(a)  Any person or utility who or that violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than three hundred fifty dollars ($350) for the first offense and not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for any subsequent offense within a twelve-month (12) period. The administrator of the division of public utilities and carriers shall assess the civil penalty against the person or utility who or that is determined to have committed the violation. All penalties recovered shall be paid into the general fund of the state. This chapter shall not be construed to affect any civil remedies for personal injury or property damage (including underground utilities), except as otherwise specifically provided for in this chapter.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 39-1.2-13

  • Administrator: means the administrator of the division of public utilities and carriers. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1.2-1
  • Damage: means and includes, but is not limited to, the substantial weakening of structural or lateral support of a utility line; penetration or destruction of any utility line protective coating, housing, or other protective device; or the severance, partial or complete, of any utility line. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1.2-1
  • Division: means the division of public utilities and carriers. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1-2
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or a public utility, including a person engaged as a contractor by a public agency and including a public agency. See Rhode Island General Laws 39-1.2-1

(b)  Any contractor found in violation of this chapter that, after due process of law, fails to satisfy any such fines levied pursuant to this chapter shall be ineligible to bid on or be awarded any municipal, quasi-municipal, state, state-funded, state-regulated or state-subsidized construction and/or public works contracts.

History of Section.
P.L. 1984, ch. 119, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 317, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 345, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 367, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 92, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 103, § 1.