AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ORDINANCES

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Britto and 1 co-sponsor

East Providence may require discretionary licenses for hotels, motels, inns, boardinghouses, and catering, with multi-agency approvals and fee-based rules.

05/27/2026 Meeting postponed (05/28/2026)

Summary of Bill: SB 3319 (2026) – Relating to Towns and Cities — Ordinances (Rhode Island)

Main purpose and intent

Grant East Providence the authority to issue and revoke licenses for operating hotels, motels, inns, boardinghouses, and catering establishments.

Establish a framework for license fees, duration, location, number, and operation of these licenses through city ordinances.

Require prior approval from specific city officials before a license is issued.

Key provisions and changes

Section 45-6-13 added to the General Laws:

The City of East Providence may, by ordinance, authorize discretionary licensing for businesses in the hotel/motel/inn/boardinghouse/catering sectors.
The city may set reasonable fees for license issuance and revocation.
The city may promulgate rules and regulations via ordinance addressing the duration, location, number, and operation of these licenses.
Before a license is issued by the city clerk, the applicant must obtain:
Approval from the Chief of Police
Approval from the Building Inspector
Approval from the Mayor

Section 2 states the act takes effect upon passage.

Who or what would be affected

Operators or potential operators of hotels, motels, inns, boardinghouses, and catering establishments within East Providence.

The East Providence city administration, including:

City Clerk (license issuance)
Chief of Police (approval)
Building Inspector (approval)
Mayor (approval)

Potential licensees would face a multi-step approval process and must comply with any ordinance-specific requirements and fee schedules established by the city.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction and referral: SB 3319 introduced May 26, 2026, and referred to the Senate Housing & Municipal Government Committee.

Effective date: Immediate upon passage (no separate delayed effective date).

Administrative process: Creates a discretionary licensing regime requiring prior multi-agency approvals before license issuance; local ordinances would detail duration, location, numeric limits, and operating rules.

Practical implications and considerations

Expands East Providence’s regulatory control over lodging and catering establishments beyond general business licensing, allowing tailored local rules.

Could influence market dynamics by enabling the city to cap or regulate the number and location of such establishments and by tying licensing to compliance with police and building standards.

Operators should prepare for a potentially more stringent, location- and operation-specific licensing framework with associated fees and ongoing regulatory oversight.

As a local-only provision, impacts are confined to East Providence unless other Rhode Island municipalities adopt similar measures through their own ordinances.

If you’d like, I can compare this proposed approach to existing state law or summarize potential fiscal and regulatory impacts based on typical licensing frameworks.