Eminent Domain Reform: Do We Have a Winner?

Representative Matthew McHugh’s (D-Charlestown/New Shoreham/South Kingstown/Westerly) bill on eminent domain reform (House bill 6725) will be considered by the House Finance Committee this Friday. H6725 is a strongly-worded ban against taking private residential property from one owner and giving it to a different private owner for “the purpose of improving tax revenue, expanding the tax base or for the sole purpose of promoting economic development”.

Given the high political profile of the backers of some of the other reform options that have been introduced, it is a tad surprising that Rep. McHugh’s bill is the first one out of the chute. H6725 does seem to get most of the job done, though it is not as detailed as the other reform bills.

The major area of possible concern is that H6725 does not protect private ownership of all properties; it only applies to residential ones.

UPDATE:

I missed something. There is a bigger concern about this bill. It applies only to municipalities and not to the state...

Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, no city or town, nor any political subdivision thereof shall exercise their power of eminent domain to acquire private residential property and then transfer it to a private developer for the purpose of improving tax revenue, expanding the tax base or for the sole purpose of promoting economic development.