TheRhode Island Senateis theupper houseof theRhode Island General Assembly,thestate legislatureof the U.S. state ofRhode Island,thelower housebeing theRhode 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 theRhode Island State CapitolinProvidence.
Rhode Island Senate | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Rhode Island Senate | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 3, 2023 |
| Leadership | |
President pro tempore | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 38 |
 | |
Political groups | Majority (33)
Minority (5)
|
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article 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) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Senate Chamber Rhode Island State Capitol Providence,Rhode Island | |
| Website | |
| Rhode Island Senate | |
Like otherupper housesofstateand territorial legislatures and the federalU.S. Senate,the Senate can confirm or rejectgubernatorialappointments to executive departments, commissions and boards and Justices to the Rhode Island Judiciary.
Senate leadership
editThePresident of the Senatepresides 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, theLieutenant Governor of Rhode Islanddoes 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, thePresident Pro Temporepresides.
Democratic Leadership
edit- Dominick J. Ruggerio(D) - President of the Senate
- Ryan W. Pearson(D) – Majority Leader
- Valarie Lawson(D) – Majority Whip
- Hanna Gallo(D) – President Pro Tempore
Republican Leadership
edit- Jessica de la Cruz(R) – Minority Leader
- Gordon Rogers(R) – Minority Whip
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) | Pamela J. Lauria(D) |
| Housing and Municipal Government | Roger Picard(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) | Sam Zurier(D) |
| Special Legislation and Veterans' Affairs | Walter Felag(D) | Leonidas Raptakis(D) | Valarie Lawson(D) |
Make-up of the Senate
editThis section needs to beupdated.(January 2023) |
- 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- *Senator was elected in a special election
Past composition of the Senate
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^DemocratSandra Canoresigned on September 12, 2024.
- ^DemocratFrank Lombardodied on February 21, 2024.