Rhode Island § 37-6-2 - Acquisition of Land

§ 37-6-2. Rules, regulations, and procedures of committee.

(a) The state properties committee is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt and prescribe rules of procedure and regulations, and from time to time amend, change, and eliminate rules and regulations, and make such orders and perform such actions as it may deem necessary to the proper administration of this chapter and §§ 37-7-1 — 37-7-9. In the performance of the commission’s duties hereunder, the commission may in any particular case prescribe a variation in procedure or regulation when it shall deem it necessary in view of the exigencies of the case and the importance of speedy action in order to carry out the intent and purpose of this chapter and §§ 37-7-1 — 37-7-9. The commission shall file written notice thereof in the office of the secretary of state. All filings shall be available for public inspection.

(b) The following siting criteria shall be utilized whenever current existing leases expire or additional office space is needed:

(1) A preference shall be given to sites designated as enterprise zone census tracts pursuant to chapter 64.3 of title 42, or in blighted and/or substandard areas pursuant to § 45-31-8, or in downtown commercial areas where it can be shown the facilities would make a significant impact on the economic vitality of the community’s central business district;

(2) Consideration should be given to adequate access via public transportation for both employees as well as the public being served, and, where appropriate, adequate parking; and

(3) A site must be consistent with the respective community’s local comprehensive plan.

(4) [Deleted by P.L. 2019, ch. 191, § 1 and P.L. 2019, ch. 244, § 1.]

(c) The state properties committee shall explain, in writing, how each site selected by the committee for a state facility meets the criteria described in subsection (b) of this section.

(d) For any lease, rental agreement, or extension of an existing rental agreement for leased office and operating space that carries a term of five (5) years or longer, including any options or extensions that bring the total term to five (5) years or longer, where the state is the tenant and the aggregate rent of the terms exceeds five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), the state properties committee shall request approval of the general assembly prior to entering into any new agreements or signing any extensions with existing landlords. The state properties committee, in the form of a resolution, shall provide information relating to the purpose of the lease or rental agreement, the agency’s current lease or rental costs, the expiration date of any present lease or rental agreement, the range of costs of a new lease or rental agreement, the proposed term of a new agreement, and the location and owner of the desired property.