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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW

     

     Introduced By: Representative Patricia A. Serpa

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 34-36.1-1.02 and 34-36.1-3.08 of the General Laws in Chapter 34-

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36.1 entitled "Condominium Law" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     34-36.1-1.02. Applicability.

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     (a)(1) This chapter applies to all condominiums created within this state after July 1, 1982,

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except that any condominium created within this state prior to July 1, 1982, may voluntarily accept

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the provisions of this chapter in lieu of the provisions under which it was originally organized.

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Acceptance shall be evidenced by an agreement in writing executed by and in behalf of the

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condominium association and by all of the owners of all of the individual condominium units within

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the condominium, in which agreement it is clearly stated that they all accept the provisions of this

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chapter in lieu of those in the statute under which the condominium was organized and wish to be

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governed in the future by the provisions of this chapter. The agreement shall be recorded in the

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land evidence records of each and every town or city where all or any part of the land in the

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condominium concerned may be located and shall become effective when first so recorded. The

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acceptance shall only apply to the governance of the condominium concerned as to all matters

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which are prospective or executory in nature; and nothing herein shall be deemed to abrogate,

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amend, limit, effect, or impair the continued effectiveness, legality, or validity of all actions

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lawfully taken by or in behalf of the condominium prior to the effective date of the acceptance,

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including, but without limitation, the condominium declaration and all amendments thereto, the by-

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laws of the condominium and/or of its association, all deeds, mortgages, leases and any further

 

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documents affecting the titles or rights of unit owners, or of the condominium or the prior lawful

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acts or deeds of any kind, of the condominium association, its officers, directors, or members.

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     (2) Sections 34-36.1-1.05 (separate titles and taxation), 34-36.1-1.06 (applicability of local

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ordinances, regulations, and building codes), 34-36.1-1.07 (eminent domain), 34-36.1-2.03

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(construction and validity of declaration and bylaws), 34-36.1-2.04 (description of units), 34-36.1-

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3.02(a)(1) — (6) and (11) — (17) (powers of unit owners’ association), 34-36.1-3.08 (meetings),

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34-36.1-3.11 (tort and contract liability), 34-36.1-3.16 (lien for assessments), 34-36.1-3.18

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(association records), 34-36.1-4.09 (resale of units), and 34-36.1-4.17 (effect of violation on rights

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of action; attorney’s fees), § 34-36.1-3.20 (enforcement of declaration, bylaws and rules), and 34-

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36.1-1.03 (definitions), to the extent necessary in construing any of those sections, apply to all

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condominiums created in this state before July 1, 1982; but those sections apply only with respect

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to events and circumstances occurring after July 1, 1982 and do not invalidate existing provisions

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of the declaration, bylaws, plats, or plans of those condominiums.

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     (3) A condominium created as an additional phase by amendment of a condominium

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created prior to July 1, 1982, if the original declaration contemplated the amendment, shall be

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deemed to be a condominium created prior to July 1, 1982; provided, however, the provisions of

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subdivision (a)(2) shall apply as defined therein.

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     (4) Section 34-36.1-3.21 (foreclosure of condominium lien) applies, with respect to all

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condominiums created in this state prior to June 19, 1991, only with respect to events and

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circumstances occurring after June 18, 1991, does not invalidate existing provisions of the

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declarations, bylaws, plats, or plans of those condominiums, and applies in all respects to all

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condominiums created in this state after June 18, 1991.

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     (b) The provisions of the Condominium Ownership Act, chapter 36 of this title, do not

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apply to condominiums created after July 1, 1982 and do not invalidate any amendment to the

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declaration, bylaws, plats, and plans of any condominium created before July 1, 1982 if the

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amendment would be permitted by this chapter. The amendment must be adopted in conformity

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with the procedures and requirements specified by those instruments and by chapter 36 of this title.

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If the amendment grants to any person any rights, powers, or privileges permitted by this chapter,

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all correlative obligations, liabilities, and restrictions in this chapter also apply to that person.

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     (c) This chapter does not apply to condominiums or units located outside this state, but the

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public offering statement provisions (§§ 34-36.1-4.02 — 34-36.1-4.07) apply to all contracts for

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the disposition thereof signed in this state by any party unless exempt under § 34-36.1-4.01(b).

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     34-36.1-3.08. Meetings.

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     (a) A meeting of the association must be held at least once each year. Special meetings of

 

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the association may be called by the president, a majority of the executive board or by unit owners

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having twenty percent (20%), or any lower percentage specified in the bylaws, of the votes in the

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association. Not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days in advance of any meeting, the

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secretary or other officer specified in the bylaws shall cause notice to be hand delivered or sent

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prepaid by United States mail to the mailing address of each unit or to any other mailing address

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designated in writing by the unit owner. Notice may be sent electronically if authorized in the

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declaration or bylaws. The notice of any meeting must state the time and place of the meeting and

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the items on the agenda, including the general nature of any proposed amendment to the declaration

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or bylaws, any budget changes, and any proposal to remove a director or officer.

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     (b) Unless authorized in the declaration or bylaws pursuant to subsection (c) of this section,

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all association meetings shall take place in a physical location located in the city or town or, if not

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possible, in the county where the condominium in located. Unit owners shall have the right to be

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counted in order to establish a quorum and to communicate with all other unit owners participating

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and to vote at association meetings in person or by proxy at the physical location of the meeting or

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remotely as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

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     (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this section, if authorized in the declaration or

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bylaws, all association meetings may be conducted entirely or partially by remote means as

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provided in subsection (d) of this section.

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     (d) If authorized in the declaration of bylaws, the executive board may provide that at any

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association meeting unit owners shall have the right to be counted in order to establish a quorum

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and to communicate with all other unit owners participating and to vote at the association meeting

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using remote means that support image, voice and data transfer over digital networks or telephone

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circuits. The notice of meeting shall identify the remote platform being used and provide the

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necessary access information to allow unit owners to participate.

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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 PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW

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     This act would provide that the "meetings" requirements from § 34-36.1-3.08 be applicable

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to condominiums created before July 1, 1982 and would permit remote participation in

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condominium meetings.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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