2025 -- H 5190
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LC000782
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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 TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES
Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Casimiro, Craven, Cortvriend, and Fogarty
Date Introduced: January 24, 2025
Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 44-5-25.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-5 entitled "Levy and 1
Assessment of Local Taxes" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
44-5-25.1. Houseboats — Taxation — Definitions. 3
All houseboats being used as a principal or temporary place of residence or domicile by a 4
person shall be taxed as personal property by the local tax assessor. For the purposes of this section, 5
“houseboat” means a watercraft or an industrial or commercial structure on or in the waters of the 6
state, floating or nonfloating, which is designed or remodeled as a place of habitation and is not 7
principally used for transportation, and this definition includes platforms and waterborne hotels and 8
restaurants motorized or non-motorized vessel constructed on a float, raft, or barge with low 9
freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used as a place of habitation and/or multi-purpose 10
accommodation which is registered or unregistered. If used as a means of transportation, this use 11
is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and waterborne hotels and restaurants; “local tax 12
assessor”, for the purposes of this section, means the assessor for the city or town within whose 13
harbor line the houseboat is physically situated. 14
SECTION 2. 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, 15
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 46-4-16
6.17 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-4 entitled "Harbors and Harbor Lines" are hereby amended 17
to read as follows: 18
46-4-6.2. Town of Bristol — Powers conferred. 19
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(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 1
notwithstanding and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 2
the town of Bristol, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Bristol to 3
enact ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or desirable for the enforcement and 4
supervision of any rules and regulations established by the town council governing the public 5
waters and harbors within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and 6
control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within 7
the public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 8
foregoing, the authority and power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to 9
designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary 10
moorings or anchorages may be maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect 11
fees for the use of moorings; to provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for 12
inspection of moorings; to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined 13
in § 42-17.1-46; to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and 14
exhibitions; and to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to 15
provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of 16
the ordinances not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding 17
ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be recovered 18
to the use of the town. 19
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 20
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 21
amended. 22
46-4-6.3. Town of South Kingstown — Powers conferred. 23
The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding 24
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of South 25
Kingstown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of South Kingstown to 26
authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the town 27
council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 28
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate 29
by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use 30
of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the confines of the town including, 31
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on 32
any of the public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places 33
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 34
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remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 1
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-2
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 3
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 4
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or 5
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 6
the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 7
46-4-6.4. Town of North Kingstown — 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 North Kingstown authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 11
North Kingstown 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 and the 15
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 16
confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 17
power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 18
diving, and scuba diving, 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 set and 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
(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
46-4-6.5. Town of Tiverton — 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 Tiverton, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Tiverton to 33
authorize for the appointment of a harbor commission and by ordinance grant such authority as the 34
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town council may deem necessary or desirable to the harbor commission for the enforcement and 1
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 2
jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the 3
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within the public waters within the 4
confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 5
power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to designate upon a map of the public 6
waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 7
maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect fees for the use of moorings; to 8
provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for inspection of moorings; to provide 9
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46; to provide 10
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the 11
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin 12
diving, and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances not exceeding in 13
amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or 14
house of correction for any one offense and 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, as 17
amended. 18
46-4-6.6. Town of Newport — Powers conferred. 19
The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding, 20
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the city council of the city of Newport, 21
authority shall also be granted to the city council of the city of Newport to authorize for the 22
appointment of a harbor coordinator and by ordinance grant such authority as the city council may 23
deem necessary to the harbor coordinator for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, 24
rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by 25
ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of 26
all anchorages and moorings, within the public waters within the confines of the city including, 27
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on 28
any of the public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the city the places 29
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 30
remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 31
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-32
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 33
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 34
LC000782 - Page 5 of 14
for violators of the ordinances, not to exceed in amount three hundred dollars ($300) or 1
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 2
the fines to be recovered to the use of the city. 3
46-4-6.7. Town of Little Compton — Powers conferred. 4
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 5
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 6
the town of Little Compton, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Little 7
Compton to enact ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or desirable for the 8
enforcement of any rules and regulations established by the town council governing the public 9
waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of 10
all vessels and objects and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within 11
the public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 12
foregoing, the authority and power to regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to 13
designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent or temporary 14
moorings or anchorages may be maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect 15
fees for the use of moorings, the fees to be recovered for use by the town of Little Compton; 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 regulate the 18
location and placement of lobster pots, fish traps, and other fishing gear; to provide regulations for 19
regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the removal of wrecks 20
and derelicts or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba 21
diving; to prevent littering and pollution of its public waters; and to impose penalties for violation 22
of the ordinances not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 23
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be 24
recovered to the use of the town. 25
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 26
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 27
46-4-6.8. Town of Narragansett — 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 Narragansett, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 31
Narragansett to authorize the appointment of a harbormaster, assistant harbormasters, and a Harbor 32
Management Committee and to enact such ordinances as the town council may deem necessary or 33
desirable for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing 34
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the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and 1
control of all vessels and the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 2
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 3
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing of any of the public waters, to provide 4
for the regulation of skin diving, and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 5
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 6
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 7
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 8
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 9
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats 10
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 11
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days for any one offense, the fines 12
to be recovered to the use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the 13
cost of removing any wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks from the owner or persons 14
responsible for the wrecks, derelicts, abandoned boats, or docks by suit in either the district court 15
or the superior court of Washington County. 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
46-4-6.9. Town of Jamestown — Powers conferred. 19
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions notwithstanding, and in addition 20
to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of Jamestown, authority 21
shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Jamestown to enact ordinances as the town 22
council may deem necessary or desirable for the enforcement and supervision of any rules and 23
regulations established by the town council governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and 24
to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels and the size, type, 25
location, and use of all anchorages and moorages within the public waters within the confines of 26
the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to 27
regulate waterskiing upon any of the public waters; to designate upon a map of the public waters 28
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 29
maintained; to assign moorings; to remove moorings; to collect fees for the use of moorings; to 30
provide for minimum mooring specifications; to provide for inspection of moorings; to provide 31
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46; to provide 32
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions; to provide for the 33
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks; to provide for the regulation of skin 34
LC000782 - Page 7 of 14
diving and scuba diving; and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances not exceeding in 1
amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or 2
house of correction for any one offense and the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 3
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 4
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 5
amended. 6
46-4-6.10. Town of New Shoreham — Powers conferred. 7
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 8
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority or powers conferred upon the town council of the 9
town of New Shoreham authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of New 10
Shoreham to authorize it for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 11
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 12
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 13
jurisdiction, and to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, and 14
the size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 15
confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 16
power to prohibit waterskiing on any public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters 17
within the town, the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 18
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to 19
provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 20
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 21
removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties for violators 22
of the ordinances, not to exceed in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 23
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be 24
recovered to the use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the cost 25
of removing any wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats or docks from the owner or persons 26
responsible for the wrecks, derelicts, abandoned boats, or docks by suit in either the district court 27
or the superior court of Washington County. 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, as 30
amended. 31
46-4-6.11. Town of Charlestown — Powers conferred. 32
(a) In addition to any authority or powers conferred upon the town council of the town of 33
Charlestown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Charlestown to 34
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authorize it for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the 1
town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 2
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, and to regulate 3
by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, and the size, type, location, and 4
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 said public waters, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the 7
town, the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to 8
assign moorings, to remove moorings, to collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide 9
regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 10
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 11
removal of wrecks or derelicts or abandoned boats, and to impose penalties for violators of the 12
ordinances, not to exceed in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten 13
(10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the 14
use of the town. The town council shall also have the authority to recover the cost of removing any 15
wreck or derelicts or abandoned boats from the owner or persons responsible for the wrecks, 16
derelicts, or abandoned boats by suit in either the district court or the superior court of Washington 17
County. 18
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 19
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title, as 20
amended. 21
46-4-6.12. Town of Middletown — Powers conferred. 22
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 23
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 24
the town of Middletown, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 25
Middletown to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 26
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 27
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 28
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 29
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 30
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 31
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 32
for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 33
within the towns the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 34
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maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 1
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 2
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 3
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 4
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 5
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 6
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of said town. 7
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 8
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 9
46-4-6.13. Town of Portsmouth — Powers conferred. 10
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws 11
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 12
the town of Portsmouth authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of 13
Portsmouth to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 14
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 15
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 16
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 17
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 18
public waters within the confines of the town, including, without limiting the generality of the 19
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 20
for the regulation of skin diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 21
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 22
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 23
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 24
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 25
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 26
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 27
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 28
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 29
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 30
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title and, 31
further, the provisions of this section shall not affect the location or assignment of any moorings 32
existing on June 27, 1986, except that those deemed by the harbormaster to be located at an 33
unacceptable site shall be moved should he or she so order. 34
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46-4-6.14. Town of East Greenwich — Powers conferred. 1
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 2
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 3
the town of East Greenwich, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of East 4
Greenwich to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such 5
authority as the town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and 6
supervision of any ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its 7
jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind 8
and power, and the number, size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the 9
public waters within the confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the 10
foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide 11
for the regulation of skindiving and scubadiving, to designate upon a map of the public waters 12
within the town the places where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be 13
maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, 14
to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not 15
self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, 16
tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats 17
or docks, and to impose penalties for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one 18
hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of 19
correction, for any one offense, the fines to be recovered to the use of the town. 20
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 21
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 22
46-4-6.15. Town of Cranston — Powers conferred. 23
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 24
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the city council of the 25
city of Cranston, authority shall also be granted to the city council of the city of Cranston to 26
authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the said 27
city council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 28
ordinances, rules and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by 29
ordinance the speed, management and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, 30
size, type, location and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 31
confines of the city including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 32
power to prohibit waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 33
diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the city the places 34
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where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 1
remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 2
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-3
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 4
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 5
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in an amount of one hundred dollars ($100) or 6
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 7
the fines to be recovered to the use of the city. 8
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 9
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 10
46-4-6.16. Town of Warren — Powers conferred. 11
(a) The provision of § 46-22-14 or any other provisions of the general laws notwithstanding 12
and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of the town of Warren, 13
authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Warren to authorize for the 14
appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the town council may deem 15
necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any ordinances, rules, and 16
regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by ordinance the speed, 17
management, and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, size, type, location, 18
and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the confines of the town 19
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and power to prohibit 20
waterskiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin diving and scuba 21
diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the town the places where permanent 22
or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to remove moorings, 23
to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring specifications, to 24
provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-17.1-46, to provide 25
regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to provide for the 26
removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties for violation 27
of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment not 28
exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, the fines to be 29
recovered to the use of said town. 30
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 31
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 32
46-4-6.17. Town of Westerly — Powers conferred. 33
(a) The provisions of § 46-22-14, or any other provisions of the general laws 34
LC000782 - Page 12 of 14
notwithstanding, and in addition to any authority and powers conferred upon the town council of 1
the town of Westerly, authority shall also be granted to the town council of the town of Westerly 2
to authorize for the appointment of a harbormaster and by ordinance grant such authority as the 3
town council may deem necessary to the harbormaster for the enforcement and supervision of any 4
ordinances, rules, and regulations governing the public waters within its jurisdiction, to regulate by 5
ordinance the speed, management, and control of all vessels, both wind and power, and the number, 6
size, type, location, and use of all anchorages and moorings within the public waters within the 7
confines of the town including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the authority and 8
power to prohibit water-skiing on any of the public waters, to provide for the regulation of skin 9
diving and scuba diving, to designate upon a map of the public waters within the towns the places 10
where permanent or temporary moorings or anchorages may be maintained, to assign moorings, to 11
remove moorings, to set and collect a fee for the use of moorings, to provide for minimum mooring 12
specifications, to provide regulations for houseboats that are not self-propelled as defined in § 42-13
17.1-46, to provide regulations for regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, and exhibitions, to 14
provide for the removal of wrecks or derelict or abandoned boats or docks, and to impose penalties 15
for violation of the ordinances, not exceeding in amount one hundred dollars ($100) or 16
imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days in some jail or house of correction, for any one offense, 17
the fines to be recovered to the use of said town. 18
(b) No powers or duties granted herein shall be construed to abrogate the powers or duties 19
granted to the coastal resources management council as provided in chapter 23 of this title. 20
SECTION 3. Chapter 42-17.1 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Environmental 21
Management" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 22
42-17.1-46. Definition of "houseboat". 23
For purposes of this chapter: 24
"Houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel constructed on a float, raft, or 25
barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used as a place of habitation and/or 26
multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. If used as a means of 27
transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and waterborne hotels and 28
restaurants. 29
SECTION 4. Section 46-22-9.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-22 entitled "Regulation 30
of Boats" is hereby amended to read as follows: 31
46-22-9.1. Houseboats — Exclusion from coastal ponds. 32
(a) No person shall live on a houseboat on any coastal pond in this state. 33
(b) As used in this section, “houseboat,” means a building constructed on a float, raft, or 34
LC000782 - Page 13 of 14
barge that is used for single or multiple family habitation or is represented as a place of business. 1
If used as a means of transportation, this use is secondary. “Houseboat” includes platforms, and 2
waterborne hotels and restaurants "houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel 3
constructed on a float, raft, or barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used 4
as a place of habitation and/or multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. 5
If used as a means of transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and 6
waterborne hotels and restaurants. 7
(c) A “coastal pond”, as used in this section, shall be as designated or defined in the rules 8
and regulations of the coastal resources management council. 9
SECTION 5. Chapter 46-23 of the General Laws entitled "Coastal Resources Management 10
Council" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 11
46-23-27. Definition of "houseboat". 12
For purposes of this chapter: 13
"Houseboat" means a motorized or non-motorized vessel constructed on a float, raft, or 14
barge with low freeboard, little or no foredeck or cockpit, that is used as a place of habitation and/or 15
multi-purpose accommodation which is registered or unregistered. If used as a means of 16
transportation, this use is secondary. "Houseboat" includes platforms, and waterborne hotels and 17
restaurants. 18
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect upon passage. 19
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES
***
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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LC000782
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