Rhode Island Senate

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Rhode Island Senate
Rhode Island General Assembly
Type
Type Upper House
Term limits None
History
New session started January 1, 2013
Leadership
President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva-Weed, (D)
Since January 6, 2009
President pro Tempore William A. Walaska, (D)
Since January 1, 2013
Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio, (D)
Since January 6, 2009
Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere, (R)
Since January 7, 1997
Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, (D)
Since January 6, 2009
Structure
Seats 38
Political groups Democratic Party (32)
Republican Party (5)
Independent (1)
Length of term 2 years
Authority Article VI, Rhode Island Constitution
Salary

Senate Member: $15,079/year

Senate President: $30,158/year
Elections
Last election November 6, 2012
(38 seats)
Next election November 4, 2014
(38 seats)
Meeting place
RI-Senate-chamber.jpg
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 US state of Rhode Island. 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 the majority of 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, boards, or justices to the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

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 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.

The current President of the Senate is Democrat M. Teresa Paiva Weed of District 13 (Newport, Jamestown,). The current Senate Majority Leader is Dominick J. Ruggerio of District 4 (Providence). The Senate Minority Leader is Dennis L. Algiere of District 38 (Westerly, Charlestown).

Leadership positions

  • M. Teresa Paiva-Weed (D)- President of the Senate
  • William A. Walaska (D) – President Pro Tempore
  • Dominick J. Ruggerio (D) – Senate Majority Leader
  • Dennis L. Algiere (R) – Senate Minority Leader
  • Maryellen Goodwin (D) – Majority Whip
  • David E. Bates (R) – Minority Whip

Committee leadership

  • Daniel DaPonte (D) – Committee on Finance
  • Paul W. Fogarty (D) – Committee on Labor
  • Erin P. Lynch (D) – Committee on Rules
  • Walter Felag (D) – Committee on Special Legislation & Veterans' Affairs
  • Hanna M. Gallo (D) – Committee on Education
  • James C. Sheehan (D) – Committee on Government Oversight
  • Michael J. McCaffrey (D) – Committee on the Judiciary
  • Joshua Miller (D) – Committee on Health & Human Services
  • V. Susan Sosnowski (D) – Committee on the Environment & Agriculture
  • Juan M. Pichardo (D) – Committee on Housing & Municipal Government
  • Roger A. Picard (D) – Committee on Corporations


Make-up of the Senate

2013-2014 Legislative Session
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Democratic Republican Independent Vacant
End of previous legislature 29 8 1 38 0
Begin 32 5 1 38 0
Latest voting share 84.2% 13.2% 2.6%

Members of the Rhode Island Senate

Composition by municipality.
Legend:

  Democrat

  Republican

  Independent

District Senator Party Representing
1 Maryellen Goodwin Dem Providence
2 Juan M. Pichardo Dem Providence
3 Gayle L. Goldin Dem Providence
4 Dominick J. Ruggerio Dem Providence
5 Paul V. Jabour Dem Providence
6 Harold M. Metts Dem Providence
7 Frank A. Ciccone III Dem North Providence
8 James E. Doyle, II Dem Pawtucket
9 Adam J. Satchell Dem West Warwick
10 Walter S. Felag, Jr. Dem Tiverton & Warren
11 Christopher S. Ottiano Rep Bristol & Portsmouth
12 Louis P. DiPalma Dem Little Compton & Middletown
13 M. Teresa Paiva-Weed Dem Newport & Jamestown
14 Daniel DaPonte Dem Pawtucket
15 Donna Nesselbush Dem Pawtucket
16 Elizabeth A. Crowley Dem Central Falls
17 Edward J. O'Neill Ind Lincoln
18 William J. Conley, Jr. Dem East Providence
19 Ryan W. Pearson Dem Cumberland
20 Roger A. Picard Dem Woonsocket
21 Nicholas D. Kettle Rep Coventry, Foster, Scituate&West Greenwich
22 Stephen R. Archambault Dem Smithfield
23 Paul W. Fogarty Dem Burrillville & Glocester
24 Marc A. Cote Dem North Smithfield
25 Frank Lombardo, III Dem Johnston
26 Frank S. Lombardi Dem Cranston
27 Hanna M. Gallo Dem Cranston
28 Joshua Miller Dem Cranston
29 Michael J. McCaffrey Dem Warwick
30 William A. Walaska Dem Warwick
31 Erin Lynch Dem Warwick
32 David E. Bates Rep Barrington
33 Leonidas P. Raptakis Dem East Greenwich
34 Catherine Cool Rumsey Dem Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, & West Greenwich
35 Dawson Tucker Hodgson Rep North Kingstown
36 James C. Sheehan Dem Narragansett
37 V. Susan Sosnowski Dem Block Island & South Kingstown
38 Dennis L. Algiere Rep Westerly & Charlestown

Key Senate Staff

  • Thomas R. Coderre - Chief of Staff to the President
  • Kristen M. Silvia – Deputy Chief of Staff / Director of Legislation
  • Marie L. Ganim – Deputy Chief of Staff / Director of Policy
  • Edward M. Fogarty, Esq. – Chief Legal Counsel
  • Stephen S. Iannazzi – Special Assistant to the Majority Leader
  • Patricia McNeilly – Chief of Staff to the Minority Leader
  • Joseph R. Brady – Secretary of the Senate
  • John M. Roney – Parliamentarian of the Senate
  • Eugene I. Gessow – Senate Fiscal Advisor
  • Greg Pare – Director of Communications
  • John S. Baxter, Jr. – Director of Constituent Services
  • Edward Catone – Director of Senate Services

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See also

References

External links

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