House Corporations Committee Meeting Tuesday

House Corporations Committee Meeting Tuesday
 
On Tuesday, January 25^th, at the Rise (approximately 4:30 p.m.), the House Corporations Committee will meet to take testimony on a few bills.  The public will be permitted to submit written testimony, verbal testimony by telephone, or verbal testimony in person – mask required.  The hearing will take place in room 101 at the State House.
 
H.6628, An Act Relating to Corporation – Limited Liability Companies is a holdover bill from 2021.  While the committee is not required to take testimony on this bill, it appears they might do so.  H.6628, addresses the process that is set in motion when one or more members of an LLC files for dissolution of the corporation.  The bill allows the non-filing members of an LLC to avoid dissolution by informing the court, prior to the commencement of a hearing, that they wish to purchase the units owned by the petitioner(s).  Time is then given for a fair market value to be determined, and should the parties come to an agreement, the units can be transferred and the corporation saved from dissolution. The bill can be viewed at: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText22/HouseText22/H6628.pdf
 
H.7112, An Act Relating to Motor Vehicles – Parking Facilities and Privileges, requires, starting January 1, 2023, all new parking lots and existing lots that undergo an expansion of the number of parking spaces by 50% or more, to create designated parking spaces for electric vehicles.  Each electric vehicle parking space must have either an EV-ready or EV-capable public level 2, or DC fast charger, or a dual port charger to be shared by two parking spaces.  The bill goes on to require Commercial buildings (such as box stores, grocery markets, strip malls, shopping malls, shopping centers, and hotels or motels) as well as large employers (defined as having 100 employees or more at a single location) to install EV-ready or EV-capable public level 2, or DC fast charger, or a dual port charger to be shared by two parking spaces in a formula set in the legislation:  0-9 parking spaces = no EV spaces requirements; 10-25 parking spaces = 1 EV space requirement; 26-50 parking spaces = 2 EV required spaces; 51-75 parking spaces = 4 EV required spaces; 76-100 parking spaces = 5 EV required spaces; 101-150 parking spaces = 7 EV required spaces; 151-200 parking spaces = 10 EV required spaces; 201 and over = 6% of total spaces must be EV spaces.  This bill can be viewed at: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText22/HouseText22/H7112.pdf
 
If you wish to testify in writing, please email the testimony (preferably in pdf format) to HouseCorporations@rilegislature.gov  At the top of the message, indicate your name, bill number and position.  The deadline for written testimony is Tuesday at 1:00 p.m.  If you wish to verbally testify by telephone register by 4:00p.m. MONDAY by completing the form at https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=LBHmn1akN0aJ3A8oTO_8ZnMUMrI1W6lGqP5le-GGa29UNVgwQTZGUjQ4Q043MU1BTzRCVUVVNlAwUS4u  To testify in person, go to Room 101 Tuesday and sign up.  Masks are required.
 

• Makes permanent the ability of brewpubs and restaurants to sell “alcohol-to-go” with take-out food orders. 
• Lowers the minimum corporation tax from $400 a year to $375 a year. 
• Reduces the interest rate assessed on delinquent tax payments.  Today that rate is between 18% and 21%.  The proposal changes the rate, as of January 1, 2023, to between 12% and 21%.  The Trust fund delinquent tax rate would be 18% to 21%. 
• Creates a “Taxpayer Steward” within the Division of Taxation to deal with taxpayer complaints and problems, and provide recommendations for changes in tax laws, regulations forms, etc. 
• Allows cities and towns to voluntarily establish an exemption for a portion of tangible personal property assessed.  Today municipalities must submit legislation for General Assembly consideration in order to implement such a program. 
• Exempts the trade-in value of motorcycles from sales tax.
• Creates a “cottage food manufacture” license (for $65) to allow individuals to sell certain baked goods from their home kitchen or a rented commercial kitchen.  Licensees are permitted only to sell food directly to consumers by pickup or delivery within the state.  The kitchen must be located in a home that meets minimum housing standards, has a two- sink compartment or a dishwasher that reaches 150 degrees, has portable dish tubs and drain boards, and self-closing doors for bathrooms that open directly into the kitchen.  If the home has a well for water, that well must be tested once a year. Pets must be kept out of the food preparation and storage areas; and no domestic foods can be prepared at the same time food for sale is being prepared.  Laundry facilities in the kitchen cannot be used while preparing the food.  Labels will be required.  Products permitted to be sold are limited to baked goods that do not require refrigeration or time/temperature controls for safety (i.e. double crust pies, yeast breads, biscuits, brownies, cookies, muffins, certain cakes, etc.)  Licensees must charge the appropriate sales tax; they are limited to $25.000 in annual gross sales; and they cannot sell to grocery stores, restaurants, long-term care facilities, group homes, day care facilities and schools.