The bill amends Chapter 46-23 of the General Laws in Rhode Island, focusing on the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and its role in managing coastal resources. It introduces new legislative findings that emphasize the importance of preserving and managing these resources. The bill specifies that the legislature will negotiate on behalf of the state for all activities occurring in, on, and over state submerged land extending beyond twenty-five (25) acres.

The CRMC is tasked with making recommendations to the General Assembly regarding any large-scale projects involving the filling or leasing of tidal lands of twenty-five (25) acres or more. These projects must receive legislative approval, disapproval, or conditional approval through direct enactment by the General Assembly. The bill also establishes that the CRMC shall impose a maximum fee of eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) per annum for any transatlantic telephone or fiber-optic communication cable that makes landfall in Rhode Island.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the imposition of appropriate fees for the use and/or lease of tidal lands. It clarifies that any lease of tidal lands or license to use those lands is subject to the approval of the General Assembly. The bill also states that if a lease is violated or if a fee for such lease has not been paid, the lands and rights in the land shall revert to the state, and any fees paid shall not be returned.

The bill will take effect upon passage.