2017 -- H 6300

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LC002833

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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 -- THE I-195 REDEVELOPMENT

ACT OF 2011

     

     Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi

     Date Introduced: June 08, 2017

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 42-64.14-6 and 42-64.14-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-

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64.14 entitled "The I-195 Redevelopment Act of 2011" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-64.14-6. The I-195 redevelopment district commission.

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     (a) The powers of the district to achieve the purposes of this chapter shall be exercised by

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a commission as herein provided:

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     The I-195 redevelopment district commission shall consist of seven (7) voting members.

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The governor of the State of Rhode Island shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the

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senate, the seven (7) voting members of the commission.

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     The mayor of the city of Providence shall within thirty (30) days of passage of this act

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submit to the governor a list of names of at least six (6) individuals which the governor shall give

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due consideration to appointing three (3) individuals from the list. The speaker of the house of

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representatives shall within thirty (30) days of passage of this act submit to the governor a list of

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names of three (3) individuals of which the governor shall give due consideration to appointing

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one individual from the list. The governor shall also appoint three (3) individuals without regard

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to the lists submitted by the mayor of the city of Providence or the speaker of the house of

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representatives and the governor shall designate one of the members to serve as chairperson of

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the commission. The governor shall within forty (40) days of passage of this act submit to the

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senate for advice and consent the initial list of individuals for appointment to the commission

 

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including any individuals appointed by the governor from the lists presented by the mayor of the

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city of Providence and the speaker of the house of representatives within the time limits set forth

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in this subsection.

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     Three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years; three (3) members shall

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be appointed for a term of three (3) years; and one member, who shall be the chair, shall be

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appointed for a term of four (4) years. Appointments made thereafter shall be for four (4) year

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terms. Any vacancy occurring in the commission shall be filled by the governor of the State of

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Rhode Island in the same manner prescribed for the original appointments including those seats

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by recommendation of the mayor of the city of Providence and the speaker of the house of

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representatives being selected from a similar prepared list from those parties. A member

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appointed to fill a vacancy of a director appointed by the governor of the State of Rhode Island

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shall be appointed for the unexpired portion of the term of office of the member whose vacancy is

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to be filled. Members of the commission whose terms expire shall continue to serve until their

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successors are appointed and qualified.

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     In addition to these voting members, there shall be two (2) ex officio, non-voting

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members as follows: the city of Providence planning director, or his or her designee and the chief

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executive officer of the Rhode Island commerce corporation, or his or her designee.

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     (b) The commissioners shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties

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under this chapter, but each commissioner may be reimbursed for his or her reasonable expenses

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incurred in carrying out those duties, however said reimbursement must be approved at a public

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meeting of the commission. A commissioner may engage in private employment, or in a

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profession or business.

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     (c) The chairperson shall designate a vice chairperson from the commission who shall

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serve at the pleasure of the chairperson. Four (4) voting commissioners shall constitute a quorum,

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and any action to be taken by the commission under the provisions of this chapter may be

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authorized by resolution approved by a majority of the commissioners present and entitled to vote

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at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. A vacancy in the membership of

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the commission shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights and perform all

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of the duties of the commission. Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, in the

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event that a vacancy is not filled within thirty (30) days of such vacancy, a quorum shall be

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deemed to exist with a majority of the then duly authorized voting commissioners present.

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     (d) The commission shall appoint a secretary and such additional officers and staff

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members as they shall deem appropriate and shall determine the amount of reasonable

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compensation, if any, each shall receive. The chair shall appoint the executive director with the

 

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approval of the commission provided that the position of the executive director must be

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advertised and the appointment must be approved at a public meeting of the commission. The

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commission may vest in an executive director or the director's subordinates the authority to

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recommend additional staff members and to determine the amount of compensation each

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individual shall receive, which shall then be approved by the commission at a public meeting.

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     (e) No full-time employee shall during the period of his or her employment by the

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commission engage in any other private employment, profession, or business, except with the

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approval of the commissioners.

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     (f) Any action taken by the commission under the provisions of this chapter may be

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authorized by vote at any regular or special meeting, and each vote shall take effect immediately,

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unless otherwise expressly indicated by the commission.

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     (g) Employees of the commission shall not, by reason of their employment, be deemed to

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be employees of the state or the city for any purpose, any other provision of the general laws,

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charter, or ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding except for the provisions of the ethics code

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as set forth in Rhode Island general law 36-14. Further, no employee of the commission shall be

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entitled to or accrue pension benefits with the city of Providence or state during such

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employment.

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     (h) It shall be the responsibility of the commission to conduct a training course for newly

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appointed and qualified members within six (6) months of their qualification. The training shall

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encompass ethics, including the minimum applicable standards established in the code of ethics

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as set forth in chapter 14 of title 36 ("code of ethics").

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     (i) The commission shall be subject to the provisions of the open meetings act contained

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in chapter 46 of title 42 ("open meetings"); provided, however, weekends and state holidays shall

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be excluded in the count of hours contained in §§42-46-6(b) and 42-46-6(c). Every meeting of the

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commission shall be open unless it is closed pursuant to the exemptions as set forth in §42-46-5,

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with the following exceptions:

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     (1) For purposes of determining what constitutes a compliant closed or executive session,

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the provisions as set forth in §42-46-5(a)(5) shall not apply to the commission. However, an

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additional exemption to those provided for in §42-46-5, allowing for a closed or executive

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session, shall apply to the commission in accordance with subsection(i)(2) of this section.

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     (2) To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if the commission

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declares in open session that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the negotiating

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position of the commission with other parties to the negotiation; provided, however, any vote

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taken in a closed session under this subsection, and any minutes of a closed session taken under

 

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this subsection, shall be made public once the disclosure would no longer jeopardize the

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commission's negotiating position.

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     (j) In every case where the commission holds a closed or executives session, an audio

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recording of the closed session shall be made. The audio recording shall be kept as minutes in

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accordance with §42-46-7.

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     (k) The commission shall be subject to the provisions set forth in chapter 2 of title 38

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("access to public records").

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     42-64.14-7. Powers and duties of the commission.

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     The commission shall have all the rights and powers reasonably necessary to carry out

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and effectuate this chapter, including, including, but not limited to, the rights and powers:

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     (1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name.

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     (2) To have a seal which may be altered at pleasure and to use the seal by causing it, or a

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facsimile of the seal, to be impressed or affixed, or in any other manner reproduced.

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     (3) To purchase, take, receive, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use, and

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otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest in real or personal property,

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wherever situated.

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     (4) To acquire and to dispose of real property, subject to the provisions of this chapter,

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without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the state properties committee or otherwise

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complying with the provisions of title 37.

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     (5) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer, and otherwise dispose of

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all or any part of its property and assets for any consideration and upon any terms and conditions

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as the commission shall determine.

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     (6) To make contracts and guarantees and incur liabilities, borrow money at any rates of

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interest as the commission may determine.

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     (7) To make and execute agreements of lease, conditional sales contracts, installment

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sales contracts, loan agreements, mortgages, construction contracts, operation contracts, and other

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contracts and instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and functions of

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the commission granted by this chapter.

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     (8) To invest and reinvest its funds, and at its option to take and hold real and personal

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property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested.

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     (9) To acquire or contract to acquire, from any person, firm, corporation, municipality,

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the federal government, or the state, or any agency of either the federal government or the state,

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by grant, purchase, lease, gift, condemnation, or otherwise, or to obtain options for the acquisition

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of any property, real or personal, improved or unimproved, and interests in land less than the fee

 

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thereof; and to own, hold, clear, improve, develop, and rehabilitate, and to sell, assign, exchange,

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transfer, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose or encumber that property for the

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purposes of carrying out the provisions and intent of this chapter, for any consideration as the

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commission shall determine, and with the approval of the commission to retain a master

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developer for all or any portion of a project. Any master developer position shall be subject to

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advertising and solicitation of applicants shall be approved at a duly posted public meeting of the

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commission.

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     (10) To conduct its activities, carry on its operations, and have offices and exercise the

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powers granted by this chapter, within the state.

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     (11) To make and alter by-laws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the administration

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and regulation of the affairs of the district in a manner that is publicly accountable and

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transparent.

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     (12) To be a promoter, partner, member, associate, or manager of any partnership,

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enterprise, or venture within the district and to engage in promotional, marketing, and similar

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activities for the benefit of the district.

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     (13) To enter into contracts, agreements, and cooperative agreements with the city and its

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agencies and instrumentalities and the State and its agencies and instrumentalities for the sharing

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of personnel and other resources.

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     (14) To have and exercise all powers reasonably necessary to effect its purposes;

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provided, however, that the commission shall not have any power to create, empower or

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otherwise establish any corporation, subsidiary corporation, corporate body, any form of

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partnership, or any other separate entity without the express approval and authorization of the

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general assembly.

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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 -- THE I-195 REDEVELOPMENT

ACT OF 2011

***

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     This act would require the I-195 commission to conduct training for new commission

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members which would include training in ethics. It would make the commission subject to the

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open meetings act, the access to public records act, and their exemptions. The act would also

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mandate that the commission exercise its powers in a publicly accountable and transparent

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manner.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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