The bill amends Section 42-82-16 of the General Laws under the "Farmland Preservation Act" to prohibit cities, towns, quasi-municipal corporations, or public corporations from assessing owners of agricultural operations for the extension of water and sewer utilities past their properties. Specifically, it states that no assessments, including impact fees or connection fees, can be levied on agricultural operations with frontage on public roadways for water utility extensions, effective for those in existence as of July 1, 2025. The only charges allowed are base usable charges, and the bill clarifies that owners may only be charged for sewer utility extensions if they have requested them.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions that allow agricultural operations to tie into any utility extensions at no cost for tie-in or infrastructure improvements, again only charging the base usable fee. However, these protections will be void if the owner develops or sells the property to a non-qualifying agricultural operation within twenty years of the utility extensions becoming operational. The act is set to take effect upon passage.

Statutes affected:
850: 42-82-16