Chapter 151
2017 -- H 6300
Enacted 07/05/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE I-195 REDEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2011

Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
Date Introduced: June 08, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Sections 42-64.14-6 and 42-64.14-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-
64.14 entitled "The I-195 Redevelopment Act of 2011" are hereby amended to read as follows:
     42-64.14-6. The I-195 redevelopment district commission.
     (a) The powers of the district to achieve the purposes of this chapter shall be exercised by
a commission as herein provided:
     The I-195 redevelopment district commission shall consist of seven (7) voting members.
The governor of the State of Rhode Island shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the
senate, the seven (7) voting members of the commission.
     The mayor of the city of Providence shall, within thirty (30) days of passage of this act,
submit to the governor a list of names of at least six (6) individuals which that the governor shall
give due consideration to appointing three (3) individuals from the list. The speaker of the house
of representatives shall, within thirty (30) days of passage of this act, submit to the governor a list
of names of three (3) individuals of which the governor shall give due consideration to appointing
one individual from the list. The governor shall also appoint three (3) individuals without regard
to the lists submitted by the mayor of the city of Providence or the speaker of the house of
representatives and the governor shall designate one of the members to serve as chairperson of
the commission. The governor shall, within forty (40) days of passage of this act, submit to the
senate for advice and consent the initial list of individuals for appointment to the commission
including any individuals appointed by the governor from the lists presented by the mayor of the
city of Providence and the speaker of the house of representatives within the time limits set forth
in this subsection.
     Three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years; three (3) members shall
be appointed for a term of three (3) years; and one member, who shall be the chair, shall be
appointed for a term of four (4) years. Appointments made thereafter shall be for four-(4) year (4)
terms. Any vacancy occurring in the commission shall be filled by the governor of the State of
Rhode Island in the same manner prescribed for the original appointments, including those seats
by recommendation of the mayor of the city of Providence and the speaker of the house of
representatives being selected from a similar prepared list from those parties. A member
appointed to fill a vacancy of a director appointed by the governor of the State of Rhode Island
shall be appointed for the unexpired portion of the term of office of the member whose vacancy is
to be filled. Members of the commission whose terms expire shall continue to serve until their
successors are appointed and qualified.
     In addition to these voting members, there shall be two (2) ex officio, non-voting
members as follows: the city of Providence planning director, or his or her designee, and the chief
executive officer of the Rhode Island commerce corporation, or his or her designee.
     (b) The commissioners shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties
under this chapter, but each commissioner may be reimbursed for his or her reasonable expenses
incurred in carrying out those duties, however said reimbursement must be approved at a public
meeting of the commission. A commissioner may engage in private employment, or in a
profession or business.
     (c) The chairperson shall designate a vice chairperson from the commission who shall
serve at the pleasure of the chairperson. Four (4) voting commissioners shall constitute a quorum,
and any action to be taken by the commission under the provisions of this chapter may be
authorized by resolution approved by a majority of the commissioners present and entitled to vote
at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. A vacancy in the membership of
the commission shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights and perform all
of the duties of the commission. Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, in the
event that a vacancy is not filled within thirty (30) days of such vacancy, a quorum shall be
deemed to exist with a majority of the then duly authorized voting commissioners present.
     (d) The commission shall appoint a secretary and such additional officers and staff
members as they shall deem appropriate and shall determine the amount of reasonable
compensation, if any, each shall receive. The chair shall appoint the executive director with the
approval of the commission provided that the position of the executive director must be
advertised and the appointment must be approved at a public meeting of the commission. The
commission may vest in an executive director or the director's subordinates the authority to
recommend additional staff members and to determine the amount of compensation each
individual shall receive, which shall then be approved by the commission at a public meeting.
     (e) No full-time employee shall during the period of his or her employment by the
commission engage in any other private employment, profession, or business, except with the
approval of the commissioners.
     (f) Any action taken by the commission under the provisions of this chapter may be
authorized by vote at any regular or special meeting, and each vote shall take effect immediately,
unless otherwise expressly indicated by the commission.
     (g) Employees of the commission shall not, by reason of their employment, be deemed to
be employees of the state or the city for any purpose, any other provision of the general laws,
charter, or ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding, except for the provisions of the ethics code
as set forth in Rhode Island general law 36-14 chapter 14 of title 36. Further, no employee of the
commission shall be entitled to or accrue pension benefits with the city of Providence or state
during such employment.
     (h) It shall be the responsibility of the commission to conduct a training course for newly
appointed and qualified members within six (6) months of their qualification. The training shall
encompass ethics, including the minimum applicable standards established in the code of ethics
as set forth in chapter 14 of title 36 ("code of ethics").
     (i) The commission shall be subject to the provisions of the open meetings act contained
in chapter 46 of title 42 ("open meetings"); provided, however, weekends and state holidays shall
be excluded in the count of hours contained in §§42-46-6(b) and 42-46-6(c). Every meeting of the
commission shall be open unless it is closed pursuant to the exemptions as set forth in §42-46-5,
with the following exceptions:
     (1) For purposes of determining what constitutes a compliant closed or executive session,
the provisions as set forth in §42-46-5(a)(5) shall not apply to the commission. However, an
additional exemption to those provided for in §42-46-5, allowing for a closed or executive
session, shall apply to the commission in accordance with subsection (i)(2) of this section.
     (2) To consider the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property if the commission
declares in open session that an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the negotiating
position of the commission with other parties to the negotiation; provided, however, any vote
taken in a closed session under this subsection, and any minutes of a closed session taken under
this subsection, shall be made public once the disclosure would no longer jeopardize the
commission's negotiating position.
     (j) In every case where the commission holds a closed or executives session, an audio
recording of the closed session shall be made. The audio recording shall be kept as minutes in
accordance with §42-46-7.
     (k) The commission shall be subject to the provisions set forth in chapter 2 of title 38
("access to public records").
     42-64.14-7. Powers and duties of the commission.
     The commission shall have all the rights and powers reasonably necessary to carry out
and effectuate this chapter, including, including, but not limited to, the rights and powers:
     (1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name.
     (2) To have a seal which that may be altered at pleasure and to use the seal by causing it,
or a facsimile of the seal, to be impressed or affixed, or in any other manner reproduced.
     (3) To purchase, take, receive, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use, and
otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest in real or personal property,
wherever situated.
     (4) To acquire and to dispose of real property, subject to the provisions of this chapter,
without the necessity of obtaining the approval of the state properties committee or otherwise
complying with the provisions of title 37.
     (5) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer, and otherwise dispose of
all or any part of its property and assets for any consideration and upon any terms and conditions
as the commission shall determine.
     (6) To make contracts and guarantees and incur liabilities, borrow money at any rates of
interest as the commission may determine.
     (7) To make and execute agreements of lease, conditional sales contracts, installment
sales contracts, loan agreements, mortgages, construction contracts, operation contracts, and other
contracts and instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and functions of
the commission granted by this chapter.
     (8) To invest and reinvest its funds, and at its option to take and hold real and personal
property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested.
     (9) To acquire or contract to acquire, from any person, firm, corporation, municipality,
the federal government, or the state, or any agency of either the federal government or the state,
by grant, purchase, lease, gift, condemnation, or otherwise, or to obtain options for the acquisition
of any property, real or personal, improved or unimproved, and interests in land less than the fee
thereof; and to own, hold, clear, improve, develop, and rehabilitate, and to sell, assign, exchange,
transfer, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose or encumber that property for the
purposes of carrying out the provisions and intent of this chapter, for any consideration as the
commission shall determine, and with the approval of the commission to retain a master
developer for all or any portion of a project. Any master developer position shall be subject to
advertising and solicitation of applicants shall be approved at a duly posted public meeting of the
commission.
     (10) To conduct its activities, carry on its operations, and have offices and exercise the
powers granted by this chapter, within the state.
     (11) To make and alter by-laws bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the
administration and regulation of the affairs of the district in a manner that is publicly accountable
and transparent.
     (12) To be a promoter, partner, member, associate, or manager of any partnership,
enterprise, or venture within the district and to engage in promotional, marketing, and similar
activities for the benefit of the district.
     (13) To enter into contracts, agreements, and cooperative agreements with the city and its
agencies and instrumentalities and the Sstate and its agencies and instrumentalities for the sharing
of personnel and other resources.
     (14) To have and exercise all powers reasonably necessary to effect its purposes;
provided, however, that the commission shall not have any power to create, empower or
otherwise establish any corporation, subsidiary corporation, corporate body, any form of
partnership, or any other separate entity without the express approval and authorization of the
general assembly.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002833
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