Commerce

Requires all public utilities to maintain a customer service facility within the state to perform services such as addressing customer inquiries and accepting bill payments.

Makes a series of amendments and adds new provisions of law to address business identity theft and deceptive solicitations sent to businesses and the unauthorized formation of entities.

This bill updates Rhode Island's business laws by replacing the existing Limited Liability Company Act with a newer model and adding requirements for professional limited liability partnerships to carry liability insurance or set aside segregated funds. The new insurance requirement applies to registered limited liability partnerships that perform professional services, mandating coverage based on the number of professional employees with a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $500,000, or alternatively allowing partnerships to deposit funds in trust or use bank letters of credit. The bill also includes provisions that prevent insurance details from being disclosed to juries if compliance is met, and it repeals the current Limited Liability Company Act to incorporate the updated definitions and regulations. These changes directly affect business owners, managers, and legal professionals who operate limited liability partnerships or companies in Rhode Island.

Extends certain protocols applicable to motor vehicle manufacturers to their distributors and factory branches, as well as updates warranty reimbursement and recalls obligation policies.

This bill prohibits the Quonset Development Corporation from allowing any thermal waste conversion facilities, such as pyrolysis plants, to be built or operated within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park. The legislation defines these facilities as those that use high heat to turn solid waste into energy or fuel and applies to all land managed by the corporation. It includes a "sunset clause" that will automatically end the ban on February 1, 2027, unless renewed. Additionally, the law protects any projects already underway before the bill takes effect from being shut down.