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Rhode Island Senate

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

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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

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Republican Leadership

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Committee leadership

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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

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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

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District Senator Party Representing First elected
1 Jake Bissaillon Dem Providence 2023*
2 Ana Quezada Dem Providence 2016
3 Sam Zurier Dem Providence 2021*
4 Dominick J. Ruggerio Dem Providence 1984
5 Sam Bell Dem Providence 2018
6 Tiara Mack Dem Providence 2020
7 Frank Ciccone Dem Providence, North Providence 2002
8 Vacant[1] Pawtucket
9 John Burke Dem West Warwick 2020
10 Walter Felag Dem Tiverton, Warren 1998
11 Linda Ujifusa Dem Bristol, Portsmouth 2022
12 Louis DiPalma Dem Little Compton, Middletown 2008
13 Dawn Euer Dem Newport, Jamestown 2017*
14 Valarie Lawson Dem East Providence 2018
15 Meghan Kallman Dem Pawtucket 2020
16 Jonathon Acosta Dem Central Falls, Pawtucket 2020
17 Thomas Paolino Rep Lincoln 2016
18 Robert Britto Dem East Providence, Pawtucket 2022
19 Ryan W. Pearson Dem Cumberland 2012
20 Roger Picard Dem Woonsocket, Cumberland 2008*
21 Gordon Rogers Rep Coventry, Foster, Scituate, West Greenwich 2018
22 David Tikoian Dem Smithfield, Lincoln, North Providence 2022
23 Jessica de la Cruz Rep Burrillville, Glocester 2018
24 Melissa Murray Dem North Smithfield, Woonsocket 2018
25 Vacant[2] Johnston
26 Frank Lombardi Dem Cranston 2012
27 Hanna Gallo Dem Cranston 1998
28 Joshua Miller Dem Cranston 2006
29 Anthony DeLuca II Rep Warwick 2022
30 Mark McKenney Dem Warwick 2018
31 Matthew LaMountain Dem Warwick 2022
32 Pamela J. Lauria Dem Barrington, Bristol, East Providence 2022
33 Leonidas Raptakis Dem Coventry, East Greenwich, West Greenwich 2012
(1996-2010)
34 Elaine J. Morgan Rep Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich 2014
35 Bridget Valverde Dem East Greenwich, North Kingstown, Narragansett, South Kingstown 2018
36 Alana DiMario Dem Narragansett 2020
37 V. Susan Sosnowski Dem New Shoreham, South Kingstown 1996
38 Victoria Gu Dem Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown 2022
*Senator was elected in a special election

Past composition of the Senate

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Democrat Sandra Cano resigned on September 12, 2024.
  2. ^ Democrat Frank Lombardo died on February 21, 2024.
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41°49′52″N 71°25′02″W / 41.8310574°N 71.4171443°W / 41.8310574; -71.4171443