Rhode Island General Laws Title 42. State Affairs and Government § 42-8.1-20. Rhode Island Historical Records Trust established

(a) There is hereby established a special fund to be known as the Rhode Island Historical Records Trust (hereinafter called Trust).

(b) There is hereby imposed an additional assessment of four dollars ($4.00) for every instrument filed for recording pursuant to §§ 33-22-21 and 34-13-7.

(c) On the first of every month, the municipal clerk shall transmit to the state archives three dollars ($3.00) of the additional assessment collected under subsection (b) of this section for deposit in the Rhode Island Historical Records Trust. The remaining one dollar ($1.00) of each such additional assessment shall remain with the local government and be deposited in a local Historical Records Trust.

(d) All monies retained by a local government shall be placed in a Historical Records Trust Fund maintained by the local government. The expenditure of these monies shall be restricted solely to the preservation of public records of historical value maintained by the municipal clerk or by a municipal archives.

(e) Use of these funds by the state archives shall be for the development and ongoing maintenance of a full-time local government records management program component, pursuant to § 38-3-4, and the state archives and records program. Such program shall be responsible for providing aid, advice, and assistance to all local governments of this state concerning the proper management and preservation of the public records in their custody or care, as required by other provisions of statute. Funds shall be expended to support administrative and other costs associated with the provision of consultative and technical services including, but not limited to, educational programming, micrographics services, and ongoing storage and preservation of local government records.

(f) All monies received by the general treasurer and other moneys appropriated or received for the purposes stated in subsection (b) above shall be deposited in a restricted account which shall be administered by the state archives.

(g) Each year the state archives shall review and make recommendations on a proposed operational and expenditure plan for the Rhode Island Historical Records Trust.