HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT, the official text

S3176 2026 -- S 3176 ======== LC004023 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ 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: 1 SECTION 2. Title 24 of the General Laws entitled HIGHWAYS is hereby amended by 2 adding thereto the following chapter: 3 CHAPTER 13.1 4 CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT 5 24-13.1-1. Creation of corporation — Composition — Personnel — Compensation. 6 (a) There is hereby created and established an independent public instrumentality and body 7 corporate and politic with a separate legal existence from the city of Providence and the State of 8 Rhode Island, having such powers, authority, rights, privileges, and titles as may be necessary and 9 incidental to the effectuation of the purposes set forth in this chapter, to be known as the “Crook 10 Point Bridge Authority.” It is the intent of the general assembly by the passage of this chapter to 11 create and establish the corporation for the purposes of acquiring and maintaining the Crook Point 12 Bascule Bridge and any property appurtenant and/or adjacent thereto, and planning, implementing, 13 administering, and overseeing any preservation, improvement, expansion and/or redevelopment 14 initiatives thereof. The exercise by the corporation of the powers conferred by this chapter shall be 15 deemed and held to be the performance of an essential public and government function. This 16 chapter shall be liberally construed in conformity with the purposes expressed. 17 (b) The powers of the corporation shall be exercised by a board of directors having three 18 (3) voting members, all of whom shall be electors of the city of Providence. The directors shall be 19 appointed by the mayor of the city of Providence subject to approval of the city council. The 1 chairperson shall be appointed by the mayor and serve at the pleasure of the mayor. The directors 2 who are first appointed shall be designated to serve for terms as follows: one director shall have an 3 initial term of one year; one director shall have an initial term of three (3) years; and one director 4 shall have an initial term of five (5) years, respectively from the date of their appointment. 5 Thereafter, all directors shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years, with no term limit. 6 Notwithstanding the foregoing, each member of the board shall serve until a successor is appointed 7 and qualified. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of a member by death, resignation, 8 or otherwise, that vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as a regular appointment, but only for 9 the remainder of the term of the former member. The mayor may remove any director for 10 misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty. 11 (c) The board of directors, at its annual meeting, shall elect a secretary and treasurer. A 12 majority of the members shall constitute a quorum, and any action to be taken by the corporation 13 under the provisions of this chapter may be authorized by resolution approved by a majority of the 14 members present at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. A vacancy in the 15 membership of the corporation shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights 16 and perform all of the duties of the board of directors. All meetings shall be open to the public, and 17 all records shall be a matter of public record, except that if a majority of the board of the directors 18 decides, consistent with the requirements of chapter 46 of title 42 ( open meetings ), that it would 19 be in the best interest of the corporation and the city and/or the state to hold an executive session 20 in private, then the board of directors shall be authorized to transact any business as allowable under 21 law at that executive session in private, and the record of the executive session shall not become a 22 matter of public record until the transaction discussed has in the opinion of the board of directors 23 been completed. 24 (d) No member of the board of directors shall receive compensation for the performance 25 of their duties under this chapter; however, each member shall be reimbursed for the member s 26 reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out those duties. Members may engage in private 27 employment, or in a profession or business, provided that any interests related thereto shall not 28 materially conflict with the interests of the corporation. No part of the net earnings of the 29 corporation shall be distributable to, or inure to the benefit of, any private person. 30 24-13.1-2. Rights and powers of board. 31 The board of directors shall have all the rights and powers necessary or convenient to carry 32 out and effectuate the purposes herein, including, without limitation, the rights and powers: 33 (1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name; 34 (2) To adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal; LC004023 - Page 2 of 5 1 (3) To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate; 2 (4) To determine the location, scope and character of any initiative to be pursued under the 3 provisions of this chapter; 4 (5) To enter into contracts and make agreements; 5 (6) To employ in its discretion attorneys, accountants, architectural and engineering 6 consultants, financial consultants and such other employees and agents as it deems necessary and 7 to fix their compensation; 8 (7) To purchase, receive, lease, or otherwise hold, real or personal property, or any interest 9 in real or personal property wherever situated; 10 (8) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange, transfer, and otherwise dispose of 11 all or any part of its property and assets for any consideration and upon any terms and conditions 12 as the board of directors shall determine; 13 (9) To make guarantees, issue bonds, incur liabilities and borrow money at any rates of 14 interest as the board of directors may determine; 15 (10) To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds, and at its option to take and hold real 16 and personal property as security for the payment of funds so loaned or invested; 17 (11) To make and alter bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the administration 18 and regulation of the affairs of the corporation, and those bylaws may contain provisions 19 indemnifying any person who is or was a commissioner, officer, employee, or agent of the 20 corporation; and 21 (12) To do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise 22 the powers given and granted pursuant to this chapter. 23 24-13.1-3. Employees. 24 Employees of the corporation shall not, by reason of their employment, be deemed to be 25 employees of the city of Providence or the State of Rhode Island for any purpose, notwithstanding 26 any other provision of the general laws, charter, or ordinance to the contrary. 27 24-13.1-4. Obligations. 28 Obligations issued by the corporation shall not constitute a debt, liability, obligation, or 29 pledge of faith of the city of Providence or the State of Rhode Island, or any political subdivision 30 thereof other than the corporation itself, but shall be payable solely from the revenues and/or assets 31 of the corporation. 32 24-13.1-5. Taxes. 33 The corporation shall not be required to pay state taxes of any kind and the corporation, its 34 properties, monies, bonds, and notes issued by it and the income therefrom will at all times be free LC004023 - Page 3 of 5 1 from taxation of every kind by the state. 2 24-13.1-6. Expendables and disbursements . 3 (a) The corporation shall at all times keep full and accurate accounts of its receipts, 4 expenditures, disbursements, assets, and liabilities, which shall be open to inspection by any officer 5 or duly appointed agent of the city. The corporation shall report annually on: 6 (1) Its finances; and 7 (2) On the activities undertaken, the progress made in meeting goals and objectives set 8 forth in its plans, and its proposed activities for the next year. 9 (b) Copies of annual reports required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be 10 submitted to the mayor and the city council. 11 (c) The corporation shall conform with chapter 46 of title 42 (“open meetings”), and 12 chapter 2 of title 38 (“access to public records”), in the same manner as required of the city, and 13 the board of directors and the employees of the corporation shall be subject to the code of ethics 14 set forth in chapter 14 of title 36 ( codes of ethics”). 15 24-13.1-7. Severability. 16 If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any circumstances, shall be held 17 unlawful by any court of competent jurisdiction, that decision shall not affect nor impair the validity 18 of the application of those provisions to other circumstances or the validity of any of the other 19 provisions of this chapter. 20 SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC004023 ======== LC004023 - Page 4 of 5 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT *** 1 This act would create the Crook Point Bridge Authority for the purpose of maintaining the 2 Crook Point Bascule Bridge and any property related thereto. 3 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC004023 ======== LC004023 - Page 5 of 5