Provides the board of trustees with tort claim protections and calls upon the board to undertake a feasibility study related to operations of the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center and the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission.

Plain-English Summary

This bill makes two key changes related to nuclear research facilities in Rhode Island. First, it gives the University of Rhode Island's Board of Trustees the same legal protections that state government agencies already have when it comes to lawsuits. Specifically, it applies "tort claim" protections, which means that if someone wants to sue the board over certain actions or decisions, they must follow specific rules and time limits — the same rules that apply when suing a state government entity. This can make it somewhat harder to bring certain types of lawsuits against the board.

Second, the bill asks the Board of Trustees to conduct a feasibility study — essentially a formal review — looking at the future operations of two related organizations: the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center and the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission. These are facilities involved in nuclear research and education in the state. The study would examine whether and how these organizations can continue to operate effectively going forward.

The bill primarily affects the University of Rhode Island's Board of Trustees, the staff and researchers who work at the Nuclear Science Center and Atomic Energy Commission, and anyone who might have legal claims against the board. Rhode Island residents who benefit from nuclear research and educational programs in the state could also be indirectly affected, depending on what the feasibility study finds and what decisions are made as a result.

The bill has been introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, meaning it is still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been voted on.