R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-16-1: Definitions.

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Licensing authorities” means the bureau or board of police commissioners of any city or town where that bureau or board of police commissioners is established; but where there is no bureau or board, it means the town council of a town and the city council of a city.

(2) “Person” means and includes a person, partnership, or corporation.

(3) “Public laundry” means and includes any plant or equipment conducted or operated as a laundry for profit, and for which business is solicited from the general public, but does not mean or include a laundry operated exclusively for and in connection with a hospital, school, or other institution, hotel, boardinghouse, or private dwelling, nor a laundry operated by one institution that also serves another institution.