Rhode Island Senate

Rhode Island Senate
Coat of arms or logo
Seal of the Rhode Island Senate
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
New session started
January 3, 2023
Leadership
Dominick J. Ruggerio (D)
since March 23, 2017
President pro tempore
Hanna M. Gallo (D)
since January 5, 2021
Majority Leader
Ryan W. Pearson (D)
since January 3, 2023
Minority Leader
Jessica de la Cruz (R)
since August 2, 2022
Structure
Seats38
Political groups
Majority (33)
  •   Democratic (33)

Minority (5)

Length of term
2 years
AuthorityArticle VI, Constitution of Rhode Island
Salary$19,036/year
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
November 8, 2022
(38 seats)
Next election
November 5, 2024
(38 seats)
RedistrictingLegislative Control
Meeting place
Senate Chamber
Rhode Island State Capitol
Providence, Rhode Island
Website
Rhode Island Senate

The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the lower house being the Rhode Island House of Representatives. It is composed of 38 Senators, each of whom is elected to a two-year term. Rhode Island is one of the 14 states where its upper house serves at a two-year cycle, rather than the normal four-year term as in most states. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Rhode Island Senate meets at the Rhode Island State Capitol in Providence.

Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, commissions and boards and Justices to the Rhode Island Judiciary.

Senate leadership[edit]

The President of the Senate presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike most other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island does not preside over the Senate, and is instead active in other areas such as state commissions on health and businesses. In the Senate President's absence, the President Pro Tempore presides.

Democratic Leadership[edit]

Republican Leadership[edit]

Committee leadership[edit]

Committee Chair Vice Chair Secretary
Commerce V. Susan Sosnowski (D) Roger Picard (D) Tiara Mack (D)
Education Sandra Cano (D) Hanna Gallo (D) Ana Quezada (D)
Environment and Agriculture Alana DiMario (D) Matthew LaMountain (D) David Tikoian (D)
Finance Louis DiPalma (D) Melissa Murray (D) Walter Felag (D)
Health and Human Services Joshua Miller (D) Bridget Valverde (D) Valarie Lawson (D)
Housing and Municipal Government Frank Lombardo (D) Meghan Kallman (D) Gordon Rogers (R)
Judiciary Dawn Euer (D) Frank Lombardi (D) Leonidas Raptakis (D)
Labor Frank Ciccone (D) Frank Lombardi (D) John Burke (D)
Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight Mark McKenney (D) Valarie Lawson (D) Samuel Zurier (D)
Special Legislation and Veterans' Affairs Walter Felag (D) Leonidas Raptakis (D) Valarie Lawson (D)

Make-up of the Senate[edit]

2019-2021 Legislative Session
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Ind Vacant
2011-2012 29 8 1 38 0
2013-2014 32 5 1 38 0
Begin 2015 32 5 1 38 0
2015-2016 33 0
Begin 2017 33 5 0 38 0
2017-2019 32 1
Begin 2019 33 5 0 38 0
Begin 2023 33 5 0 38 0
Latest voting share 86.8% 13.2%

Members of the Rhode Island Senate[edit]

District Senator Party Representing
1 Jake Bissaillon Dem Providence
2 Ana Quezada Dem Providence
3 Sam Zurier Dem Providence
4 Dominick J. Ruggerio Dem Providence
5 Sam Bell Dem Providence
6 Tiara Mack Dem Providence
7 Frank Ciccone Dem Providence, North Providence
8 Sandra Cano Dem Pawtucket
9 John Burke Dem West Warwick
10 Walter Felag Dem Tiverton, Warren
11 Linda Ujifusa Dem Bristol, Portsmouth
12 Louis DiPalma Dem Little Compton, Middletown
13 Dawn Euer Dem Newport, Jamestown
14 Valarie Lawson Dem East Providence
15 Meghan Kallman Dem Pawtucket
16 Jonathon Acosta Dem Central Falls, Pawtucket
17 Thomas Paolino Rep Lincoln
18 Robert Britto Dem East Providence, Pawtucket
19 Ryan W. Pearson Dem Cumberland
20 Roger Picard Dem Woonsocket, Cumberland
21 Gordon Rogers Rep Coventry, Foster, Scituate, West Greenwich
22 David Tikoian Dem Smithfield, Lincoln, North Providence
23 Jessica de la Cruz Rep Burrillville, Glocester
24 Melissa Murray Dem North Smithfield, Woonsocket
25 Vacant[1] Johnston
26 Frank Lombardi Dem Cranston
27 Hanna Gallo Dem Cranston
28 Joshua Miller Dem Cranston
29 Anthony DeLuca II Rep Warwick
30 Mark McKenney Dem Warwick
31 Matthew LaMountain Dem Warwick
32 Pamela J. Lauria Dem Barrington, Bristol, East Providence
33 Leonidas Raptakis Dem Coventry, East Greenwich, West Greenwich
34 Elaine J. Morgan Rep Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich
35 Bridget Valverde Dem East Greenwich, North Kingstown, Narragansett, South Kingstown
36 Alana DiMario Dem Narragansett
37 V. Susan Sosnowski Dem New Shoreham, South Kingstown
38 Victoria Gu Dem Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown

Past composition of the Senate[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Democrat Frank Lombardo died on February 21, 2024.

External links[edit]

41°49′52″N 71°25′02″W / 41.8310574°N 71.4171443°W / 41.8310574; -71.4171443