2025 -- H 5089
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LC000580
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- HARBORS AND HARBOR L INES
Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Craven, Casimiro, and Cortvriend
Date Introduced: January 16, 2025
Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 46-4-6.2, 46-4-6.3, 46-4-6.4, 46-4-6.5, 46-4-6.6, 46-4-6.7, 46-4-6.8, 1
46-4-6.9, 46-4-6.10, 46-4-6.11, 46-4-6.12, 46-4-6.13, 46-4-6.14, 46-4-6.15, 46-4-6.16 and 46-4-2
6.17 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-4 entitled "Harbors and Harbor Lines" are hereby amended 3
to read as follows: 4
46-4-6.2. Town of Bristol — Powers conferred. 5
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 6
notwithstanding and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 7
the town of Bristol, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Bristol to 8
enact ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or desirable for the enforcement and 9
supervision of any rules and regulations established by the town council governing the public 10
waters and harbors within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and 11
control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within 12
the public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 13
foregoing, the authority and power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to 14
designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary 15
moorings or anchorages may be maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect 16
fees for the use of moorings; to provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for 17
inspection of moorings; to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined 18
in § 42-17.1-46; to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and 19
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exhibitions; and to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to 1
provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of 2
the ordinances not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding 3
ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be recovered 4
to the use of the town. 5
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 6
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 7
amended. 8
46-4-6.3. Town of South Kingstown — Powers conferred. 9
The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding 10
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of South 11
Kingstown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of South Kingstown to 12
authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the town 13
council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 14
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate 15
by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use 16
of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the confines of the town including, 17
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on 18
any of the public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places 19
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 20
remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 21
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-22
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 23
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 24
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or 25
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 26
the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 27
46-4-6.4. Town of North Kingstown — Powers conferred. 28
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 29
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 30
the town of North Kingstown authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 31
North Kingstown to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 32
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 33
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 34
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jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the 1
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 2
confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 3
power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 4
diving, and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places 5
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 6
remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 7
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-8
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 9
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 10
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or 11
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 12
the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 13
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 14
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 15
46-4-6.5. Town of Tiverton — Powers conferred. 16
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 17
notwithstanding and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 18
the town of Tiverton, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Tiverton to 19
authorize for the appointment of a harbor commission and by ordinance grant such authority as the 20
town council may deem necessary or desirable to the harbor commission for the enforcement and 21
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 22
jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the 23
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within the public waters within the 24
confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 25
power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to designate upon a map of the public 26
waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 27
maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect fees for the use of moorings; to 28
provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for inspection of moorings; to provide 29
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46; to provide 30
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the 31
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin 32
diving, and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances not exceeding in 33
amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or 34
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house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 1
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 2
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 3
amended. 4
46-4-6.6. Town of Newport — Powers conferred. 5
The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding, 6
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the city council of the city of Newport, 7
authority shall also be granted to the city council of the city of Newport to authorize for the 8
appointment of a harbor coordinator and by ordinance grant such authority as the city council may 9
deem necessary to the harbor coordinator for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, 10
rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by 11
ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of 12
all anchorages and moorings, within the public waters within the confines of the city including, 13
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on 14
any of the public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the city the places 15
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 16
remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 17
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-18
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 19
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 20
for violators of the ordinances, not to exceed in amount three hundred dollars ($300) or 21
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 22
the fines to be recovered to the use of the city. 23
46-4-6.7. Town of Little Compton — Powers conferred. 24
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 25
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 26
the town of Little Compton, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Little 27
Compton to enact ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or desirable for the 28
enforcement of any rules and regulations established by the town council governing the public 29
waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of 30
all vessels and objects and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within 31
the public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 32
foregoing, the authority and power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to 33
designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary 34
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moorings or anchorages may be maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect 1
fees for the use of moorings, the fees to be recovered for use by the town of Little Compton; to 2
provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide for inspection of moorings; to provide 3
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46; to regulate the 4
location and placement of lobster pots, fish traps, and other fishing gear; to provide regulations for 5
regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the removal of wrecks 6
and derelicts or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba 7
diving; to prevent littering and pollution of its public waters; and to impose penalties for violation 8
of the ordinances not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 9
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be 10
recovered to the use of the town. 11
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 12
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 13
46-4-6.8. Town of Narragansett — Powers conferred. 14
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 15
notwithstanding and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 16
the town of Narragansett, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 17
Narragansett to authorize the appointment of a harbormaster, assistant harbormasters, and a Harbor 18
Management Committee and to enact such ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or 19
desirable for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing 20
the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and 21
control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 22
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 23
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing of any of the public waters, to provide 24
for the regulation of skin diving, and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 25
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 26
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 27
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 28
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 29
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats 30
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 31
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days for any one offense, the fines 32
to be recovered to the use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the 33
cost of removing any wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks from the owner or persons 34
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responsible for the wrecks, derelicts, abandoned boats, or docks by suit in either the district court 1
or the superior court of Washington County. 2
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 3
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 4
46-4-6.9. Town of Jamestown — Powers conferred. 5
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions notwithstanding, and in addition 6
to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of Jamestown, authority 7
shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Jamestown to enact ordinances as the town 8
council may deem necessary or desirable for the enforcement and supervision of any rules and 9
regulations established by the town council governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and 10
to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, 11
location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within the public waters within the confines of 12
the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to 13
regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to designate upon a map of the public waters 14
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 15
maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect fees for the use of moorings; to 16
provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for inspection of moorings; to provide 17
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46; to provide 18
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the 19
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin 20
diving and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances not exceeding in 21
amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or 22
house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 23
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 24
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 25
amended. 26
46-4-6.10. Town of New Shoreham — Powers conferred. 27
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 28
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority or powers conferred upon the town council of the 29
town of New Shoreham authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of New 30
Shoreham to authorize it for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 31
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 32
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 33
jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, and 34
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the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 1
confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 2
power to prohibit waterskiing on any public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters 3
within the town, the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 4
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to 5
provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 6
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 7
removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties for violators 8
of the ordinances, not to exceed in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 9
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be 10
recovered to the use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the cost 11
of removing any wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks from the owner or persons 12
responsible for the wrecks, derelicts, abandoned boats, or docks by suit in either the district court 13
or the superior court of Washington County. 14
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 15
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 16
amended. 17
46-4-6.11. Town of Charlestown — Powers conferred. 18
(a) In addition to any authority or powers conferred upon the town council of the town of 19
Charlestown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Charlestown to 20
authorize it for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the 21
town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 22
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate 23
by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, and the size, type, location, and 24
use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the confines of the town, 25
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit 26
waterskiing on any said public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the 27
town, the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to 28
assign moorings, to remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide 29
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 30
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 31
removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats, and to impose penalties for violators of the 32
ordinances, not to exceed in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten 33
(10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the 34
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use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the cost of removing any 1
wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats from the owner or persons responsible for the wrecks, 2
derelicts, or abandoned boats by suit in either the district court or the superior court of Washington 3
County. 4
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 5
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 6
amended. 7
46-4-6.12. Town of Middletown — Powers conferred. 8
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 9
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 10
the town of Middletown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 11
Middletown to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 12
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 13
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 14
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 15
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 16
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 17
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 18
for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 19
within the towns the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 20
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 21
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 22
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 23
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 24
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 25
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 26
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of said town. 27
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 28
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 29
46-4-6.13. Town of Portsmouth — Powers conferred. 30
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 31
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 32
the town of Portsmouth authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 33
Portsmouth to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 34
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authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 1
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 2
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 3
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 4
public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 5
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 6
for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 7
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 8
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 9
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 10
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 11
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 12
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 13
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 14
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 15
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 16
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title and, 17
further, the provisions of this section shall not affect the location or assignment of any moorings 18
existing on June 27, 1986, except that those deemed by the harbormaster to be located at an 19
unacceptable site shall be moved should he or she so order. 20
46-4-6.14. Town of East Greenwich — Powers conferred. 21
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 22
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 23
the town of East Greenwich, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of East 24
Greenwich to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 25
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 26
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 27
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 28
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 29
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 30
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 31
for the regulation of skindiving and scubadiving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 32
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 33
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 34
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to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 1
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 2
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 3
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 4
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 5
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 6
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 7
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 8
46-4-6.15. Town of Cranston — Powers conferred. 9
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 10
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the city council of the 11
city of Cranston, authority shall also be granted to the city council of the city of Cranston to 12
authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the said 13
city council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 14
ordinances, rules and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by 15
ordinance the speed, management and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, 16
size, type, location and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 17
confines of the city including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 18
power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 19
diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the city the places 20
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 21
remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 22
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-23
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 24
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 25
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in an amount of one hundred dollars ($100) or 26
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 27
the fines to be recovered to the use of the city. 28
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 29
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 30
46-4-6.16. Town of Warren — Powers conferred. 31
(a) The provision of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding 32
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of Warren, 33
authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Warren to authorize for the 34
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appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the town council may deem 1
necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, rules, and 2
regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, 3
management, and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, size, type, location, 4
and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the confines of the town 5
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit 6
waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba 7
diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent 8
or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, 9
to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to 10
provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 11
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 12
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties for violation 13
of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 14
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be 15
recovered to the use of said town. 16
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 17
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 18
46-4-6.17. Town of Westerly — Powers conferred. 19
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 20
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 21
the town of Westerly, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Westerly 22
to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the 23
town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 24
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by 25
ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, 26
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 27
confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 28
power to prohibit water-skiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 29
diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the towns the places 30
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 31
remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 32
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-33
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 34
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provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 1
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or 2
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 3
the fines to be recovered to the use of said town. 4
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 5
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 6
SECTION 2. Chapter 42-17.1 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Environmental 7
Management" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 8
42-17.1-46. Definition of "houseboat". 9
For purposes of this chapter: 10
"Houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel constructed on a float, raft, or 11
barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used as a place of habitation and/or 12
multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. If used as a means of 13
transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and waterborne hotels and 14
restaurants. 15
SECTION 3. Section 46-22-9.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-22 entitled "Regulation 16
of Boats" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17
46-22-9.1. Houseboats — Exclusion from coastal ponds. 18
(a) No person shall live on a houseboat on any coastal pond in this state. 19
(b) As used in this section, “houseboat,” means a building constructed on a float, raft, or 20
barge that is used for single or multiple family habitation or is represented as a place of business. 21
If used as a means of transportation, this use is secondary. “Houseboat” includes platforms, and 22
waterborne hotels and restaurants "houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel 23
constructed on a float, raft, or barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used 24
as a place of habitation and/or multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. 25
If used as a means of transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and 26
waterborne hotels and restaurants. 27
(c) A “coastal pond”, as used in this section, shall be as designated or defined in the rules 28
and regulations of the coastal resources management council. 29
SECTION 4. Chapter 46-23 of the General Laws entitled "Coastal Resources Management 30
Council" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 31
46-23-27. Definition of "houseboat". 32
For purposes of this chapter: 33
"Houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel constructed on a float, raft, or 34
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barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used as a place of habitation and/or 1
multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. If used as a means of 2
transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and waterborne hotels and 3
restaurants. 4
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage. 5
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- HARBORS AND HARBOR LINES
***
This act would amend the definition of a "houseboat" to include motorized or non-1
motorized vessels. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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