2017 -- H 5174

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LC000385

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Keable, O`Grady, Winfield, and Fogarty

     Date Introduced: January 19, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 42-17.1-4 and 42-17.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-17.1

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entitled "Department of Environmental Management" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-17.1-4. Divisions within department.

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     Within the department of environmental management there are established the following

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divisions:

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     (1) A division of parks and recreation that shall carry out those functions of the

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department relating to the operation and maintenance of parks and recreation areas and the

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establishment and maintenance of such additional recreation areas as may from time to time be

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acquired and such other functions and duties as may from time to time be assigned by the

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director;

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     (2) A division of fish and wildlife that shall carry out those functions of the department

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relating to the administration of hunting, fishing, and shell fisheries; the preservation of wetlands,

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marsh lands, freshwater lakes, streams, ponds and wildlife; and such other functions and duties as

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may from time to time be assigned by the director;

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     (3) A division of agriculture that shall carry out those functions of the department relating

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to agriculture, and such other functions and duties as may from time to time be assigned by the

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director, including, but not limited to, plant industry, farm viability, marketing and promotion,

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farmland ecology and protection, plant and animal health and quarantine, pesticides, mosquito

 

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abatement, pest survey and response, food policy and security, and, in collaboration with the

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department of health, public health as it relates to farm production and direct marketing of farm

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products, and those agreed upon through memorandum of agreement with the department of

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health or other state agencies. The department of health shall continue to act as the lead agency

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for all public health issues in the state pursuant to chapter 1 of title 23. Nothing herein contained

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shall limit the department of health's statutory authority, nor shall any provision herein be

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construed as a limitation upon the statutory authority of the department of health granted to the

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department under title 23 of the general laws, nor shall any provision herein be construed to limit

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the authority of the department of environmental management to enter into memoranda of

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agreement with any governmental agency. The chief of the division of agriculture shall report

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directly to the director.

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     (4) A division of coastal resources that shall carry out those functions of the department

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relating to harbors and harbor lines, pilotage, flood control, shore development, construction of

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port facilities, and the registration of boats and such other functions and duties as may, from time

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to time, be assigned by the director, except that the division shall not be responsible for the

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functions of inspection of dams and reservoirs, approving plans for construction or improvement

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of dams, reservoirs, and other structures in non-tidal waters, and the operation of stream-gauging

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stations in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, and provided, further, that the

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division and its staff shall be responsible through the director of environmental management, to

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the coastal resources management council, and the chief and the staff of the division shall serve

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as staff to the council;

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     (5) A division of planning and development that shall carry out those functions of the

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department relating to planning, programming, acquisition of land, engineering studies, and such

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other studies, as the director may direct, and that shall work with the board of governors for

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higher education and the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, with

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educational institutions at all levels, and with the public in the dissemination of information and

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education relating to natural resources, and shall perform the publication and public relations

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functions of the department, the functions of inspection of dams and reservoirs, approving plans

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for construction or improvement of dams, reservoirs, and other structures in non-tidal waters, and

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the operation of stream-gauging stations in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey;

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     (6) A division of enforcement that shall enforce all of the laws and regulations of the

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department and the coastal resources management council, that shall cooperate with the other

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enforcement agencies of the state and its municipalities, and that shall administer all of the

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policing, enforcing, licensing, registration, and inspection functions of the department and such

 

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other functions and duties as may, from time to time, be assigned by the director;

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     (7) A division of forest environment that shall carry out those functions of the department

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relating to the administration of forests and natural areas, including programs for utilization,

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conservation, forest fire protection, and improvements of these areas; assisting other agencies and

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local governments in urban programs relating to trees, forests, green belts, and environment and

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such other functions and duties as may, from time to time, be assigned by the director; and

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     (8) (i) A division of boating safety that shall carry out those functions of the department

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relating to the development and administration of a coordinated, safe boating program in

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accordance with the Model Safe Boating Act of 1971 as approved by the National Association of

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State Boating Law Administrators.

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     (ii) Administration of the division of boating safety shall be the responsibility of the state

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boating law administrator whose duties shall include:

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     (A) The enforcement of all laws relating to the act; and

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     (B) The powers vested in the state boating law administrator and boating safety

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enforcement officer shall include the enforcement of laws, rules and regulations relating to

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"Regulation of Boats," chapter 22 of title 46 and shall also include the power to:

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     (I) Execute all warrants and search warrants for the violation of laws, rules, and

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regulations relating to the act.

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     (II) Serve subpoenas issued for the trial of all offenses hereunder.

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     (III) To carry firearms or other weapons, concealed or otherwise, in the course of, and in

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performance of, their duties under this chapter.

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     (IV) To arrest without warrant and on view any person found violating any law, rule, or

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regulation relating to the act; take that person before a court having jurisdiction for trial; detain

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that person in custody at the expense of the state until arraignment; and to make and execute

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complaints within any district to the justice or clerk of the court against any person for any of the

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offenses enumerated under the act committed within the district.

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     (V) Boating safety enforcement officers shall not be required to give surety for costs

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upon any complaint made by him or her.

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     (iii) The development and administration of a coordinated, safe boating program.

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     (iv) The establishment and enforcement of such rules and regulations as are deemed

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necessary to achieve the purposes of the Model Safe Boating Act as approved by the state boating

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law administrators.

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     (v) The state boating law administrator shall serve as the liaison to the United States

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Coast Guard.

 

LC000385 - Page 3 of 5

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     42-17.1-8. Designation and assignment of functions.

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     Whenever the duties of the head of any existing department, division, board, commission,

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or other agency or of any other officer are prescribed by law, and the duties of such person have

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been or shall in the future be transferred to the department of environmental management under

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this chapter, the director of the department of environmental management may designate some

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officer or other subordinate within his or her department to perform such duties; provided,

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however, that any other provision of this chapter notwithstanding, the functions, powers and

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duties of the chief of the division of parks and recreation as set forth in title 32, entitled "Parks

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and Recreational Areas," as amended, in chapter 22.5 of title 23, entitled "Drowning Prevention

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and Lifesaving," as amended, and in any other general or public law, and the functions, powers,

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and duties of the chief of the division of harbors and rivers as set forth in title 46, entitled "Waters

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and Navigation," as amended, and in any other general or public law, shall not be diminished;

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provided further, however, that all planning and law enforcement functions, powers, duties, and

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personnel shall be transferred to the divisions established by §§ 42-17.1-4(5) and 42-17.1-4(6) of

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this chapter; provided, further, that oversight of and over all freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds

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within the state shall be within the division of fish and wildlife pursuant to §42-17.1-4(2).

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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

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     This act would provide that the division of fish and wildlife within the department of

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environmental management shall carry out functions of the department relating to the

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presentation of freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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