AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT (Creates the Crook Point Bridge Authority for the purpose of maintain the Crook Point Bascule Bridge and any property related thereto.)

S3176

2026 -- S 3176
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT

Introduced By:
Senator Samuel D. Zurier

Date Introduced:
March 31, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
(by request)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 2. Title 24 of the General Laws entitled "HIGHWAYS" is hereby amended by
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adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 13.1
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CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT
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24-13.1-1. Creation of corporation — Composition — Personnel — Compensation.
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(a) There is hereby created and established an independent public instrumentality and body
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corporate and politic with a separate legal existence from the city of Providence and the State of
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Rhode Island, having such powers, authority, rights, privileges, and titles as may be necessary and
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incidental to the effectuation of the purposes set forth in this chapter, to be known as the “Crook
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Point Bridge Authority.” It is the intent of the general assembly by the passage of this chapter to
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create and establish the corporation for the purposes of acquiring and maintaining the Crook Point
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Bascule Bridge and any property appurtenant and/or adjacent thereto, and planning, implementing,
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administering, and overseeing any preservation, improvement, expansion and/or redevelopment
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initiatives thereof. The exercise by the corporation of the powers conferred by this chapter shall be
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deemed and held to be the performance of an essential public and government function. This
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chapter shall be liberally construed in conformity with the purposes expressed.
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(b) The powers of the corporation shall be exercised by a board of directors having three
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(3) voting members, all of whom shall be electors of the city of Providence. The directors shall be
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appointed by the mayor of the city of Providence subject to approval of the city council. The

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chairperson shall be appointed by the mayor and serve at the pleasure of the mayor. The directors
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who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms as follows: one director shall have an
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initial term of one year; one director shall have an initial term of three (3) years; and one director
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shall have an initial term of five (5) years, respectively from the date of their appointment.
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Thereafter, all directors shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years, with no term limit.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, each member of the board shall serve until a successor is appointed
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and qualified. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of a member by death, resignation,
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or otherwise, that vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as a regular appointment, but only for
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the remainder of the term of the former member. The mayor may remove any director for
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misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty.
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(c) The board of directors, at its annual meeting, shall elect a secretary and treasurer. A
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majority of the members shall constitute a quorum, and any action to be taken by the corporation
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under the provisions of this chapter may be authorized by resolution approved by a majority of the
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members present at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. A vacancy in the
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membership of the corporation shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights
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and perform all of the duties of the board of directors. All meetings shall be open to the public, and
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all records shall be a matter of public record, except that if a majority of the board of the directors
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decides, consistent with the requirements of chapter 46 of title 42 ("open meetings"), that it would
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be in the best interest of the corporation and the city and/or the state to hold an executive session
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in private, then the board of directors shall be authorized to transact any business as allowable under
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law at that executive session in private, and the record of the executive session shall not become a
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matter of public record until the transaction discussed has in the opinion of the board of directors
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been completed.
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(d) No member of the board of directors shall receive compensation for the performance
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of their duties under this chapter; however, each member shall be reimbursed for the member's
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reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out those duties. Members may engage in private
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employment, or in a profession or business, provided that any interests related thereto shall not
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materially conflict with the interests of the corporation. No part of the net earnings of the
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corporation shall be distributable to, or inure to the benefit of, any private person.
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24-13.1-2. Rights and powers of board.
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The board of directors shall have all the rights and powers necessary or convenient to carry
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out and effectuate the purposes herein, including, without limitation, the rights and powers:
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(1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name;
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(2) To adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal;

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(3) To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate;
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(4) To determine the location, scope and character of any initiative to be pursued under the
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provisions of this chapter;
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(5) To enter into contracts and make agreements;
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(6) To employ in its discretion attorneys, accountants, architectural and engineering
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consultants, financial consultants and such other employees and agents as it deems necessary and
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to fix their compensation;
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(7) To purchase, receive, lease, or otherwise hold, real or personal property, or any interest
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in real or personal property wherever situated;
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(8) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer, and otherwise dispose of
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all or any part of its property and assets for any consideration and upon any terms and conditions
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as the board of directors shall determine;
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(9) To make guarantees, issue bonds, incur liabilities and borrow money at any rates of
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interest as the board of directors may determine;
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(10) To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds, and at its option to take and hold real
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and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested;
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(11) To make and alter bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the administration
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and regulation of the affairs of the corporation, and those bylaws may contain provisions
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indemnifying any person who is or was a commissioner, officer, employee, or agent of the
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corporation; and
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(12) To do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise
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the powers given and granted pursuant to this chapter.
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24-13.1-3. Employees.
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Employees of the corporation shall not, by reason of their employment, be deemed to be
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employees of the city of Providence or the State of Rhode Island for any purpose, notwithstanding
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any other provision of the general laws, charter, or ordinance to the contrary.
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24-13.1-4. Obligations.
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Obligations issued by the corporation shall not constitute a debt, liability, obligation, or
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pledge of faith of the city of Providence or the State of Rhode Island, or any political subdivision
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thereof other than the corporation itself, but shall be payable solely from the revenues and/or assets
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of the corporation.
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24-13.1-5. Taxes.
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The corporation shall not be required to pay state taxes of any kind and the corporation, its
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properties, monies, bonds, and notes issued by it and the income therefrom will at all times be free

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from taxation of every kind by the state.
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24-13.1-6. Expendables and disbursements .
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(a) The corporation shall at all times keep full and accurate accounts of its receipts,
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expenditures, disbursements, assets, and liabilities, which shall be open to inspection by any officer
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or duly appointed agent of the city. The corporation shall report annually on:
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(1) Its finances; and
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(2) On the activities undertaken, the progress made in meeting goals and objectives set
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forth in its plans, and its proposed activities for the next year.
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(b) Copies of annual reports required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be
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submitted to the mayor and the city council.
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(c) The corporation shall conform with chapter 46 of title 42 (“open meetings”), and
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chapter 2 of title 38 (“access to public records”), in the same manner as required of the city, and
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the board of directors and the employees of the corporation shall be subject to the code of ethics
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set forth in chapter 14 of title 36 ("codes of ethics”).
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24-13.1-7. Severability.
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If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any circumstances, shall be held
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unlawful by any court of competent jurisdiction, that decision shall not affect nor impair the validity
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of the application of those provisions to other circumstances or the validity of any of the other
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provisions of this chapter.
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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 HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT
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This act would create the Crook Point Bridge Authority for the purpose of maintaining the
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Crook Point Bascule Bridge and any property related thereto.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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