Title 42
State Affairs and Government

Chapter 26.2
Safeguarding Federalism in Trade Act

R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-26.2-3

§ 42-26.2-3. International trade agreements.

(a) The individual or office in the state government that has been designated as the “state point of contact” for interactions with the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) shall transmit copies of all information received from and sent to the U.S. government to the speaker of the house and the president of the senate.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, [Rhode Island] officials, including the governor, may not:

(1) Bind the state to the terms of an international trade agreement or otherwise commit the state to comply with the non-tariff terms of an international trade agreement; or

(2) Give consent to the federal government to bind the state to the terms of an international trade agreement or otherwise indicate that the state will comply with the non-tariff terms of an international trade agreement.

(c) The governor may bind the state or give consent to the federal government to bind the state to the government procurement, services or investment rules of an international trade agreement only if the legislature enacts legislation that explicitly authorizes the governor to do so.

History of Section.
P.L. 2007, ch. 528, § 1.