2018 -- S 2239 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND MUNICIPAL

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM

     

     Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Satchell, DiPalma, Euer, and Seveney

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

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GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 11.4

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THE RHODE ISLAND MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM

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     42-11.4-1. Establishment.

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     The Rhode Island municipal infrastructure grant program is hereby created within the

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department of administration and is subject to grant funding. State funds or appropriations shall

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not be utilized in connection with the implementation of this section. The department of

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administration is authorized to:

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     (1) Issue public infrastructure grants to municipalities and other public instrumentalities

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for design, construction, building, land acquisition, rehabilitation, repair and other improvements

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to publicly-owned infrastructure including, but not limited to, sewers, utility extensions, streets,

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roads, curb-cuts, parking, water treatment systems, telecommunications systems, transit

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improvements, and pedestrian ways; and

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     (2) Assist municipalities to advance projects that support job creation and expansion,

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housing development and rehabilitation, community development projects in areas or districts

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that communities have determined are best suited to efficiently accommodate future growth and

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redevelopment, largely in previously developed areas with some level of existing or planned

 

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infrastructure.

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     42-11.4-2. Eligibility.

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     Eligible public infrastructure projects authorized by this chapter shall be located on

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public land or on public leasehold, right-of-way or easement. A project that uses grants to

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municipalities for public infrastructure provided by this chapter shall be procured by a

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municipality in accordance with chapter 55 of title 45.

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     42-11.4-3. Solicitations.

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     (a) There shall be at least one open solicitation period each year to accept and consider

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new applications. Not less than twelve (12) weeks before the annual open solicitation period, the

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department of administration shall release the criteria upon which the applications shall be judged

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including, but not limited to, a minimum project readiness standard, overall spending targets by

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project type, preferences for projects that align with the state's prevailing economic development

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plan and other preferences applying to that funding round. Grants may be made outside of the

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open solicitation period at the discretion of the director of administration subject to the provisions

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of this section. All grant awards shall be made after consultation with the Rhode Island statewide

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planning program and the Rhode Island infrastructure bank.

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     (b) An eligible city or town, acting by and through its municipal officers or by and

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through any agency designated by such municipal officers to act on their behalf, may apply to the

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program for a grant in a specific amount to fund a specified project. Two (2) or more

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municipalities may apply jointly, with one municipality acting as fiscal agent. The grants may be

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made in addition to other forms of local, state, and federal assistance. Receipt of a grant which is

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part of a joint application shall not preclude a municipality from receiving additional funds under

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a separate application.

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     42-11.4-4. Rules and regulations.

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     The director of administration may establish reasonable rules and regulations to govern

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the application and distribution of grants under the program, to include, but not be limited to,

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provisions for joint applications by two (2) or more eligible municipalities for a single project

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serving those municipalities.

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     42-11.4-5. Reports.

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     The director of administration shall report annually to the governor, speaker of the house,

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president of the senate, and the chairs of the house committee on finance, senate committee on

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finance, house committee on oversight, senate committee on government oversight, house

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committee on municipal government, senate committee on housing and municipal government,

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and the permanent joint committee on economic development. The report shall include a list and

 

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description of all projects that received grant funds under the program, the amount of the grant

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awarded to the project, other sources of public funds that supported the project, a detailed

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analysis of the economic impact of each project including, where applicable, the number of

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construction and full-time equivalent jobs to be created, number of housing units to be created,

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the private investment in the project, and the expected tax revenue generated from the project.

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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 -- RHODE ISLAND MUNICIPAL

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM

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     This act would create a municipal infrastructure grant program within the department of

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administration (DOA) to issue grants and provide assistance for municipal and other public

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infrastructure projects that support job creation and expansion, housing development and

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rehabilitation, community development, and for the accommodation of future growth and

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redevelopment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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