R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-1-15 — Destruction of obsolete records — Preservation of corporate returns

The tax administrator is authorized and empowered, in his or her discretion, to destroy
tax returns, duplicate records, correspondence, and other papers and documents on
file in the office of the administrator, relating to the assessment of taxes under
this chapter, which bear a date not later than three (3) years prior to the date of
the exercise of the authority granted by this section, except the records relating
to public service corporations; provided, that the tax administrator has compiled
in durable form as a part of his or her permanent records, all the essential information
contained in any corporation tax returns destroyed under the provisions of this section
pertaining to issued capital, dividends, value of shares returned, bonded and other
indebtedness, total corporate value, corporate value in this state, basis of apportionment,
exempt property, estimated value of physical property within and without this state,
gross receipts, and in the case of public service corporations gross earnings returned,
and in the case of banks, trust companies, and national banking associations the fair
cash value of physical property and the names of shareholders whose shares are exempt
from taxation.