The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted Tuesday to advance legislation allowing local governments to make outdoor dining permanent, a practice that gained popularity during the pandemic.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Carol McEntee, would empower local municipalities to adopt ordinances that limit outdoor dining on public property capacity, or that require barriers for outdoor dining areas that border parking lots or roadways. However, the legislation would prohibit municipalities from passing ordinances that prohibit outdoor dining, limit the time of year when outdoor dining may be offered, restrict the hours of outdoor dining operations, or require new parking capacity standards on a food service establishment for an outdoor dining area.
“In the dark days of the pandemic, expansion of outdoor dining across the state proved to be a bright spot that brought our communities back together on those warm summer nights to enjoy one of Rhode Island’s finest assets — our culinary and hospitality community. And make no mistake about it, outdoor dining allowed countless restaurants and eateries to withstand and survive the struggles and uncertainties that COVID-19 brought to our state. Without outdoor dining, our diverse and world-renowned restaurant scene would look far different today and the state would have missed out on the millions of tax dollars that our tourism and hospitality industries generate yearly. We must look at the economic facts and listen to the voices of our residents and visitors alike which are clearly stating, it’s time to make this beloved practice permanent so that everyone can continue to enjoy outdoor dining in the Ocean State,” said Representative McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett).
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration, where Sen. Alana M. DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham) has introduced the legislation. (2024-S 2028A). Senator DiMario’s bill is scheduled for a Senate vote on Thursday of this week.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
