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S 2767Public Services

Public Utilities and Carriers - Rhode Island Utility Fair Share Roadway Repair Act

Public utility companies must notify nearby property owners 48 hours before completely closing a road for repairs.

Held for study
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Commerce

Plain-English Summary

This legislation creates a new requirement for public utility companies operating in Rhode Island. If a utility company needs to perform repairs or work that necessitates the complete closure of any part of a state or municipal road, they must provide advance warning. Specifically, the company is required to notify all residential and business property owners located within 1,000 feet of the closure. This notification must be provided at least 48 hours before the scheduled roadwork begins.

For younger readers

Sometimes companies that provide electricity, water, or gas need to fix things under the street. If they need to close the whole street to do this work, this new rule says they have to tell the neighbors first. Specifically, they must tell anyone who owns a home or business within 1,000 feet of the work area. They have to give this warning at least two days before they close the road so that people can plan ahead.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Public utility companiesResidential property ownersBusiness property ownersCommutersEmergency services
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Ensures that working-class residents and local small businesses receive adequate warning about disruptions, allowing them to plan alternate travel or delivery routes to minimize economic impact.
  • Increases corporate accountability by mandating that public utility companies actively communicate with the communities they operate in, rather than disrupting neighborhoods without warning.
  • Promotes community welfare and reduces stress for residents by providing transparency regarding infrastructure work that directly impacts their daily lives and access to their homes.
  • Specifies notice to "property owners," which may inadvertently exclude renters and tenants from receiving direct notification, leaving vulnerable populations uninformed about disruptions in their immediate neighborhood.
  • Lacks specific language regarding the method of notification (e.g., mail vs. door knock), which could allow utilities to use ineffective communication methods that fail to actually reach lower-income residents.
  • Does not appear to include specific penalties or enforcement mechanisms if utility companies fail to comply, potentially allowing corporations to ignore the mandate without consequence.
For Conservatives
  • Protects the rights of property owners and businesses by ensuring they are informed about government-sanctioned disruptions that affect access to their private property.
  • Helps local businesses maintain operations and manage logistics by providing necessary lead time to adjust for road closures, minimizing government-caused economic loss.
  • Imposes a reasonable standard of professional conduct on public utility monopolies, ensuring they respect the taxpayers and property owners who fund the infrastructure they utilize.
  • Imposes additional regulatory burdens and administrative costs on utility companies, which will likely be passed down to the consumer in the form of higher rates.
  • Creates potential delays in necessary infrastructure repairs and maintenance by enforcing a mandatory waiting period and notification process, hindering efficiency.
  • Mandates a rigid "one-size-fits-all" government notification radius of 1,000 feet, which may be excessive and wasteful in rural areas where few properties are affected.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 5 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 39-2.2 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Utility Fair Share Roadway Repair Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 39-2.2-6. Roadwork closure notice. Any public utility company that needs to completely close any portion of any state or municipal highway, in order to perform roadway repairs or other related work, shall provide to all residential and business property owners located within one thousand feet (1,000 ft) of the road closure, with at least forty-eight (48) hours' notice of the scheduled road closure.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.