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H 7845Rights & Warranties

Commercial Law - General Regulatory Provisions - Rhode Island Marina Users' Bill of Rights

This bill establishes consumer rights for boat owners, including protections against unfair fees, restrictions on service providers, and price gouging.

Introduced
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Corporations

Plain-English Summary

This legislation creates the "Rhode Island Marina Users' Bill of Rights." It establishes specific protections for boat owners, including the right to hire independent service providers without paying marina fees, the right to itemized invoices, and the ability to sell a vessel without paying a commission to the marina unless the marina acts as the broker. It also imposes rent control measures on marinas with common ownership in the same municipality, limiting annual fee increases and requiring slip owner approval for special assessments. Violations allow for civil lawsuits with a minimum of $1,000 in damages.

For younger readers

This new rule helps people who own boats and park them at a marina, which is like a parking lot for boats. It gives boat owners a list of rights to make sure they are treated fairly. For example, they can choose who fixes their boat instead of being forced to use the marina's workers. It also says they can put a "For Sale" sign on their boat. If the marina breaks these rules, the boat owner can ask a judge for help and might get money back.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Boat ownersMarina ownersMarine service techniciansBoat brokersMarina staff
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

The price control provisions in Section 6-63-2(12), which limit fee increases and require slip owner votes for assessments, could be challenged under the Contracts Clause or as a regulatory taking. Regulating the internal pricing and management structure of private businesses (marinas) raises due process concerns. However, states generally have broad police powers to regulate commercial transactions and consumer protection, so while a Constitutional challenge is possible, the outcome is uncertain.

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Protects consumers from predatory pricing, bundling practices, and monopolistic behavior by marina owners.
  • Empowers independent service providers and laborers to work on vessels without paying "gate fees" to marina owners, promoting fair labor access.
  • Implements rent control measures on consolidated marina ownership, preventing excessive fee hikes and protecting boat owners from corporate price gouging.
  • Focuses legislative energy and resources on protecting owners of luxury assets (boats) rather than addressing essential needs like housing or food insecurity.
  • Prioritizes price controls for recreational storage over affordable housing protections for low-income residents who face similar rent hikes.
  • May lead to increased litigation costs for small business owners, which could eventually impact wages for marina staff.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens private property rights by ensuring boat owners have full access to and control over their own vessels without interference.
  • Promotes free market competition by allowing boat owners to shop around for the best service providers rather than being forced to use a single vendor.
  • Increases transparency in billing and restricts the forced disclosure of private financial documents to third parties.
  • Imposes heavy-handed government regulations on private marina businesses, dictating how they must operate and contract with customers.
  • Enacts government price controls on dock fees and assessments, violating the principles of a free market economy and private enterprise.
  • Encourages lawsuits against business owners by establishing a private right of action with statutory damages for various operational infractions.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 56 additions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Title 6 of the General Laws entitled "COMMERCIAL LAW — GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 6-63-1. Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Marina Users’ Bill of Rights Act.” 6-63-2. Rights enumerated. All owners of boats are hereby granted the following rights:

(1) The right to have access to the boat, and the right for service providers to have access to the boat, whether in slip, mooring, or outside storage area, whenever necessary for the safety and repair of the vessel, given reasonable work requirements are met which align with local, state and federal regulations.

(2) The right to lease slip, mooring, or land storage from a marina without being required to use that marina for additional services to the vessel.

(3) The right to hire a service provider to work on the boat, or personal property, within the lease space, without fees or financial penalties assessed by the marina where the boat is located.

(4) The right to privacy and confidentiality of financial and contractual documents; a boat owner, crew, or service provider shall not be required to present invoices or private contracts to a marina or other third party.

(5) The right to request references and certifications from the technician who is actually working on your vessel, and the right to speak to that technician about the work being done.

(6) The right to an itemized invoice and full explanation of charges, including products and services purchased, the wholesale or provider cost or dealer invoice along with a description and amount of any markup or discount for membership or other reasons and warranty and return policies.

(7) The right to request estimates, shop around for the best company to furnish goods and services, and invite that outfit to freely board your vessel to perform the contracted work.

(8) The right to store the vessel at a residence or at another facility during the winter lay- up without risk of losing your summer slip.

(9) The right to sell the boat without paying the marina a commission on the sale, unless they act as the contracted broker.

(10) The right to post a for sale sign on your boat.

(11) The right to consumer protection by the Rhode Island attorney general’s office, including the right to file a complaint, receive a prompt response and attention to the matter, and the attorney general’s enforcement of your rights on your behalf, including penalties to the violators of your rights.

(12) Whenever any marina is owned or controlled by a person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity, directly or through common ownership with another marina based in the same municipality then the following provisions shall also apply:

(i) Dock fees, slip fees or other costs for maintenance of a slip shall be set no more than once per year and the cost from one year to the next shall not rise more than ten percent (10%) or two percent (2%) above the consumer price index for the prior year as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, whichever is higher.

(ii) No special assessments or additional fees shall be imposed on any slip owner unless a majority of the slip owners at a single site who benefit from the assessment vote in favor of the assessment. In no event may an assessment be more than one-year slip fee. Special assessments may only be imposed in the event of structural improvements, capital expenditures, rehabilitation or storm damage repair and may not be used for expenses associated with regular operations, salaries of the marina staff, owners or affiliates, or maintenance of profit, or any other item not specifically permitted by this subsection.

(13) Private right of action.

(i) In addition to the rights declared in this chapter, anyone aggrieved or damaged as a result of a violation of one of the rights enumerated herein shall have a private right of action against the marina for the recovery of the damages or the set statutory sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever is more.

(ii) In addition to the remedies available in subsection (13)(i) of this section, in the event of a violation of the rights enumerated under subsections (2), (3), (7), (8) and/or (12) of this section, the person(s) aggrieved or damaged shall be entitled to the remedies available under chapter 36 of this title in a civil action.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.