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art.008/3/008/2/008/1

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     ARTICLE 8

RELATING TO MUNICIPALITIES

     SECTION 1. Section 24-12-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-12 entitled “Rhode

Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority” is hereby amended to read as follows:

     24-12-26 Power to collect tolls and charges – Gasoline and service concessions. -- (a)

The authority is hereby authorized, subject to the provisions of this chapter, to fix, revise, charge

and collect tolls for the use of the Newport Bridge, the Mount Hope Bridge, the turnpike and the

different parts or sections thereof, and for the use of any additional facility and the different parts

or sections thereof, and to contract with any person, partnership, association or corporation for

placing on any project telephone, telegraph, electric light or power lines, gas stations, garages,

and restaurants if deemed necessary by the authority in connection with the project, or for the use

of any project or part thereof, including the right-of-way adjoining the paved portion of the

turnpike or of any additional facility or for any other purposes and to fix the terms, conditions,

rents and rates of charges for such use; provided, that the authority shall construct any gasoline

service facilities which it may determine are needed on the project, and provided, further, that, to

afford users of the project a reasonable choice of motor fuels of different brands, each gasoline

service station shall be separately offered for lease upon sealed bids and, after notice of the offer

has been published once a week in three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general

circulation in the state, and, in the event an acceptable bid shall be received in the judgment of the

authority, each lease shall be awarded to the highest responsible bidder therefor, but no person

shall be awarded or have the use of, nor shall motor fuel identified by the trade-marks, trade

names, or brands of any one supplier, distributor, or retailer of such fuel be sold at more than one

service station if they would constitute more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the service

stations on the project. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, members of the town of

Jamestown police and fire department and ambulance service personnel of the town of

Jamestown and Jamestown school department who, in the course of their duty, are required to pay

a toll for use of the Newport Bridge, shall, upon the presentment of receipts for the payment of

the toll to the town of Jamestown, be reimbursed for all charges on an annual basis by the town of

Jamestown who in turn shall be reimbursed for all payments made by the state. The town of

Jamestown shall submit a request for reimbursement to the division of municipal finance for the

previous fiscal year (ending June 30th) no later than September 30th of the fiscal year following

the fiscal year for which reimbursement is being requested. Notwithstanding the provisions of this

section, members of the city of Newport police and fire department and rescue personnel who, in

the course of their duty, are required to pay a toll for use of the Newport Bridge, shall, upon the

presentment of receipts for the payment of the toll to the city of Newport, be reimbursed for all

charges on an annual basis by the city of Newport who in turn shall be reimbursed for all

payments made by the state. The city of Newport shall submit a request for reimbursement to the

division of municipal finance for the previous fiscal year (ending June 30th) no later than

September 30th of the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which reimbursement is being

requested.

     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, members of the police and fire

department and rescue personnel of any city or town in this state who, in the course of their duty,

are required to pay a toll for use of the Mount Hope Bridge or the Sakonnet River Bridge, if any,

shall, upon the presentment of receipts for the payment of the toll to their town or city, be

reimbursed for all such charges on an annual basis by the town or city, who in turn shall be

reimbursed for all payments made by the state. Any city or town shall submit a request for

reimbursement to the division of municipal finance for the previous fiscal year (ending June 30th)

no later than September 30th of the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which reimbursement

is being requested.

     SECTION 2. Section 45-12-33 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-12 entitled

“Indebtedness of Towns and Cities” is hereby amended to read as follows:

     45-12-33 Borrowing for road and bridge projects financed through the "municipal

road and bridge revolving fund" Borrowing for road and bridge, infrastructure, and school

building projects. -- (a) (1) In addition to other authority previously granted, during calendar

year 2014 a city or town may authorize the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of

indebtedness to evidence loans from the municipal road and bridge revolving fund administered

by the Rhode Island clean water finance agency in accordance with chapter 18 of title 24.

     (2) In addition to other authority previously granted, from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016,

a city or town may authorize the issuance of bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness to

evidence loans from the efficient buildings fund administered by the Rhode Island clean water

finance agency infrastructure bank in accordance with chapter 12.2 of title 46 of the general laws

or the school building authority capital fund administered by the Rhode Island health and

educational building corporation in accordance with chapter 38.2 of title 45.

     (b) These bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness are subject to the maximum

aggregate indebtedness permitted to be issued by any city or town under § 45-12-2.

     (c) The denominations, maturities, interest rates, methods of sale, and other terms,

conditions, and details of any bonds or notes issued under the provisions of this section may be

fixed by resolution of the city or town council authorizing them, or if no provision is made in the

resolution, by the treasurer or other officer authorized to issue the bonds, notes or evidences of

indebtedness; provided, that the payment of principal shall be by sufficient annual payments that

will extinguish the debt at maturity, the first of these annual payments to be made not later than

three (3) years, and the last payment not later than twenty (20) years after the date of the bonds.

     The bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness may be issued under this section by

any political subdivision without obtaining the approval of its electors, notwithstanding the

provisions of §§ 45-12-19 and 45-12-20 and notwithstanding any provision of its charter to the

contrary.

     SECTION 3. This article shall take effect upon passage.