2022 -- H 8040

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LC005579

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- HARBORS AND HARBOR LINES

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, and Casimiro

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2022

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 46-4-6.4 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-4 entitled "Harbors and

Harbor Lines" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     46-4-6.4. Town of North Kingstown -- Powers conferred.

     (a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws

notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of

the town of North Kingstown authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of

North Kingstown to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such

authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and

supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its

jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the

size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the

confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and

power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin

diving, and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places

where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to

remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring

specifications, to provide regulations for all houseboats that are not self-propelled, to provide

regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the

removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties for violation

of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not

exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be

recovered to the use of the town.

     (b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties

granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title.

     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 WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- HARBORS AND HARBOR LINES

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     This act would allow the town of North Kingstown to regulate the activities of all

houseboats in all public waters within the town's jurisdiction, including the enforcement and

supervision of any ordinances, rules and regulations governing its public waters.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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