Prohibits any city, town, quasi-municipal corporation or public corporation from assessing any existing agricultural operation or agricultural land for the extension of any water utilities past the property and from imposing any connection fee.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would protect farmers and agricultural landowners from being charged certain fees related to water utility projects. Specifically, it would prevent cities, towns, and public utility organizations from billing an agricultural operation or farmland for the cost of extending water lines or pipes that run *past* their property — even if the farmer doesn't want or use that water connection. It would also prohibit charging these property owners any fee to connect to a water utility.

The bill is part of Rhode Island's broader Farmland Preservation Act, which is designed to help keep agricultural land in operation. The idea is that when water utilities expand their infrastructure through rural or farming areas, the costs of that expansion should not fall on farmers who may not have asked for the service and may not benefit from it. Under current practices, property owners — including farmers — can sometimes be assessed fees simply because a utility line passes near or through their land.

This bill would primarily affect farmers, agricultural businesses, and owners of farmland across Rhode Island, as well as the cities, towns, and public corporations that manage water utilities. Farmers would be shielded from potentially significant infrastructure costs, while local governments and utility providers would lose the ability to collect those fees from agricultural properties.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee and has been recommended to be held for further study, meaning it has not yet advanced toward a vote.