Wherever any statute not repealed in the general laws refers to and adopts any statute or part of a statute which is repealed in the general laws or any provision or rule of law which is abrogated or modified by the general laws, the statute, part of a statute, provision, or rule of law so referred to and adopted shall not be deemed repealed by the provisions of this chapter but shall be in force only so far as the same shall have been so adopted, and for no other purpose, and so far only as is not repugnant to or inconsistent with the provisions of the general laws.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 43-4-13