AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY (Authorizes the department of environmental management to enter into leases of up to forty (40) years at State Pier #9 in Newport, Chase Marina in Tiverton, and all other ports and marine facilities owned and operated by the department.)

S3149

2026 -- S 3149
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LC004957
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL
OF PROPERTY

Introduced By:
Senator V. Susan Sosnowski

Date Introduced:
March 27, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Environment & Agriculture
(Dept. of Environmental Management)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 37-7-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 37-7 entitled "Management
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and Disposal of Property" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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37-7-9. Concessions, leases, and licenses — Reports.
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(a) The acquiring authority, with the approval of the state properties committee, is
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authorized and empowered, when it shall serve the public purpose, to grant concessions in or to
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lease or license any land or building or structure, a part or portion of any governmental facility,
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public work, or public improvement for industrial or commercial purposes for a term or terms not
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exceeding in the aggregate in any one case twenty (20) years; provided, however, that real property,
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buildings, and facilities owned by the state at the Port of Galilee
in Narragansett, State Pier #9 in
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Newport, Chase Marina in Tiverton, and all other ports and marine facilities owned and operated
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by the department of environmental management
may be leased for a term of up to forty (40) years
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for commercial fishing industry-related purposes; and provided further, however, that certain real
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property, buildings, and facilities owned by the state located on Indian Point with a 2012 address
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of 25 India Street in the city of Providence may be leased for a term of up to forty (40) years for
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commercial, public recreation, marina, and redevelopment purposes; provided, however, that real
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property, buildings, and facilities owned by the department of environmental management may be
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leased for a term not to exceed forty (40) years for the purpose of facilitating private investment in
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buildings or infrastructure for public recreation, or to develop or sustain a natural resource-based

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industry and where the useful life of the investment exceeds twenty-five (25) years; and provided
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further, however, that certain real properties, buildings, and facilities owned by the state in the city
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of Providence known as the Union Station properties, which properties have been conveyed from
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time to time to the state by the consolidated rail corporation and others, may be leased for a term
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of up to forty (40) years for office, commercial, service, transportation, or other related purposes;
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and provided further, however, that real property, buildings, and facilities owned by the state may
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be leased for a term of up to forty (40) years for the development of cogeneration projects which
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involve the simultaneous generation of electricity and thermal energy (steam and hot water) and
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for eligible renewable energy resources as defined in § 39-26-5(a)(i) through (v); and further
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provided, however, that in the event of a mobile home lease agreement or site lease agreement,
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wherein such mobile home is contiguous to a resident-owned mobile home park, the state properties
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committee may enter into a lease or grant concessions to or license any land or building for a period
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not to exceed thirty (30) years; and provided further, however, that real property, buildings, and
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facilities owned by the state may be leased for a term of up to ninety-nine (99) years for the
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development of railroad layover facilities, contingent on the lease requiring the lessee to provide
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commuter rail service within the state of Rhode Island, as set forth by the state; and provided
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further, however, that real property, buildings, and facilities owned by the state at the Quonset state
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airport may be leased to the United States Air Force for a term not to exceed forty (40) years for
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the purpose of making improvements to infrastructure thereon. All agreements, contracts, and other
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instruments granting concessions or leasing or licensing facilities shall contain such conditions,
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rules, restrictions, and regulations as the state purchasing agent shall deem suitable or necessary
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and shall be approved, as to substance, by the director of administration, and, as to form, by the
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attorney general.
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(b) Whenever property that is subject to the provisions of this chapter is leased by the state,
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the lessee shall report on a semi-annual basis the amount of income revenue generated by the leased
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property. The report shall be made to the state properties commission and copies shall be provided
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to both the house and senate fiscal staffs and the governor. These requirements shall be contained
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in the lease between the lessor and the lessee with approval of the state properties committee.
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SECTION 2. Section 46-5-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-5 entitled "Construction
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of Port Facilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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46-5-10. Lease of facilities.
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The director may from time to time, in the name of the state of Rhode Island, lease any
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property, whether improved or unimproved, acquired by purchase or by the process of law, and
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storage facilities, wharves, piers, bulkheads, docks, sheds, warehouses, and industrial locations

LC004957 - Page 2 of 4
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within the director’s charge, for such term or terms not exceeding twenty (20) years, except for the
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port of Galilee
in Narragansett
,
State Pier #9 in Newport, Chase Marina in Tiverton, and all other
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ports and marine facilities owned and operated by the department of environmental management

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in which property may be leased for a term of up to forty (40) years
for commercial fishing industry-
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related purposes
and for any rent and with such provisions and covenants as to the director shall
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seem to be advantageous to the state.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL
OF PROPERTY
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This act would authorize the department of environmental management to enter into leases
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of up to forty (40) years at State Pier #9 in Newport, Chase Marina in Tiverton, and all other ports
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and marine facilities owned and operated by the department.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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