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. 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 meet 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 Joseph A. Montalbano of District 17 (Pawtucket, North Providence, Lincoln). The Senate Majority Leader is M. Teresa Paiva-Weed of District 13 (Newport, Jamestown). The Senate Minority Leader is Dennis L. Algiere of District 38 (Westerly, Charlestown).
Leadership posititions
- Joseph A. Montalbano (D)- President of the Senate
- John C. Revens, Jr. (D) - President Pro Tempore
- M. Teresa Paiva-Weed (D) - Senate Majority Leader
- Dennis L. Algiere (R) - Senate Minority Leader
- Dominick J. Ruggerio (D) - Majority Whip
- Kevin A. Breene (R) - Minority Whip
Committee leadership
- Stephen D. Alves (D) - Committee on Finance
- Roger R. Badeau (D) - Committee on Labor
- Frank T. Caprio (D) - Committee on Commerce
- Daniel P. Connors (D) - Committee on Rules
- Maryellen Goodwin (D) - Committee on Constitutional & Gaming Issues
- Daniel J. Issa (D) - Committee on Education
- J. Michael Lenihan (D) - Committee on Government Oversight
- Michael J. McCaffrey (D) - Committee on the Judiciary
- Rhoda E. Perry (D) - Committee on Health & Human Services
- V. Susan Sosnowski (D) - Committee on the Environment & Agriculture
- William A. Walaska (D) - Committee on Financial Services, Technology, & Regulatory Issues
Make-up of the Senate
| Affiliation | Members | |
| Template:American politics/party colours/Democratic| | Democratic Party | 33 |
| Template:American politics/party colours/Republican| | Republican Party | 5 |
| Total |
38 | |
| Government Majority |
28 | |
Other senators
- David E. Bates (R)
- Leo R. Blais (R)
- Frank A. Ciccone III (D)
- Marc A. Cote (D)
- Michael J. Damiani (D)
- Daniel DaPonte (D)
- James E. Doyle II (D)
- Walter S. Felag, Jr. (D)
- Paul W. Fogarty (D)
- Hanna M. Gallo (D)
- June N. Gibbs (R)
- Beatrice A. Lanzi (D)
- Charles J. Levesque (D)
- John F. McBurney III (D)
- Harold M. Metts (D)
- Juan M. Pichardo (D)
- Joseph M. Polisena (D)
- Leonidas P. Raptakis (D)
- Elizabeth H. Roberts (D)
- James C. Sheehan (D)
- John J. Tassoni, Jr. (D)
Employees of the Senate
- Raymond T. "Chip" Hoyas - Secretary of the Senate
- John Baxter - Reading Clerk/Director of Constituent Affairs
- Peter Simone - Director of Pages & Doorkeepers
- R. David Cruise - Senate Chief of Staff
- Greg Pare - Senate Public Relations Director
- Joyce Urban - Legislative Assistant
2006 Senate Elections
- District 1 Incumbent Maryellen Goodwin will be challenged by Republican Donald Izzo in November
- District 2 Senator Juan Pichardo will face a Republican challenger in Donald Roach
- District 3 Rhoda Perry, incumbent democrat, will be challenge by Republican Elaina Goldstein
- District 4 Senate Majority Whip Dominick Ruggerio will face Republican opponent, Gary Jerejian
- District 5 As Senator Frank Caprio leaves to become the Democratic Nominee for General Treasurer, several candidates are vying for his seat. Paul Jabour is the democratic party's nominee, who will face off against Republican Stephen Berrillo and Independent Jeffrey Toste.
- District 7 After defeating former senator Catherine Graziano, incumbent Frank Ciccone will face Scott Hacker in the General Election.
- District 9 Chairman Stephen Alves faces a republican opponent, John Clarke, Jr.
- District 11 Senator Levesque will see a republican challenger, Christopher Ottiano
- District 12 Senior Republican Senator June Gibbs will face off against democrat Eileen Spillane
- District 17 President Montalbano faces Independent challenger James Spooner.
- District 18 Senator Damiani retires after this year, opening up his seat to candidates. Representative Paul E. Moura will be challenged by Republican former candidate Lloyd Monroe.
- District 21 Republican Senator Leo Blais is being challenged by Democrat Sal Lombardi
- District 22 Senator Tassoni is being challenged by Republican Christopher Trainor.
- District 25 As Senator Polisena becomes Mayor of Johnston, Christopher Maselli will take his seat after defeating two democratic primary opponents.
- District 27 Senator Gallo faces a republican challenger in Robert Lancia.
- District 28 As Senator Roberts accepts the Democratic Nomination for Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Joshua Miller, after winning his party's primary, will face Republican Ivan Marte.
- District 31 President Pro Tempore Revens faces a republican opponent in Thomas Madden.
- District 32 Republican David Bates faces Democrat Jenny Flanagan.
- District 34 Republican Senator Breene will be challenged by Democrat Gregory Kenney.
- District 36 Democratic Senator Jimmy Sheehan will be challenged by Republican William Connelly.
- District 37 Senator Sosnowski will be challenged by Republican Malcolm MacKenzie.
- District 38 Senate Minority Leader Algiere will face a difficult challenger in Patrick Schmitt.
See also
External links
- Rhode Island Senate
- Map of Rhode Island Senate Districts (Antiquated Maps)
