2019 -- H 5028

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LC000084

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - THE RHODE ISLAND UTILITY

FAIR SHARE ROADWAY REPAIR ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Kazarian, Jackson, Vella-Wilkinson, and
Azzinaro

     Date Introduced: January 04, 2019

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 39 of the General Laws entitled "PUBLIC UTILITIES AND

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

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CHAPTER 2.2

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THE RHODE ISLAND UTILITY FAIR SHARE ROADWAY REPAIR ACT

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     39-2.2-1 Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Utility Fair Share

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Roadway Repair Act."

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     39-2.2-2. Road repair by public utility.

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     Any public utility as defined by § 39-1-2 which shall alter, excavate, disrupt or disturb a

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roadway shall be responsible for complete repaving and repair of the roadway from curbline to

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curbline.

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     39-2.2-3. State road repair.

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     Any repaving and repair of a state road required by § 39-2.2-2 shall be to the satisfaction

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of the director of the department of transportation.

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     39-2.2-4. Municipal road repair.

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     Any repaving and repair of a municipal road required by § 39-2.2-2 shall be to the

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satisfaction of the applicable municipal public works director or designated municipal

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representative.

 

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     39-2.2-5. Complaint for failure to repair.

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     Within one year of completion of repaving and repair of a roadway by a public utility the

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director of the department of transportation, with respect to a state roadway, or the municipal

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public works director or designated municipal representative with respect to a municipal

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roadway, may file a complaint with the public utility administrator for any insufficient, defective,

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noncompliant or incomplete repaving or repair of a roadway. The public utility administrator

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shall immediately set a time for hearing and shall, after notice of the hearing to the public utility

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and to the official filing the complaint, conduct a hearing to determine whether the public utility

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failed to comply with the provisions of § 39-2.2-2, and determine what amount, if any, is required

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for reparation, reconstruction or repaving in compliance with § 39-2.2-2.

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     39-2.2-6. Recovery for failure to repair.

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     If any payment, determined to be due from any public utility for reparation,

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reconstruction or repaving shall not be paid to the state or municipality within one year from the

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date of the determination by the public utility administrator of the amount due from any public

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utility, the state or municipality shall be entitled to recover the amount due in an action of debt,

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together with interest from six (6) months from the date of determination of the public utility

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administrator, at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum, and upon securing judgment against

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any public utility, execution shall issue against the property of the public utility.

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     SECTION 2. Section 24-5-1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-5 entitled

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"Maintenance of Town Highways" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     24-5-1.1. Alteration of roadways.

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     Any person, firm, or corporation including utilities and contractors who alter a roadway

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that is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall restore that portion of the roadway which was

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altered to the same or better condition that existed prior to alteration. Repaving and repair of a

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roadway by a public utility shall be in accordance with and subject to the provisions of chapter

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2.2 of title 39.

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     SECTION 3. Section 24-8-43 of the General Laws in Chapter 24-8 entitled "Construction

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and Maintenance of State Roads" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     24-8-43. Alteration of roadways.

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     (a) Any person, firm or corporation including utilities and contractors who alter a

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roadway that is subject to the provisions of this chapter shall restore that portion of the roadway

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which was altered to the same or better condition that existed prior to alteration. Repaving and

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repair of a roadway by a public utility shall be in accordance with and subject to the provisions of

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chapter 2.2 of title 39.

 

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     (b) Any alteration of roadways which creates a public safety concern, as determined by

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the public safety official of that community, including the need to move utility poles, shall be

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corrected, by the contractor and/or utility, within thirty (30) days of being notified in writing of

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such public safety concern by the director of the department of transportation.

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     (c) Where the alteration involves the installation or upgrading of a traffic signal(s), such

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signal(s) shall not be activated until the alteration has been substantially completed, as determined

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by the director of the department of transportation.

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     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - THE RHODE ISLAND UTILITY

FAIR SHARE ROADWAY REPAIR ACT

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     This act would create "The Rhode Island Utility Fair Share Roadway Repair Act" which

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would require public utilities to repave and repair roadways which have been altered or excavated

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by the public utility. Repaving and repair of the roadway would be to the satisfaction of the state

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or municipality controlling the roadway. It would also provide for a complaint procedure for

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defective or incomplete repairs by public utilities. Financial recovery for defective or incomplete

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repairs is provided.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC000084

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