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Enacted

Rhode Island transfers negotiation authority for large submerged land activities to the legislature

Original title: AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (Provides that the legislature would be the body that negotiates on behalf of the state for all activities occurring in, on and over state submerged land extending beyond twenty-five (25) acres.)

Last action · June 23, 2026: Signed by GovernorSponsors: Tina Spears and 9 others

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

State law is updated to designate the legislature as the negotiating body for all activities occurring in, on, and over extending beyond twenty-five acres.

Why it matters

Shifts a major administrative and negotiating role over state water and navigation resources directly to the General Assembly for projects exceeding twenty-five acres.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Coastal Resources Management Council

State submerged land negotiation authority for projects exceeding twenty-five acres is shifted to the legislature.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who negotiates state activities on large submerged lands now?
The legislature serves as the negotiating body on behalf of the state for activities occurring in, on, and over extending beyond twenty-five acres.
What size threshold triggers legislative negotiation?
The threshold is extending beyond twenty-five (25) acres.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

14 actions
  1. Jun 23, 2026Enrolled
    Signed by Governor
  2. Jun 18, 2026
    Transmitted to Governor
  3. Jun 9, 2026Floor
    Senate passed in concurrence
  4. Jun 5, 2026
    Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (06/09/2026)
  5. Jun 2, 2026Floor
    Committee recommends passage in concurrence
  6. May 29, 2026
    Scheduled for consideration (06/02/2026)
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. May 22, 2026Committee
    Referred to Senate Environment and Agriculture
  2. May 12, 2026Floor
    House read and passed
  3. May 1, 2026
    Placed on House Calendar (05/12/2026)
  4. Apr 30, 2026Floor
    Committee recommends passage
  5. Apr 24, 2026
    Scheduled for consideration (04/30/2026)
  6. Mar 10, 2026
    Committee recommended measure be held for further study
  7. Mar 6, 2026
    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2026)
  8. Feb 11, 2026Introduced
    Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Connected Entities

Coastal Resources Management Council
OrganizationCoastal Resources Management Council“Mentioned in the act relating to waters and navigation”Map →

Sources

Open source document

status.rilegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy50
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz35
    Current news / social attention level

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