Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0062 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0062
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LONG-TERM ECONOMIC
16	16	DEVELOPMENT
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Lauria, Euer, DiMario, Lawson, Britto, LaMountain, Murray,
18	18	Valverde, Ujifusa, and Miller
19	19	Date Introduced: February 01, 2023
20	20	Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Section 42-64.17-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-64.17 entitled "Long-1
25	25	Term Economic Development" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
26	26	42-64.17-1. Long-term economic development vision and policy. 3
27	27	(a) The economic development corporation and the division of planning shall develop a 4
28	28	written long-term economic development vision and policy for the state of Rhode Island and a 5
29	29	strategic plan for implementing this policy. Such a plan shall include, but not be limited to: 6
30	30	(1) A unified economic development strategy for the state that integrates business growth 7
31	31	with land use and transportation choices; 8
32	32	(2) An analysis of how the state’s infrastructure can best support this unified economic 9
33	33	development strategy; 10
34	34	(3) A focus and prioritization that the outcomes of the economic development strategy be 11
35	35	equitable for all Rhode Islanders; 12
36	36	(4) Reliance on comprehensive economic data and analysis relating to Rhode Island’s 13
37	37	economic competitiveness, business climate, climate change, sea-level rise, coastal resiliency, 14
38	38	national and regional reputation, and present economic development resources; 15
39	39	(5) Suggestions for improving and expanding the skills, abilities, and resources of state 16
40	40	agencies, municipalities, and community partners to speed implementation of the plan’s 17
41	41	recommendations; and 18
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45	45	(6) The inclusion of detailed implementation plans, including stated goals, specific 1
46	46	performance measures and indicators. 2
47	47	(b) On or before October 31, 2014, the economic development corporation and the division 3
48	48	of planning shall submit the written long-term economic development vision and policy and 4
49	49	implementation plan to the governor, the senate and the house of representatives. 5
50	50	(c) Beginning January 1, 2015, and during the first year of each new or re-elected 6
51	51	gubernatorial administration thereafter, the governor shall convene an economic development 7
52	52	planning council consisting of no fewer than seventeen (17) nineteen (19) members as follows: 8
53	53	(1)(i) The director of the economic development corporation secretary of commerce who 9
54	54	shall serve as chair, until such time that the secretary of commerce is appointed; 10
55	55	(ii) Upon his or her appointment, the secretary of commerce shall replace the director of 11
56	56	the economic development corporation as a member, and shall serve as chair; 12
57	57	(2) The director of the department of administration; 13
58	58	(3) The director of the department of revenue; 14
59	59	(4) The director of the department of labor and training; 15
60	60	(5) The director of the department of transportation; 16
61	61	(6) The director of the department of business regulation; 17
62	62	(7) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education; 18
63	63	(8) The commissioner of higher education; 19
64	64	(9) The director of the department of environmental management; 20
65	65	(10) The director of the coastal resources management council; 21
66	66	(9)(11) One member who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 22
67	67	(10)(12) One member who shall be appointed by the president of the senate; and 23
68	68	(11)(13) Seven (7) members who shall be appointed by the governor as follows: one of 24
69	69	whom shall be a representative from the league of cities and towns; one of whom shall be a 25
70	70	representative from a chamber of commerce; one of whom shall be from a nonprofit organization 26
71	71	representing a major industry sector in Rhode Island; one of whom shall represent a business with 27
72	72	more than one hundred (100) employees located in Rhode Island; one of whom shall represent a 28
73	73	business with fewer than one hundred (100) employees located in Rhode Island; one of whom shall 29
74	74	be from a venture capital firm with a principal place of business in Rhode Island; and one of whom 30
75	75	shall represent a private sector labor union. Any department director appointed as a member of the 31
76	76	council may appoint a designee from his or her respective agency to represent him/her on the 32
77	77	council. Members of the council shall serve for a term of one year or until an economic development 33
78	78	policy has been approved by the governor under this section. 34
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82	82	(d) The economic development planning council and, upon his or her appointment, the 1
83	83	secretary of commerce, shall develop a written long-term economic development vision and policy 2
84	84	for the state and a strategic plan for implementing the policy. In developing the policy, the council 3
85	85	shall review and consider the published economic development policy and implementation plan in 4
86	86	effect at the commencement of the governor’s term of office. The policy shall set long term goals 5
87	87	and measurable benchmarks which are not limited to a particular gubernatorial administration and 6
88	88	shall give consideration to any impacts the plan may have on businesses employing ten (10) or 7
89	89	fewer people. The strategic plan shall include any major economic development initiatives and 8
90	90	programs in effect at the time of the plan’s creation. In developing the policy the council may hold 9
91	91	public hearings throughout the state. 10
92	92	(e) Once the policy and plan have been adopted by the council and, upon his or her 11
93	93	appointment, the secretary of commerce, shall submit the policy and plan to the senate and house 12
94	94	of representatives. The final approval of the policy and plan by the governor shall not be granted 13
95	95	until the house and senate have conducted a public hearing on the policy and plan. The approved 14
96	96	policy and plan shall be published in writing and on the official website of the state no later than 15
97	97	December 31 of that year. 16
98	98	(f) The economic development corporation shall be responsible for providing staff to 17
99	99	support the work of the council, and the division of planning shall also provide staff support. All 18
100	100	departments represented on the council shall cooperate with the economic development corporation 19
101	101	and the division of planning to facilitate the purposes of this chapter. 20
102	102	(g) Subject to funding, the council shall be able to hire consultants and related assistance 21
103	103	to provide the type of analysis necessary to inform and perform their work. 22
104	104	(h) All departments, offices, boards and agencies of the state shall cooperate with the 23
105	105	economic development planning council and furnish such administrative and staff support, advice, 24
106	106	information, documentary and otherwise, data and data analysis, and other support as may be 25
107	107	necessary or desirable. 26
108	108	(i) In carrying out the responsibility under this order, the council may: 27
109	109	(1) Accept grant funds and in-kind contributions from governmental and private entities; 28
110	110	(2) Hold public hearings; 29
111	111	(3) Invite experts and other witnesses to submit testimony; and 30
112	112	(4) Contract with experts and consultants as necessary to inform deliberations and 31
113	113	recommendations. 32
114	114	(j) In addition to any other applicable law, rules or regulations, the economic development 33
115	115	planning council shall be subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, title 42, chapter 46 34
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119	119	of the Rhode Island general laws, and the Public Records Act, title 38, chapter 2 of the Rhode Island 1
120	120	general laws. 2
121	121	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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128	128	EXPLANATION
129	129	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
130	130	OF
131	131	A N A C T
132	132	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LONG-TERM ECONOMIC
133	133	DEVELOPMENT
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135	135	This act would add climate change, sea-level rise and coastal resiliency to the analysis of 1
136	136	data of the strategic plan for economic development policy. This act would also change the number 2
137	137	of members of the economic development planning council from seventeen (17) to nineteen (19) 3
138	138	by adding the directors of the department of environmental management and coastal resources 4
139	139	management council. 5
140	140	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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