Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of PROJECT Weber/RENEW, a Rhode Island domestic nonprofit corporation.
Summary
S0191 amends Rhode Island’s property tax exemption statute to add PROJECT Weber/RENEW, a Rhode Island domestic nonprofit corporation, to the list of entities whose real and tangible personal property is exempt from taxation. The bill specifically provides a tax exemption for the organization’s real and tangible personal property, and the act takes effect upon passage.
The measure is narrow in scope but significant in that it changes state law governing property subject to taxation by creating a new statutory exemption for a named nonprofit. Because the bill is written as an amendment to § 44-3-3, it directly affects local property tax rolls and the authority of municipalities to assess property taxes on the organization’s qualifying property. The bill also sits within a broader statute that contains many other exemptions for nonprofits, religious institutions, educational institutions, and certain business-related property, but this act adds a new entity-specific exemption rather than a general category change.
Impact
This act modifies Rhode Island General Laws § 44-3-3, the statute listing property exempt from taxation, by adding PROJECT Weber/RENEW’s real and tangible personal property to the exemption list. As a result, cities and towns may not levy property tax on qualifying property owned by that nonprofit, reducing the local tax base by the amount of the exempt property’s assessed value. The bill does not alter the broader structure of property taxation, but it expands the set of nonprofit organizations receiving statutory tax relief.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support for the bill. The Senate passed it 36-0 on June 10, 2025, and the House passed it in concurrence 71-0 on June 17, 2025. No committee transcripts were provided, and there is no recorded opposition in the voting history, suggesting the measure was noncontroversial among legislators.
Contention
No notable contention appears in the available record. Because the bill grants a property tax exemption to a specific nonprofit organization, any potential concerns would likely center on the loss of local tax revenue or the precedent of entity-specific exemptions, but no such objections are reflected in the votes or other provided materials. The unanimous votes indicate broad agreement on the exemption.