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Senate Minority Office

 

Senate passes Rogers bill on Municipal Sidewalk Maintenance

STATE HOUSE — The Senate today passed legislation (2024-S 2019) introduced by Minority Whip Senator Gordon E. Rogers (R-Dist. 21, Foster, Coventry, Scituate, West Greenwich) that would require that all maintenance of sidewalks along state highways, with the exception of snow and ice removal, be the responsibility of the state.

Currently, the Director of Transportation has authority over sidewalks and curbs along state highways, but the burden of maintenance for those sidewalks lies primarily with the municipalities in which they are encompassed. This legislation transfers the responsibility for maintenance and repairs, with the exception for snow and ice removal, of sidewalks adjacent to state highways and roads to state government.

The Rhode League of Cities and Towns has expressed support for shifting the responsibility to the state in a letter to the House Finance Committee for similar legislation introduced in the House, citing, "that sidewalk maintenance is a vital public safety issue that should be addressed at the state level." Their key reasons for support include equity and consistency, public safety, financial relief for municipalities, and efficiency in maintenance.

Senator Rogers, who is Director of Public Works for the Town of Foster, stated, "This bill is crucial for public safety and essential for the equitable and consistent upkeep of sidewalks on state roads across varied and disparate municipal budget constraints."

"It makes sense that if a sidewalk is on a state road, it’s a state responsibility," said Senator Rogers. "With this legislation, we can level the playing field for municipalities, preserve infrastructure investments, and enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility."

Two people are dead and eight others are injured in the aftermath of a shooting outside an Arkansas grocery store. Police responded to the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, about 70 miles south of Little Rock, after shots were fired on Friday. One person is in custody. One of the wounded is a police officer. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been briefed on the situation.       A scorching heat wave is pummeling over 130-million Americans. The National Weather Service says it will continue in the Northeast and Midwest over the next several days. Pittsburgh temperatures are expected to feel like 110-degrees today, and Washington, D.C., could hit 101-degrees Sunday. Forecasters say the heat wave in the South and Great Plains could last until early next week.       Severe flooding is hammering Northern Minnesota. Heavy rains have led to flooded communities, and Governor Tim Walz is promising support as he toured damages in St. Louis County today in the North-Eastern part of the state. The county declared a disaster, with an estimated 50-million-dollars in damages so far. More rain is forecasted for the weekend.       Donald Trump plans to campaign in Virginia the day after the first presidential debate next week. It will be Trump's second visit to Virginia this election cycle. The campaign believes it could win Virginia in November. President Biden won the state by 10 points in 2020.       The Oklahoma man who has been in jail in Turks and Caicos is heading home. A judge this morning gave Ryan Watson a suspended sentence of 13-weeks in jail and a two-thousand dollar fine after ammunition was found in his bag as he was trying to come back to Oklahoma on April 12th. He had been looking at a possible 12-year sentence. Watson's attorney says he will pay the fine and should be back in Oklahoma tonight.       Game six of the NHL's Stanley Cup Final is all set for tonight. The Oilers will look to force game seven when they take on the Florida Panthers in Edmonton. The Panthers hold a three games to two series lead. The Oilers are trying to become just the third team ever to force a Game Seven in Cup Final history after trailing 3-0.       

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