Reorganizes the coastal resources management council under the department of environmental management and create the bureau of coastal resources management.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would reorganize how Rhode Island manages its coastal resources by moving the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) under the authority of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM). Currently, the CRMC operates as its own independent agency responsible for overseeing the state's coastline, including things like building permits near the shore, habitat protection, and water access. Under this proposal, that work would be folded into a newly created Bureau of Coastal Resources Management within DEM.

In practical terms, this is primarily a structural or administrative change to how state government is organized. Instead of the CRMC functioning independently, coastal management decisions and oversight would become part of a larger state department that already handles environmental issues like parks, forests, and wildlife. The new bureau would take on the responsibilities that the CRMC currently handles.

This bill could affect a wide range of people — including property owners near the coast, developers seeking permits for waterfront projects, environmental advocates, fishing communities, and local municipalities — since the CRMC plays a significant role in decisions about how Rhode Island's shoreline is used and protected. Whether this change would affect how quickly or how those decisions are made remains to be seen as the bill moves through the legislative process.

As of now, the bill has been introduced and referred to the House State Government & Elections Committee, with a hearing scheduled for April 2026.