part of the earnings of the utility district shall inure to the benefit of any private person.(b) The board may enter into employment contracts with its executive employees. The board shall have the authority to approve employee benefit plans, including fringe benefits such as, but not limited to, pension, health, disability, and other insurances.(c) No member of the board of utility commissioners shall directly or indirectly engage or participate in the proceeds of any contract or agreement to supply anything of value or receive anything of value from the utility district. The prohibition set forth in this subsection may be waived by a vote of four (4) of the board of utility commissioners if, and only if, the board of utility commissioners shall have first obtained an opinion of the attorney general and/or the Rhode Island ethics commission based on full disclosure of all relevant facts that the waiver does not contravene state law and is otherwise in the best interests of the consumers served by the utility district.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-9 - Limitation of powers.

§ 45-67-9. Limitation of powers.All services provided by the utility district that constitute public utility services within the meaning of § 39-1-2 shall be subject to the applicable jurisdictions of the public utilities commission and the division of public utilities and carriers.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-10 - Exemptions.

§ 45-67-10. Exemptions.(a) The exemption waiver provided by the public utilities commission to BIPCo from the terms of § 39-1-27 shall also apply to the utility district and the public utilities commission shall have the authority to provide such other waivers from this section as may be in the public interest.(b) The utility district shall, from time to time, submit plans to the public utilities commission on retail choice as defined in § 39-1-27.3. The public utilities commission shall have the authority to approve those plans as may be in the interests of all ratepayers of the utility district, including the option of not offering retail choice. Any waiver on retail choice granted by the public utilities commission to BIPCo shall also apply to the utility district.(c) The exemptions provided for the Pascoag utility district and BIPCo under §§ 39-1-27.3.1, 39-1-27.12, 39-2-1.2(b), 39-2-25, 39-26.1-1 through and including 39-26.1-6, and chapters 1.1, 26, 26.2, 26.4, and 26.6 of title 39 shall also apply to the Block Island utility district. The utility district shall be exempt from the provisions of chapter 18 of title 35.(d) As long as the utility district has a waiver from the restructuring provisions of § 39-1-27, then the utility district shall also be granted a waiver from the provisions of § 39-1-27.6 such that the employees of the utility district may be allowed to provide both electrical generation and distribution services.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-12 - State not liable.

§ 45-67-12. State not liable.Neither the state nor the town of New Shoreham is liable for the payment of the principal of or interest on any bonds or notes of the utility district, or for the performance of any pledge, mortgage, obligation, or agreement of any kind whatsoever that may be undertaken by the utility district, and none of the bonds or notes of the utility district, nor any of its agreements or obligations, are construed to constitute an indebtedness of the state or the town of New Shoreham within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory provision whatsoever, nor shall the issuance of bonds or notes, under the provisions of this chapter, directly or indirectly or contingently, obligate the state or any municipality of the state to levy or to pledge any form of taxation for them or to make any appropriation for their payment. All of the revenue bonds or notes shall contain on their face a statement to the effect that neither the state nor the town of New Shoreham are obligated to pay the revenue bonds or notes, or their interest, except from revenues of the project or projects for which they are issued, and that neither the faith and credit, nor the taxing power of the state or of any municipality of the state, is pledged to the payment of the principal of or the interest on those bonds or notes.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-13 - Money of the utility district.

§ 45-67-13. Money of the utility district.(a) All money of the utility district, from whatever source derived, shall be paid to the treasurer of the utility district. The money on receipt shall be deposited forthwith in a separate bank account or accounts. The money in the accounts shall be paid out with a check of the treasurer, on requisition by the utility district, or of any other person or persons that the utility district may authorize to make the requisitions. All deposits of money shall be secured by obligations of the United States or of the state, of a market value at all times not less than the amount of deposits, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give security for the deposits. The utility district shall have the power, notwithstanding the provisions of this section, to contract with the holders of any of its bonds as to the custody, collection, security, investment, and payment of any money of the authority, or any money held in trust or otherwise for the payment of bonds or in any way to secure the bonds, and to carry out any contract. Money held in trust or otherwise for the payment of bonds or in any way to secure bonds and deposits of money may be secured in the same manner as the money of the authority, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give security for the deposits.(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, or any other provision of this chapter, the board of utility commissioners shall have the power to authorize, by resolution, a loan or advance from one utility fund of the utility district to another. Any such interfund advance or loan shall be for a term specified in the authorizing resolution of the board of utility commissioners and shall bear interest at a rate reasonably determined by the board of utility commissioners to be consistent with the public interest implicated in all funds involved in the interfund loan or advance; provided, however, that an interest rate set at the rate applicable to the utility district's most recent borrowing from a bank or other financial institution shall be presumptively reasonable as the rate of interest for an interfund loan or advance.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-14 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-14 - Alteration, amendment, repeal or severability.

§ 45-67-14. Alteration, amendment, repeal or severability.The right to alter, amend, or repeal this chapter is reserved to the state, but no such alteration, amendment, or repeal shall operate to retroactively impair the obligation of any contract made or assumed by the utility district under any power conferred by this chapter. If any section, clause, provision, or term of this chapter shall be declared unconstitutional, void, ultra vires, or otherwise ineffective in whole or in part, such determination of invalidity shall not otherwise affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this chapter.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-67-15 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-67 - Block Island Utility District Act of 2017|Section 45-67-15 - Reversion upon dissolution or termination.

§ 45-67-15. Reversion upon dissolution or termination.Upon dissolution or termination of the utility district, the assets of the utility district that remain after payment, or making provision for payment, of all bonds, notes, and other obligations of the utility district shall be distributed to the town of New Shoreham or as ordered by a court of proper jurisdiction.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 280, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 293, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-68-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-68 - Statewide Municipal Solar Permit|Section 45-68-1 - Legislative purpose.

§ 45-68-1. Legislative purpose.The purpose of this chapter is to provide a predictable and universal process for obtaining a single permit that encompasses both building and electric permits for solar photovoltaic systems with municipalities.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 10, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 27, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-68-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-68 - Statewide Municipal Solar Permit|Section 45-68-2 - Definitions.

§ 45-68-2. Definitions.When used in this chapter, these terms shall have the following meaning:(1) "Commission" means the Rhode Island state building code commission;(2) "Office" means the Rhode Island office of energy resources; and(3) "Solar energy permit" means a standard application used by municipalities that covers both the building and electrical permit aspects of a solar photovoltaic system installation.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 10, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 27, § 1.
RI Gen L § 45-68-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 45 - Towns and Cities|Chapter 45-68 - Statewide Municipal Solar Permit|Section 45-68-3 - Renewable energy permit.

§ 45-68-3. Renewable energy permit.(a) The office, in consultation with the commission, shall promulgate and adopt rules and regulations that will create a statewide solar photovoltaic permit application that municipalities will be required to use beginning on January 1, 2018. The office's rules and regulations shall be adopted no later than November 1, 2017.(b) The office shall establish an advisory group for the purpose of creating a statewide solar energy permit application form.(c) The advisory group shall include the following members and may be expanded by the office in its discretion, to include other personnel with experience and/or expertise in the area of solar energy:(1) A renewable energy developer with expertise in residential solar photovoltaic installation;(2) A renewable energy developer with expertise in commercial solar photovoltaic installations; and(3) Three (3) municipal officials with expertise in building and electric permitting processes.History of Section.P.L. 2017, ch. 10, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 27, § 1.