The bill proposes amendments to the Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act, focusing on the content and implementation of comprehensive plans by municipalities. It introduces a new requirement for these plans to have a minimum twenty-year planning timeframe and to be internally consistent with detailed sections on various topics such as natural resources, housing, and economic activities. The housing section must include an affordable housing program with specific goals and actions. The bill also mandates that comprehensive plans include maps showing existing conditions and future land use, and that zoning maps be updated to comply with the future land use map within eighteen months. Furthermore, the bill requires that all municipal land use decisions adhere to the comprehensive plan.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that municipalities must maintain and update their comprehensive plans at least once every ten years, with a twelve-year maximum period before re-adoption is required. Failure to update the plan within this timeframe would result in the municipality being unable to use the plan to deny land use decisions. The bill also outlines the enforcement responsibilities of municipalities to ensure conformity with the comprehensive plan and the consequences of not amending zoning ordinances and maps as scheduled. The proposed changes are set to become effective on March 1, 2024.