Rhode Island § 5-70-19 - Telecommunications

§ 5-70-19. Local laws — Codes.

(a) Immediately upon July 12, 1994, no local government subdivision within this state shall enact any ordinance or promulgate any rules or regulations relating to the licensing of telecommunications systems businesses or other individuals required to obtain a license under this chapter.

(b) Sixty (60) days after enactment of this chapter, any provision of any legislation or rules or regulations of any local government subdivision within the state requiring the licensing of a telecommunications systems business or requiring that other individuals employed by or associated with a telecommunications systems business obtain licenses shall no longer be effective.

(c) The provisions of this chapter are not intended to and do not prevent the legally constituted authority of any local government subdivision within the state by legislation, rules, or regulations, and within the police power of that local government subdivision, from requiring telecommunications systems businesses to register their names, addresses, and license certificate number with the local government subdivision within which they operate. No fee may be charged nor may any application be required by any local government subdivision for that registration.

(d) Although this chapter preempts local government subdivisions from enacting any licensing legislation or promulgating licensing rules or regulations applicable to telecommunications systems businesses, local governmental authorities may by legislation or reasonable rules or regulations require telecommunications systems users in their jurisdiction to obtain a permit for the permanent installation of system components at the time of installation and fix a nominal fee for those permits. The fees shall be equivalent to those assessed for the installation and inspection of other systems permanently installed within a building or structure.