Provides that exemptions to the prohibition of liquor licenses within two hundred feet (200') of schools or places of worship do not eliminate neighboring property owners’ remonstrance rights to object to the license.

Plain-English Summary

Rhode Island law generally prohibits liquor licenses from being granted to businesses located within 200 feet of a school or place of worship. However, there are existing exceptions to this rule that can allow a license to be issued even when a business is within that restricted zone. This bill clarifies that just because one of those exceptions applies — allowing a license to be considered — it does not take away the rights of nearby property owners to formally object to that license.

Under current law, neighboring property owners have what is called a "remonstrance right," which is the legal ability to appear before a licensing board and voice opposition to a liquor license being granted in their area. This bill ensures that those rights remain intact even in cases where an exemption to the 200-foot rule has been invoked. In other words, getting an exemption does not automatically silence the neighbors.

This bill primarily affects residents and property owners who live or own property near a business seeking a liquor license under one of these exemptions, as well as the businesses applying for those licenses and the local licensing boards that process them. It reinforces that community members retain a voice in the licensing process regardless of whether a legal exemption has been granted. The bill has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs Committee.