Chapter 089
2022 -- H 8122 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/17/2022

A N   A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS -- TOWN OF NARRAGANSETT-- LANDING FEE

Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, and McEntee

Date Introduced: April 08, 2022

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 45-2-35.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General
Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     45-2-35.2. Town of Narragansett -- Landing fee.
     (a) The town of Narragansett is hereby authorized to charge, assess, or otherwise collect a
thirty-five cents ($.35) fifty cents ($.50) landing fee on each passenger over the age of twelve (12)
arriving in the Port of Galilee, Narragansett, Rhode Island, by public or private boat; provided,
however, that this provision shall not apply to vessels when they are engaged in commercial fishing.
All fees collected, less expenses of collection, if any, shall be utilized by the town of Narragansett
to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all passengers, including, but not limited to, emergency
medical services,; acquisition of both personal and real property to provide support to the ferry
passengers,; and to establish a fund to assist the town of Narragansett in resolving problems which
that arise due to the impact of vessels landing passengers in the town of Narragansett. The town of
Narragansett may enter into agreements with any common carriers by water operating in the town
of Narragansett and any operator of a marina in the town of Narragansett authorizing the common
carrier or marina operator to collect the landing fee on behalf of the town of Narragansett. The
agreement shall provide for the payment of a reasonable fee, (not to exceed fifteen percent) (15%)
of the landing fee, by the town to the common water carrier or marina operator and indemnification
of the water carrier or marina operator from and against any liability to, or claim of liability by,
third parties, arising from the collection of the boarding fee. All such common carriers shall collect
the landing fee on behalf of the town of Narragansett, by including the amount of the fee in its rate
and charge to adult passengers without the necessity of approval of the landing fee from the public
utilities commission ("PUC") or the division of public utilities and carriers ("DPUC") under Title
title 39. The landing fee authorized by this chapter does not apply to any persons receiving free
transportation from the public utility under § 39-2-5. The town council of the town of Narragansett
shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. The town of
Narragansett may seek no fees from the common carriers other than those set forth in this section;
provided, however, that this sentence shall not preclude the taxation of property, but not the vessels,
of the common carriers pursuant to Title title 44.
     (b) The rate relief previously authorized by the PUC for Interstate Navigation Company in
1997 (PUC Docket No. 2484) which authorized the increase of Interstate Navigation Company's
rates (except the Block Island Passenger Commuter Rate) by one and four-tenths percent (1.4%) in
order to pay for property taxes assessed against Interstate Navigation Company's vessels by the
town of Narragansett shall continue in full force and effect until June 1, 2002. Notwithstanding the
restriction placed by the PUC on the money collected by Interstate Navigation Company pursuant
to this rate relief, the money shall be disposed of as follows: (1) from From the monies collected
as of June 30, 2001, Interstate Navigation Company shall make a one-time payment to the town of
Narragansett of eighty-five thousand dollars ($85,000) and the town of Narragansett shall be
authorized to retain the fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) previously paid to it by Interstate
Navigation Company; (2) the The balance of the funds collected as of June 30, 2001, are to be
invested in equipment and facilities to serve the rate payers of Interstate Navigation Company
subject to DPUC subsequent verification of that investment. If a dispute arises regarding the
disposition of the funds as set forth in this section, then the DPUC or Interstate Navigation
Company may petition the PUC for review, and the decision of the PUC shall be final and binding
and not appealable. For purposes of this section, the use of such funds by Interstate Navigation
Company for: (1) the The repair and/or replacement of the bulkhead and related facilities at
Interstate's Block Island facility; or (2) Interstate's expenses related to the construction of its new
terminal facility in Galilee, including the construction of facilities for the connector road lots;
and/or (3) the The pre-payment of principal and related pre-payment fees on the loan outstanding
for the M/V Block Island, shall be deemed to be equipment and facilities that serve the rate payers
of Interstate Navigation and shall not be subject to any prior review or approval by the DPUC
and/or PUC; provided that subsequent verification and approval shall remain within the purview of
the DPUC and PUC for rate making purposes. Any expenditures out of the funds collected as of
June 30, 2001, for any other purposes shall require the prior approval of the DPUC to assure that
the proposed expenditures are in the best interest of the rate payers. If a dispute arises between
Interstate Navigation Company and the DPUC as to such proposed expenditures, then the DPUC
or Interstate Navigation Company may petition the PUC for review.
     (c) From the funds collected between July 1, 2001, and May 31, 2002, one-third (⅓) of the
total shall be paid to the town of Narragansett in June, 2002, and the balance shall be retained by
Interstate Navigation Company to be invested in equipment and facilities to serve the rate payers
of Interstate Navigation Company. Interstate Navigation Company shall be required to obtain the
prior approval of the DPUC in order to expend these funds. If a dispute arises regarding the
disposition of these funds as set forth in this section, the DPUC or Interstate Navigation Company
may petition the PUC for review.
     (d) As to property over which the town of Narragansett has regulatory control, the town of
Narragansett may not prohibit overnight parking on private property and currently existing parking
lots in Galilee, and there will be no mandatory offsite parking for cars in Galilee.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005731/SUB A
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