2019 -- H 5028 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED

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LC000084/SUB A/2

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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

     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 or utility facility.

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     Any public utility as defined by § 39-1-2 or any utility facility as defined by chapter 8.1

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of title 24 which shall alter, excavate, disrupt or disturb a roadway shall be responsible for

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complete repaving and repair of the roadway from curbline to curbline or as required in

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accordance with the state or municipal utility permit requirements.

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     39-2.2-3. State road repair.

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

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satisfaction of the director of the department of transportation.

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     (b) All utility work within and/or upon a state road or state right-of-way requires a state

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utility permit issued by the department of transportation prior to the work commencing. Any

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public utility or utility facility violating this section for non-emergency utility work without a

 

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state utility permit shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500) per incident in addition to the

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required road repaving and repair (restoration).

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     (c) As part of the state utility permit requirements:

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     (1) The public utility or utility facility shall obtain and submit to the state a performance

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bond in accordance with the state utility permit application requirements prior to the state utility

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permit being issued by the department of transportation;

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     (2) The department of transportation will contract with pre-qualified vendors (Master

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Price Agreement) to conduct state certified testing and inspection services on all utility work in

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accordance with the state utility permit requirements, and the public utility or utility facility shall

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reimburse the department of transportation for these costs; and

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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 in

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accordance with standards promulgated by the director of the department of transportation.

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     39-2.2-5. Recovery for failure to repair state road.

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     (a) If the director of the department of transportation deems any repaving or repair of a

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state road insufficient, defective, noncompliant or incomplete and requests repairs, it will be the

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responsibility of the public utility or utility facility to complete the repairs to the satisfaction of

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the director of the department of transportation within thirty (30) days of being notified.

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     (b) If the public utility or utility facility fails to complete the repairs, the department of

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transportation will initiate the repairs through the performance bond claim process and/or

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recovering the amount required for the repairs from the public utility or utility facility.

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     (c) If any payment, determined to be due from any public utility or utility facility for

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reparation, reconstruction or repaving shall not be paid to the state within one year from the date

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of the determination, the state 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 at the rate of ten percent

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(10%) per annum.

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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 or as required in accordance

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with the state or municipal permit requirements. Repaving and repair of a roadway by a public

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utility or utility facility shall be in accordance with and subject to the provisions of chapter 2.2 of

 

LC000084/SUB A/2 - Page 2 of 4

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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 or as required in

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accordance with the state or municipal permit requirements. Repaving and repair of a roadway by

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a public utility or utility facility 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 the municipality or the state, including the need to

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move utility poles, shall be corrected, by the contractor and/or utility, within thirty (30) days of

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being notified in writing of such public safety concern by the director of the department of

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transportation.

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     (c) Restoration of any altered roadway shall commence immediately after the completion

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of the alteration, and shall include, if necessary, temporary or intermediate restoration on an

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ongoing basis to keep the roadway smooth and bump free until the permanent restoration can be

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completed.

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

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

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determined 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 or utility facilities to repave and repair roadways which have been

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altered or excavated by the public utility or utility facility. Repaving and repair of the roadway

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would be to the satisfaction of the state or municipality controlling the roadway. Financial

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recovery for defective or incomplete repairs is provided.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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