R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-3-35: Municipal rights and franchises subject to regulation.

Every franchise granted to any public utility by any town or city and all contracts, ordinances, rules, regulations, and orders entered into or made by any town or city regulating the use and enjoyment of rights and franchises granted to any public utility or regulating, restricting, or affecting the operation of transit vehicles, under the provisions of any general or special law, shall be subject to the continuing control of the division in the exercise of the powers enumerated in chapters 1 — 5 of this title, and during the existence thereof, every franchise, contract, ordinance, rule, regulation, and order shall be deemed to include, and be subject to, the exercise by the division of any and all of the powers or regulations provided for in chapters 1 — 5 of this title.