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 | |
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
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
- Dominick J. Ruggerio (D) - President of the Senate
- Ryan W. Pearson (D) – Majority Leader
- (vacant) (D) – Majority Whip
- Hanna Gallo (D) – President Pro Tempore
Republican Leadership
- Jessica de la Cruz (R) – Minority Leader
- Gordon Rogers (R) – Minority Whip
Committee leadership
| 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
- 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
Past composition of the Senate
See also
References
External links
Providence (capital) | |
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